Guests of the Sheik

“There was more than twice as much food as I could possibly eat so I scraped the leftovers into storage jars…It was not until many days later that I learned the Arab custom of serving much more food than they expect you to eat. The leftovers go to women, children, family servants and to the poor. In my jars I had probably saved several people’s lunch, including the old man’s.” 

Elizabeth likely considers this a humorous anecdote that reveals her lack of understanding of El Nahra’s culture. However, her statement also reveals that she does not understand the religious context undergirding this society, particularly the Muslim tenet of charity and caring for the community at large. 

“I couldn’t decide whether I felt like a debutante being presented at court or Joan of Arc going to the stake.” 

Elizabeth is apprehensive about having lunch at the home of the sheik and being alone with the women of the sheik’s household. Though she wants to help Bob with his work, especially since he is unable to access this segment of society, she is apprehensive about being a subject of curiosity in the town. 

“[S]he was now neither widow, virgin, nor divorcee, and hence had no future. Yet she was intelligent and industrious and her advice was much sought after by other women and girls…She helped keep the family alive.” 

Elizabeth describes Mohammed’s sister Sherifa. On one hand, her social status is diminished by the fact that she has no clear role as a woman, neither as a wife or a mother. On the other hand, she is still respected and sought after by other women in the society, and she contributes greatly to the family, complicating our idea of women in this society.