full title Woman at Point Zero
author Nawal El Saadawi
type of work Novel
genre Fictionalized memoir, semi-fiction
language English, translated from Arabic
time and place written 1975, Egypt
date of first publication 1975
publisher (English) Zed Books
narrators Nawal El Saadawi and Firdaus, a female prisoner
point of view The point of view is first person, but since the story is Firdaus’s
story as told to Nawal El Saadawi, it seems as though there are two narrators:
first Nawal, and then Firdaus. In the long section in which Firdaus explains her
life so far, she is the narrator, and she is telling Nawal her story. In the
explanations surrounding Firdaus’s story, Nawal is the first-person
narrator.
tone Angry and bitter
tense Past
setting (time) 1950s to 1973
setting (place) Egypt (first Qanatir Prison, then a small town, then Cairo, then
Qanatir Prison)
protagonists Nawal and Firdaus
major conflicts Nawal attempts to get Firdaus to relate her life story, and Firdaus
struggles to attain some sort of dignity as she grows up.
rising action Nawal and Firdaus meet, Firdaus moves to Cairo with her uncle,
Firdaus’s uncle marries her to Sheikh Mahmoud, Firdaus becomes a prostitute,
Firdaus leaves prostitution for office work, Firdaus falls in love and is
abandoned, Firdaus becomes a prostitute again
climax Firdaus kills a pimp who is trying to control her.
falling action Firdaus sleeps with a prince and tears up his money; sentenced to death
for murder, Firdaus meets with Nawal and tells her her life story.
themes The connection between surveillance and ownership; the nature of power;
the importance of attaining respectability
motifs Sexual pleasure; choice; captivity
symbols Money; books
