Topic > The plight of women in "From a Crooked Rib" by Nuruddin Farah

The novel From a Crooked Rib was written by Nuruddin Farah in 1968 and was published in 1970. From a Crooked Rib explores the sociological study of subordinate role of Somali women. The central character of the novel is Ebla. The harsh treatment of women in Somali society is told from the perspective of a young nomadic girl from the Ogaden who longs for liberation from the suffering inflicted by the male-dominated Somali society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Enduring the violence and tradition that have changed in their Somali society, they manage to survive without deviating from their identity and honesty. Ebla refuses to accept the traditional role to be played by a woman in her clan, resisting and declaring it with her escape. She fled to the city of Belet Wene from her clan because she was forced to marry an old man named Giumaleh who is her father's age: “But what is wrong with marrying an old man or a young man? Age doesn't determine the genuineness of marriage, does it?”. She thought that people might ask her these questions during their trip to Belet Wene and she is preparing to respond with her answers. Ebla is a woman who lives in the countryside, specifically in a desert region. She was fostered by her grandfather and has a brother who had run away with a man a few years ago. Grandfather's duty was over, he thought, so he and his people planned to marry Ebla to an old man, Jumaleh, forty-eight years old. But Ebla was not interested in marriage and planned to flee elsewhere, leaving behind her grandfather and the cattle with the Jes. Jes is a group of people belonging to a particular clan, they travel from time to time with their families and their possessions. The hut they lived in will be brought by camel. The number of cattle is more than the number of humans in their Jes. The sons of the families are given camels to support and the daughter of the family is given livestock to support. Everyone at Jes is treated like a member of his family. Ebla had a six foot tall figure which is no exception and had a beautiful face which attracts a man. As Ebla expected, she fled during the night and reached Belet Wene to escape the marriage arranged by her grandfather. . His cousin, Gheddi, lives in the town, Belet Wene. A man traveling with her to Belet Wene showed her her cousin Gheddi's house. He arrives in Belet Wene and discovers that Gheddi has married Aowralla, who is nine months pregnant. When Gheddi asks her about her visit to Belet Wene, she hesitates to say the reason for her arrival. In Gheddi's absence, he pledges to help Aowralla and serves her as she gives birth to a child. Ebla also took care of livestock and domestic activities. A widow lives in the Gheddi neighborhood. During Geddi's absence, she happened to manage the cattle and Aowralla before Ebla's arrival. Ebla went to the house of a widow, where she found a tall and handsome man, Awill, the widow's nephew. Awill and Ebla know each other. Elba learns that his cousin, Gheddi, had arranged a marriage with a broker, Dirir. He is an elderly man suffering from tuberculosis. To escape the marriage, Elba and Awill fled to Mogadishu and got married. After spending ten days with a new bride, he went to Italy on an official assignment, leaving Ebla in the custody of his landlady, Asha. She is a good-natured woman who helped Ebla when she was financially weak in Awill's absence. Jama a A friend of Awill came with a letter and a photo to meet Ebla. He gave those things to Ebla. That photo taken in Italy was sent by Awill to Jama. That photo shows the closeness between Awill, a white woman he stood next to.