Children of the New World: Women's Contribution to the Algerian Fight for Independence
Children of the New World: Acting out
“The role of Algerian women in their own society has rarely been what it has seemed” (Heggoy 1). Prior to the Algerian war, women in Algerian society were under patriarchal rule and, under such rule, were expected to meet certain expectations. Among other rules and regulations, Algerian women were prohibited from being outside their home unaccompanied and were required to keep themselves heavily “veiled” at all times. They were not to question the authority of the Algerian men, especially the ones in their family. Despite these limitations, Algerian women found a place in the revolution. Although it sometimes meant defying their status quo as women in Algerian society, women used the resources and means they had to make a contribution, some small and some large, to the resistance. In Children of the New
World, Assia Djebar explores the actions taken by various women in the hopes of aiding the nationals in their fight against colonization. Her “choice of female characters range from traditional housewives like Amna and Cherifa to educated, more seemingly ‘modern’ women’” like Hassiba. Such characters contribute to “ what Djebar sees as the more fundamental revolution of undoing patriarchal norms” (Channah 1).
The women in Djebar’s Children of the New World make a wide range of contributions to the Algerian fight for independence. In her novel, Djebar “shows the awakening of a new nation and in people by describing the growing awareness of several women” (Evelyne Accad) . For example, Amna lies to her husband Hakim in order to protect Youssef, an Algerian revolutionary.
By lying to Hakim and assuring him that she witnessed his return home the previous night, Amna
hopes to quiet his fear that Youssef is getting himself into trouble. This “little white lie”, despite being seemingly insignificant, reveals much about the idea of identity and the collective struggle.
While her lie may seem rather insignificant, it actually sheds
“The role of Algerian women in their own society has rarely been what it has seemed” (Heggoy 1). Prior to the Algerian war, women in Algerian society were under patriarchal rule and, under such rule, were expected to meet certain expectations. Among other rules and regulations, Algerian women were prohibited from being outside their home unaccompanied and were required to keep themselves heavily “veiled” at all times. They were not to question the authority of the Algerian men, especially the ones in their family. Despite these limitations, Algerian women found a place in the revolution. Although it sometimes meant defying their status quo as women in Algerian society, women used the resources and means they had to make a contribution, some small and some large, to the resistance. In Children of the New
World, Assia Djebar explores the actions taken by various women in the hopes of aiding the nationals in their fight against colonization. Her “choice of female characters range from traditional housewives like Amna and Cherifa to educated, more seemingly ‘modern’ women’” like Hassiba. Such characters contribute to “ what Djebar sees as the more fundamental revolution of undoing patriarchal norms” (Channah 1).
The women in Djebar’s Children of the New World make a wide range of contributions to the Algerian fight for independence. In her novel, Djebar “shows the awakening of a new nation and in people by describing the growing awareness of several women” (Evelyne Accad) . For example, Amna lies to her husband Hakim in order to protect Youssef, an Algerian revolutionary.
By lying to Hakim and assuring him that she witnessed his return home the previous night, Amna
hopes to quiet his fear that Youssef is getting himself into trouble. This “little white lie”, despite being seemingly insignificant, reveals much about the idea of identity and the collective struggle.
While her lie may seem rather insignificant, it actually sheds
Cited: Quinan, Christine. (2010). Remembering Bodies: Gender, Race, and Nationality in the FrenchAlgerian War. UC Berkeley: French. Retrieved from: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/59s630rr Moore, Lindsey. Arab, Muslim, Woman: Voice and Vision in Postcolonial Literature and Film. London: Routledge, 2008. Print. Accad, Evelyne. "Assia Djebar 's Contribution to Arab Women 's Literature: Rebellion, Maturity, Vision." World Literature Today (1996): 801. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. Channaa, Farah. “Diverging Femininities in the Resistance Narratives of Algeria and Palestine.” American University of Cairo. 2010. Web. 10 Dec. 2014 Alf Andrew Heggoy (1974). On the Evolution of Algerian Women . African Studies Review, 17, pp 449-456. doi:10.2307/523644.