The Body, The Tool
In the novels, “Woman at Point Zero” by Nawal El Saadawi and “Three Sisters” by Anton Checkhov, the body is used as a tool to achieve certain goals for the characters of Firdaus and Natasha. Firdaus, a young girl who grows up in a world that is ruled by men, must use her body as a means of survival, leading her to prostitution. Where as Natasha uses her body to work her way up the social ladder of aristocratic life in pre-Revolutionary Russia.
In “Woman at Point Zero”, Firdaus has to use her body as means of survival. She is brought up in a society that is dominated by the male gender, and is used repeatedly by “them” (the male population) until she gets her revenge. Her revenge comes in the murder of a pimp, who like all the men in this novel want to have control over her. Firdaus’ problems begin at an early age, with her father. Her father is described as a cold heartless man, only content when his stomach is full and when his wife slaves for him. Firdaus, being very young and growing up in a poor family, does not speak out against her father, yet she notices the mistreatment her mother endures whilst her father doesn’t work too much yet manages to eat and sleep well. Further in the book, Firdaus is sent away with her uncle and manages to live with him for the time being. She enjoys his company, and can be seen to be in love with him. He eventually goes off and marries someone else and Firdaus is used as a slave. She goes on to earn her secondary school certificate and an honorary diploma for finishing so highly. With these two honors, Firdaus’ aspirations of working are born. Sadly, as we find out, her aspirations are never fulfilled, because in every situation, a man manages to try and take advantage of Firdaus. Somewhat like her dealings with Ibrahim; Ibrahim worked in the same building as Firdaus, and they shared a “special relationship”, one in which Fridaus was in love with a man who acted as if he loved her too, but actually did not. Since Firdaus cannot earn money in a “respectable” way, her last resort is prostitution. We find Firdaus living a much nicer life, she can afford a nice flat, fashionable clothes, and a meal three times a day. Firdaus manages to become quite a successful prostitute, yet all the while we know that she prefers to earn her money more respectably. Her use of her own body, just to eat, shows the desperation that Firdaus faces. Her body becomes a tool, yet an essential tool to survive, only utilized in these dire circumstances, due to the fact that Firdaus, being a woman, cannot achieve her goals.