1. The Description of Bindia
The first character analyzed is Bindia. She is the second daughter in the family; her age is about thirties years old. She is a native Pakistan woman who
lives in America and married an American man Sharif, 1992:274. When she comes to her homeland in order to visit her family, she finally knows the life
stories of her sisters, they tell their deficient situations as women in Pakistan, her sisters tell how difficult their situation as wife in Pakistan 1992:266.
T he character’s description can be analyzed from her appearance, which is
shown from the personal description of the character, what he or she wears and how her appearances look likes. She does not wear clothes as common Pakistan
women. She has her own style and does not care what everyone says about her. She does ignore the culture tradition in her own country though actually she does
not mean to do that. This situation is explained in the following quotation, NAZO. You have started smoking a lot.
BINDIA. Yup ROONA. Now you know you are in Pakistan. Here even the servants tell
you what to and what not to do. When he comes back, he will ask you, why are you wearing jeans and why are you smoking.
NAZO. You smoke a lot BINDIA. Yes . . . I know.
NAZO. Why? ROONA. Leave her alone.
NAZO. Smoking is not good for you. BINDIA. Yes . . . I know. Sharif, 1992:265.
In Pakistan, smoking women still get a negative assumption because of smoking in patriarchal society is a men-only activity. In this situation, Bindia ignores the
risks of getting negative image by the society. Erum Saikh posts an article about
women smoking in Pakistan, entitled “Is smoking banned for women in Pakistan?
” Women seen smoking in public are automatically stereotyped as being
cunning charlatans with no morals or respect for society — a person who
will most definitely be seen partying it up into the wee hours of the night with strange men and, of course, if she smokes, she probably drinks, too.
http:blogs.tribune.com.pkstory14815is-smoking-banned-for-women- in-pakistan
The quotation above clearly shows that women smoking in Pakistan stereotyped as an immoral person and have no respect of society. However, in any condition a
smoking woman often gets a negative image in the society. Women in Pakistan should wear decently dress, as the Muslim women
should wear; they wear long dress or trousers that made of fabric to avoid showing the shape of the body. As Becher said on the book
Family Practices in South Asian Muslim
Families, Traditional South Asian clothes were commonly worn at home in the
families in this study, especially girls and women. Most wore
shalwar kameez
baggu trousers and tunic as well as a
dupatta
scarf around their shoulder and sometimes over their head. Men and boys more often wore
English-style trousers and shirts although a few wore
shalwar kameez
. These slothes met the cultural and religious standards of modesty in
covering the body, and also the head for women Becher, 2008:63.
This rule is important because this is the teaching of the religion that should be obeyed by the followers of Islam. Particularly in Pakistan which has strong
Islamic culture and some different social control of women. Isran stated on his journal entitled
Patriarchy And Women In Pakistan: A Critical Analysis,
“
In South Asian societies, of which Pakistan is part, there are different social controls applied to
control women’s social and economic behavior at every level of society.”
2012:835
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