Fusena’s character and identity as a women change throughout the course of the novel. Before she gets married, she is an intelligent and ambitious young woman. She wants to complete her degree and continue her teaching career. However, once Fusena marries Ali, her world is quickly restricted. She bears one child, and then another. With Ali studying abroad, Fusena is relegated to the home, where she remains until Ali purchases a kiosk for her to operate. Upon hearing of Ali’s decision to remarry, she immediately asks him if the woman he is considering to be his second wife has a university degree. By asking that question, Fusena reveals the degree to which her life’s ambitions have been frustrated and abandoned for the sake of her marriage and children. Despite her ambition and strong will, Fusena is relegated to the role of a dependent housewife.