Women in the City of the Dead Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Women in the City of the Dead - Essay Example It implies that every woman has a city within her heart, a city that she nurtures from the cradle to the grave and from the womb to the tomb. The stories in this book explain how the women in Cairo (in that era) have to cope with their personal problems, domestic issues and the sociological challenges. It is a tough call viewed from any angle. It has been succinctly described by Helen Watson (1992, p.7) â€Å"Conflict and change tend to have a catastrophic effect on any highly structured system. Women’s increasing presence in the male world of work and money provides great potential for disruption of the complementary nature of male and female roles. This is a cause for considerable concern to both men and women.† The vast cemetery close to the centre of Cairo is the reality as well as the symbol of the past and present life there. The departed souls resting in peace in a number of graves must be watching with concern the developments taking place in the city due to the impact of industrialization, materialistic civilization, and the ambitions of the combustible generation, thousands who migrate to the cities in search of employment to better their prospects and adopt new lifestyles. The author describes about the worst part of this unchecked urbanization thus: â€Å"Families have moved into tomb buildings and ceremonial ante-rooms, and additional dwellings and extensions have been tackled on as required.†(p.4)