Introduction
Good communication and integration are essential in the development of a family’s relationship. In fact, lack thereof jeopardizes the overall potential of the family members being on good terms. In the title, In the Country of Men, Hisham Matar presents a compelling argument about how the Libyan society was male dominated through the representation of the plight of women. Additionally, the author reveals the effects of the authoritarian rule to the stability of the families. These challenges compromise Suleiman’s growth as he does not receive fatherly attention due to the absence of his father and the constant tension posed by the dictatorial government under Colonel Moammar Qaddafi. Matar’s account of the Libyan society outlines the effects of the lack of democracy under authoritarian rule and its impacts on the development of family relationships. Additionally, it outlines the overall societal perception towards the inferiority of women.
Discrimination against women
Suleiman’s mother, Najwa, is forced to endure a difficult life under the rule of men. She was married off to an older man at the age of fourteen. This made her resentful, as she was not involved in making the decision to become Faraj’s wife (Matar123). Additionally, it was the duty of every husband to determine whether his wife was a virgin. The methods used to ascertain this condition were rather harsh and non-conducive for young women as they were married off at tender ages. Marriage is an agreement imparted by people who share an affection for each other, and it should be arrived at through the involvement of both parties. Nonetheless, this society is more biased towards the rule of men. Precisely, they have the right to select the women they would like to marry, but the women do not play any role in denying marriage proposals. As such, gender roles in this society are biased towards the rule of men.
Relation to a historical context
Arguably, the setting of this novel is based on the second half of the twentieth century. From a historical perspective, the post-world war era was characterized by the rise in intellectuals through the development of the competent education systems. The provisions of the scholarly world advocated the involvement gender equality in the distribution of resources and decision-making. However, this situation was not upheld within the Libyan community due to conservative cultural perspectives and the rise in the dictatorial regime. As such, women were accustomed to inferior treatment as they were taught to embrace the same in their childhood. As a result, the pervasive nature of unequal gender roles was enhanced by the overall cultural beliefs and the lack of enlightenment on the importance of gender equality. Mrs. Najwa was compelled to endure her painful marriage in the presence of her husband, and she sought some relief in alcoholism in the absence his husband’s absence. This situation affected her parentage, as she was unable to conceal sensitive information from her son.
The impacts of a dictatorial regime
Matar gives an overview of the difficult living conditions experienced by the Libyan citizens after Qaddafi’s rise to power. For starters, Suleiman’s neighbor, Rashid is killed in the authoritarian regime due to his democratic advocacies. However, the government facilitates his termination on the grounds of being a national threat through terrorism. Consequently, there was a lack of self-expression regardless of the oppression imposed on the citizens. Suleiman’s father was forced to conduct his rebellious political activities cautiously as his exposure would lead to extermination (Matar 154). Due to the unrest created by the dictatorial government, Faraj is compelled to spend most of his time fighting the undemocratic rule. Consequently, he spends a little time with his wife and son thus affecting his family relationship. His constant absence and lack of efficient communication with his wife lead to the development of her resentful nature. Consequently, one is justified to claim that the erroneous nature of the authoritarian government negatively affected Suleiman’s family relationship.
The dictatorial regime under Qaddafi’s regime led to the development of social unrest. As such, people lived in fear of what would happen to them in case the military troops stopped by their homes. Najwa for instance was compelled to burn all of his husband’s paper materials to prevent the detection of any rebellious materials by government officials. Consequently, one is justified to claim that this society did not tolerate the existence of criticism among its citizens. This made Suleiman’s childhood development complicated as he developed distorted images of the nature of his immediate society. Precisely, he was unaware of his father’s activity, and he could not comprehend his mother’s behavior. Consequently, dictatorial governments have a negative impact on the development of constructive family relationships as people live in fear, and they are constantly engaged in seeking appropriate measures to take care of the developing problems.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Libyan society presented in Matar’s novel In the Country of Men is biased towards the rule of men. Precisely, the cultural beliefs upheld by the community members maintain the superiority of the male gender over the females. As such, women are submissive to men regardless of the discriminatory activities they are engaged in during these practices. Additionally, the authoritative regime created by Qaddafi’s regime affected the development of constructive family relationships as it led to social unrest. People were deprived of their right to criticize the government’s rule as the rebellious were exterminated. Overall, this novel succeeds in outlining the nature of the patriarchal society, the heightened levels of discrimination against women and the impacts of a dictatorial regime.
Works cited
Matar, Hisham. In The Country of Men. New York: Dial Press, 2007. Print.
