APPENDICES
1. Appendix 1: Synopsis
Dreams of Trespass: Tales of a Harem Girlhood
Dreams of Trespass: Tales of a Harem Girlhood is a memoir of Fatima Mernissi about her childhood recounts the life experiences of her female relatives
and her own reactions to the world around her. This rich, magical and absorbing growing-up tale set in a little-known culture reflects many universals about
women. The setting is a domestic harem in the 1940s city of Fez, where an extended family arrangement keeps the women mostly apart from society.
Dreams of Trespass outlines the story of the writer, Fatima Mernissi and her reflections of growing up in a harem. The story starts out when Mernissi is
quite young, and ends when she is around nine years old. She discusses the members of her family and their personalities, dreams, and hopes. Her work is
quite descriptive and contains many cultural allusions that are well described
within the context of the story. In particular the incidents in the story are connected with outlying concepts of freedom, feminism, and the purpose of
barriers, separation, and frontiers pertaining to harem life. Mernissi weaves her stories together beautifully and there is a real sense of continuity between chapters
and a reflective sense of her own ideals.
Fatima Mernissi charts the changing social and political frontiers and limns the personalities and quirks of her world. Here she tells of a grandmother
who warns that the world is unfair to women, learns of the confusing World War II via radio news in Arabic and French, watches family members debate what
children should hear, wonders why American soldiers skin doesnt reflect Moroccan-style racial mixing and decides that sensuality must be a part of
womens liberation. This story not only tells a winning personal story but also helps to feminize a much-stereotyped religion. The story also demystifies the
harem and puts a face on Arab Muslim women in a personal and highly entertaining manner, exploring the nature of womens power, the value of oral
tradition, and the absolute necessity of dreams and celebrations.
This story provided a magnificent glimpse into a world that seems as strange to women. And it certainly opened women’s eyes. At only 22 chapters and 242 pages,
women can learn how to be independent women who have a big dream. This story finally ends with statement If you cant get out, you are on the powerless side
”. It reflects the harem girlhood who lives in domestic life.
2. Appendix 2: Biography of Author
Kategori