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This can be seen from this quotation, “Ali cleared his throat in the doorway and they all looked up from where they sat cross-legged on the floor, boys at the front
and girls at the back” 179. Actually, this tradition firstly introduced in the family, “The women and
children ate after the men, and even though I had been small, I remembered my father carrying platters of steaming basmati, gold with saffron, to serve me and
my sister” 63. Maryam starts knowing that women should stand behind men since she was a child, her family teaches her to eat after men. It continues at
school, where she should sit behind boys.
4.2.2.2. Laws
According to WFAFI, in the court, men assumes women’s life is as half as their life, and this condition goes along with women’s position in the society.
Even for the relatives and the member of the family. Although Maryam is a daughter of a general, the society still sees her as a traitor for their tradition when
she chooses to have a relationship with Ali. Whereas, women should only have relationship with the man who is already chosen. In Iran, they do not acknowledge
boyfriend or girlfriend, if they want to have a relationship with different sexes, they should get married.
“Did you have boyfriends before you met Dad?” I’d asked her once as a girl.
“No, of course not. Iran’s not like that.” She’d turned away. “Why not?” I’d persisted
“It just wasn’t done, Sara. People got married. No boyfriends.” “But what would happen if you did have a boyfriend?”
“I don’t know.” Her eyes had burned. “You’d be punished.” 174
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When people make a relationship without getting married, they will be punished. Maryam has already been punished when she has relationship with Ali. People
assume that they have done bad things together, sleeping in one bed and having sex. Although, Maryam persists that she does not do that, the society keeps
thinking that they do not follow the tradition. WFAFI also mentions that Iran does not provide protection for women
who have abusive husband. The government let them suffer and do nothing to this affair. Iranian believes that women should accept the fact that men are more
superior that women. Whereas, Maryam, as a woman who disagrees with the tradition, assumes that this is not fair for women. When she meets Bijan and his
mother, she feels sorry for them. ‘Where’s your father?’ asked Maryam.
‘He left when I was pregnant,’ the woman replied. ‘We’ve been fine without him, haven’t we, Bijan?
‘I look after my maman,’ He said, standing carefully and slowly carrying the cup of tea across the room. 178
From the quotation above, it is clearly stated that Bijan’s father leaves them. Bijan
and his mother have struggled without the man who should be protected and satisfied their needs. They realized they cannot do something for it because they
are in subordinate position where they will always lose. According to Hughes, women’s roles and duties to be child bearing and
care taking, and providing comfort and satisfaction to husbands. Moreover, one of men satisfaction is having child. Based on this reason, Iranian women also believe
in superstition, this can be seen from this quotation, “It’s superstition.” Maryam said. “The young girls come here from the village. They make these small cloth
