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Foreigner
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November 19, 2009
The premise is a familiar one: an immigrant returns to the land of her birth after many years of living on American soil and ostensibly adapting to American society. In this case, the immigrant is Iranian (Persian). We expect to learn about the intricacies of Persian culture, the beauty and the horror of it.
Unfortunately, the plot is thin, rushed, and predictable, and exposes readers only to the negative aspects of both American and Persian society. We see men of both cultures as emotionally and/or sexually abusive. We see the lack of freedom for women, which we have already come to associate with Middle Eastern countries. We see poverty. We see pain. We see all of this without sufficient explanation for any of it, or really for the narrative itself.
Feri, the protagonist, returns to Persia after a fourteen-year absence, during which time she has married an American in a civil ceremony. She arrives at her father's house and receives a tepid reception, and soon decides to cut her visit short. Only then does she discover that her marriage is unrecognized in this country, and that in order to leave she will need a letter of permission from her husband. It seems strange that she should be unaware of this snag; it's not the first time she's left the country, and as she's never become an American citizen, she would still be subject to Persian law. The plot contains many such holes, and this, combined with the general predictability, undermine suspension of disbelief.
Unfortunately, the plot is thin, rushed, and predictable, and exposes readers only to the negative aspects of both American and Persian society. We see men of both cultures as emotionally and/or sexually abusive. We see the lack of freedom for women, which we have already come to associate with Middle Eastern countries. We see poverty. We see pain. We see all of this without sufficient explanation for any of it, or really for the narrative itself.
Feri, the protagonist, returns to Persia after a fourteen-year absence, during which time she has married an American in a civil ceremony. She arrives at her father's house and receives a tepid reception, and soon decides to cut her visit short. Only then does she discover that her marriage is unrecognized in this country, and that in order to leave she will need a letter of permission from her husband. It seems strange that she should be unaware of this snag; it's not the first time she's left the country, and as she's never become an American citizen, she would still be subject to Persian law. The plot contains many such holes, and this, combined with the general predictability, undermine suspension of disbelief.
Displaying 1 of 1 review