Free Wadjda Essay Example

1) How does the film represent the (or ‘a specifically’) Islamic identity of Saudi society? Is Saudi society modern or traditional? Or both at the same time?
Saudi society is both modern and a traditional. One in the sense that we find a lot of things that the society still practices that depicts them as traditional, for instance prohibiting women to socialize with men and laugh in public. On the other hand, we can see how the society is embracing modern activities such as riding bicycles.
2) How do you describe the role/status/place/identity of women in Saudi society in comparison to that of men? Are women and men complementary? Is Saudi society patriarchal?
I don’t think men and women in the Saudi society are not complementary because a woman has no voice in the society e.g.  Wadjda’s father marries a second wife despite Wadjda’s mother wish. What men believe is right; women have no choice but to abide by it even if it infringes their rights e.g.  Wadjda competition prize was given away without her consent. Saudi society is patriarchal because is a male dominance society. Men control everything in the society, e.g.  Wadjda’s mother had to look for a man to accompany her in public even when going to work.
3) How does Saudi society maintain boundaries between men and women? What are ways to maintain these boundaries and who is responsible for maintaining it? Are women coerced to adhere to these boundaries? Does the film subvert in any way these boundaries? If so, how?
The boundaries between men and women are maintained in a way that there are some things that are expected of men and also those that are expected of women and that neither side should disobey them. There are some mechanisms that the society uses to maintain those boundaries like punishing those found to have violated the rules e.g. the girls who broke the school rule on prohibited activities were punished. Women are coerced to adhere to these boundaries due to the rules placed by the society. The film subverts some of the boundaries e.g.  Wadjda attend all girls’ school.
4) Is the film critical of Saudi society’s gender segregation? Is the film critical of the Saudi State?
The film is critical of gender segregation in the sense that it’s trying to bring out the need for both men and women to socialize together like wadjda and Abdullah did.The film is also critical of Saudi state since some of the Saudi’s choking and all-encompassing controls rules on women such women are not supposed to vote or even drive a car.
5) How does the film represent the family of Wadjda? How does the possibility of the father taking a second wife affect the family? How is marriage represented in the film?
The film represents the family of wadjda as a family where the father is the one that holds entirely the powers to make decision and that wadjda and her mother not involved. For instance he had to marry a second wife despite wadjda pleading with him not to. The possibility of a father taking seconds affects the family negatively in an away that it may bring misunderstanding among the parents that may trickle down to children. Marriage is represented in the film as an institution where a man has total control and that the work of woman is to give birth and look after kids.
6. How do you describe the religiosity of the mother of Wadjda? Does Wadjda question the religion of her mother?
7) What are the content and the goal of the moral/religious education girls like Wadjda receive in school? What actions are considered prohibited and what reasons are given for these prohibitions?
Girls in the Saudi society are taught what is expected of them by the society like they should cover their bodies from head to legs. Additionally, they are not supposed to socialize with men. They also learn how to serve their husband, how to read and recite the Quran. Some of the things prohibited were putting on make up, jewelry, tattoos and socializing with boys. The reasons given for these prohibitions were these practices will corrupt their minds and virtues.