Welcome Readers,
We all might have encountered certain crises where our own perceptions have been different or didn't match to the very common idea from the rest of the world and at this point in time, we are being excluded from the rest of the society or has to stand against our own people to prove what we consider is best for us, for our life. Being surrounded by people and as a social animal, an individual has to face too many difficulties if s/he is uncomfortable in carrying out all the rules and regulations decided by society. Satre truly said-
"Hell is – other people."
- No Exit. A play by Satre
(spoken by Garcin, a journalist)
In this blog post, I am attempting to narrate a story which has some basic and foundational notions rooted in our society which I found very much disturbing and totally forbidding one's mental growth if she is a female. Obviously, it can't be denied that female education is given importance but to some extent, when we talk about higher education like pursuing doctoral degrees or pursuing Masters, many female students do not continue their study because of the family pressure, societal pressure, some are dragged into the 'School of marriage'.
STORY
A middle-aged Lady, so poised and perfect, so elegant and sublime, so homely and caring spoke with extreme emotions in a voice more delicate than usual so as to say not softer this time, to her neighbour Mrs More who was looking with so much proud on her daughters who were learning domestic lessons so flawlessly; on watching a girl, who was to turn eighteen this Sunday, was checking out some airguns and positioning herself in order to aim from a distant place:
"Don't you think her parents might have forgotten that Zeel is a daughter, not a son; a daughter brings honour to the family through marriage not by filling an airgun!
Mrs More in her most prideful tone replied, "Of course, I really am proud of my two daughters who have been following my instructions so devotionally and I am so worried about her future- look how she is learning how to hold the hand."
"She must learn how to hold a whisk and tongs gracefully and not airguns. Besides, look at her clothes she isn't even properly dressed. Soon she will be a young woman, she must try to please her elders by looking descent and performing duties which suit her. I wonder what man would like to marry a girl who wears a gun and not grace!"
And this day also ended in the same way for Mrs. More and the Lady only by observing the house in front of them and the family living in there. I truly have my sympathies for both as they try a lot to focus on their work but are always distracted by what the family staying in front of them are doing.
(Next afternoon at the same time)
In her verandah, Zeel was setting her position to aim at the shooting board. Her younger brother came out joyfully, their parents might have agreed to send the boy to the big city for his higher education. The two neighbours were as usual- fancy punctual to start their work by sitting together in Mrs More's balcony from where they were able to have an ariel view of five to six houses of their area. Mrs More felt somewhat fatigued and exhausted after all she and her daughters had cleaned the whole house (actually whitewashed their house). They were so used to keep everything perfect and clean, the floor of their house was as clean as milk. Everyone in the society used to appreciate their cleanliness when they went there to ask for necessary things- some used to visit them with a bowl for a pinch of sugar or a spoon of buttermilk. The family staying in the last corner of the house never miss a day, one of the female members would come to pass or return her some amount of milk which she might have borrowed yesterday or some days back or to ask for five-six icecubes for the lemonade to serve her guests. I still am unable to find the clue what would take so long for Mrs. More to pass just these minor things which she would get back the next day or some other day in future.
The Lady sitting beside her was impatient to discuss one thing- yesterday she had heard that one of the members of Noors was to rent a house at the city. Warm soothing rays of the setting sun were touching Zeels eyes and she was struggling to concentrate on the grip to hold into primary hand's palm, Zola took the ball and begin to play with it. The ladies on the balcony were able to see both of them, the first begin the discussion- "I wonder who will make the girl acceptable to the society, her mother mostly seem buried in her service and this one is losing her charm as a girl."
Mrs. More couldn't tame her expertise in the knowledge she has in raising her girls, she immediately said, "She should be taught how to fit into society, to take part in numerous pleasures as we do, she won't learn how to be a young lady by playing with airguns."
"Exactly, she seemed underdress and poorly mannered, she would soon be a young lady and she doesn't even know how to laugh politely"
Mrs More's daughters were exaggeratedly perfect in to become acceptable wives and responsible mothers. They never questioned their parents. Catching her chance Mrs. More exclaimed, "And you know! My daughters have the ability to make people happy, they have their control over anger not like Zeel who had a raw with her parents now and then in every matter."
"Yes, I wonder, why would she raise so many questions, perhaps endless questions, she is more like unpredictable and challenging, not disciplined"
"I see, how she has this bizarre and unusual idea caring about no one but herself."
And this day too passed as usual.
***
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