Zaat Blog Assignment #1

1) I think Ibrahim includes this scene early on to establish several clear understanding between himself and the audience, namely: although he is Egyptian, he does not condone all the customs, this book will tackle uncomfortable issues in a matter of fact way, he is able to remove himself from the events in his story and provide third party commentary. The scene is described in an almost humorous tone, despite the horrendous events being described. Ibrahim recognizes this disconnect between subject matter and tone and employs it to illustrate to the audience how the Egyptian culture trivializes such practices in the way they use language to address them.

2) One way in which Ibrahim explores the concept of insider versus outsider is in the point of view he uses to narrate the book. The third person perspective creates a barrier between the audience and the character they are trying to understand. However, Ibrahim still delves into the emotions of Zaat and her internal workings using this third person. The overall effect is one where the audience feels almost like intruders in Zaat's personal life, allowing the audience to understand the strict customs of privacy in the Middle East, and how traditionally, women's personal thoughts are not deemed decent to be listening to.

3) On pages 12 and 13, "transmissions" are the snippets of news that would go into the newspaper. On page 13 it's stated that editors held meetings for the transmission the paper wasn't allowed to publish. I wonder if the snippets from the news that make up chapter two are the transmissions the newspaper is not allowed to publish? If so, they would offer valuable insight into the society Zaat is living in, and what information is being withheld from the citizens.