Women at point zero is a novel that tells the story of a prostitute, Firdaus. He is waiting in prison for his death sentence. She experiences sexual harassment that causes trauma throughout her life in Egypt. The title of the story, Women at Point Zero, is an indication of how Firdaus encounters the low moments of life. It describes the struggles women faced in Egypt. Poverty, sexual violence and exploitation are the main conflicts he experiences during his life. Violence against women is widespread in Women at Point Zero. Violence is represented through sexual violence, domestic violence and forced marriages. The author has used vivid imagery in describing the conflicts faced by Firdaus to attempt a heartbreaking response from the reader. There are many institutions responsible for the oppression women faced in the novel and acts of cruelty against women were depicted in different ways; oppression can therefore be one of the main themes of the novel. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The family is an institution important to the oppression women faced in the novel. Firdaus was taught from a young age that he is not important and that he must follow his parents' orders. Proof that women were not important can be seen in the statement: "When one of his daughters died, my father would eat his dinner, my mother would wash his legs and then he would go to sleep, just like he did." every night." This created low self-esteem. She was punished for wrong actions and such punishments usually consisted of severe beatings and no dinner. Beatings are images of abuse and oppression. The punishments described can be clearly visualized by the reader. This is important because it helped understand the physical pain Fidaus felt. His father often beat his mother and sometimes beat her too. Domestic violence has been one of the major conflicts women have faced. Egyptian women had no rights and had to abide by laws created by men. The novel's setting is a major reason why women suffered from poor treatment. Even in the novel women were abusive towards women. At first the mother started beating her, «then she brought a woman who was carrying a small knife or perhaps a razor blade. They cut a piece of meat between my thighs." This is another image created by the writer to express the physical torment that women had to go through. The image of the cutting of meat is disturbing but at the same time relevant to describe the brutality suffered by women. Before the brutal act of female genital mutilation, Firdaus was able to experience sexual pleasure by touching her clitoris. As Firdaus reaches maturity, the pre-circumcision pleasure disappears. This was a major conflict in history; due to the mutilation, Firdaus had suffered all his life. This conflict caused not only physical pain but also psychological trauma. Her experiences in an environment where men are highly favored have led her to live a submissive and defeated life. His life in his parents' house depicted a picture of a gloomy environment where unhappiness and malice are always present. Men are the main reason why women face oppression in the novel. The role of women in Egypt showed the privilege men had to abuse women. Egypt is a place that has had no respect for women and this approach has contributed to female oppression. Women inEgypt they didn't work. They had to cook, clean, take care of the children and did not attend school. This showed a picture of hardship and suffering as a result of oppression. They did not choose who to marry or make important decisions for the family. They were often beaten by the male figure in their family. “All women are victims of deception. Men impose deception on women and punish them for being deceived.” This was another conflict that women faced. To Firdaus, men everywhere eventually became a threat. His father, for example, was a cruel and barbaric person who often beat his wife and forced her to “bite the dust every night.” When one of Firdaus' young sisters dies at an early age, her father shows no signs and “beats my mother”. Even though she was a prostitute, Fidaus believed that she does not do what she wants but rather what men want. “I knew that my profession was invented by men and that men were in control of both our worlds.” Violence against women was common in the novel, and once again, the institution that contributed to this was the family. According to El Saadawi in Women at Point Zero, she described the sexual assault Firdaus suffered at the hands of her uncle, "My uncle's big, long fingers came closer to me... his lips touched my face and pressed on the my lips, then his fingers slowly felt their way up over my thighs.” This created a vivid image of rape in which a woman suffers conflicts in the novel. Her own family member attacked her and made her a victim of oppression. Firdaus' uncle was one of the main factors why she lived a low, depressed and oppressed life. Because of his aggression, she has underwent genital mutilation without her permission and was no longer able to experience sexual pleasures. Men were able to treat women without respect in Egypt, as seen in this case where he attacked his niece. family institution was responsible for the oppression of women in Egypt. Friendship is a social institution that is also responsible for the way women were oppressed in the novel. Firdaus left the patriarchal family and went to the streets where he met Bayoumi. He befriends her, but didn't really care about her. He locked her up and forced her to become a prostitute. Being locked up created an image of someone who has no freedom. It showed that Firdaus was in physical and emotional turmoil. He made her sell her body without giving her a choice. Despite his difficulties, he had no choice but to obey. She was in a vulnerable position with no one to help her; not even her family because they oppressed her too. This led her to become a victim of oppression as she faced many conflicts such as poverty and lack of autonomy. Bayoumi showed an act of domination and exploitation and women suffered tremendously under the rule of men in the Middle East. A patriarchal environment discriminates against a woman's right to make choices. The settings of the novel are in the Middle East where men were superior. The settings contributed to the oppression Firdaus faced from Bayoumi. This is because no rights were given to women during that time period. Government institutions are also responsible for women living under oppressive conditions and one of the main conflicts in the novel was the inability for a woman to better herself in life. Living in Egypt meant that women had no rights and therefore could not be advanced in any way. This meant that women had to remain poor, ignorant and unfree. The government does.