Cult of Masculinity in “In the Country of Men”

In the guard In the Country of work force, Hisham Matar, the author discusses his childhood experience in the 1970s during the revolution in Libya. The snip when men overpowered and completely dominated women. The title itself describes Libya as a commonwealth that belongs to men where women atomic number 18 used analogous tools. We see that Sulei earthly concern wants to become a homophile as soon as possible through the humbug but on the other(a) hand, the story also talks around a female being Sulei objet darts mother Najwa who thinks she lost her liberty when she was except 14 and had to get married.However, after every the development from the 1970s till to daylight, the current generation considers both men and women equ aloney powered. decently from the starting, it raft be predicted that Suleiman wants to be a man. When baba goes on the so called cable trip, Suleiman is the precisely male in the house making him the man of the house. It is righteous the moda l value how baba says it both time he leaves Take keeping of your mother, you are the man of the house now (61). Suleiman handles these responsibilities very well.He takes vexation of his mother as he knows very well that she is ill every time baba is non home and wants to take over a mens responsibility of taking care of his mother. He even talks approximately him go forthing to take responsibilities alike his father and be just like him, a man. Later in the story, we also see the cult of maleness urge through Suleiman when he and the other neighborhood kids were at Adnans house to look at him inserting an injection in himself due to his illness. I also prayed for a disease that would give me what Adnan had (126).Suleiman thinks that Adnans disease makes him face older and much independent like a man. Thus Suleiman wants to nonplus Adnans illness so that he too could be like a man. I couldnt wait to be a man (148). Suleimans words cut how he wants to become a man and d oes non want to fall into kids category. However, on the other side, thither are still clues given throughout the story that prove how Suleiman has failed to be a man. For example, during the visit of the RCC (Revolutionary Committee Men) to Babas house to begin Baba and any evidence against him. I was wet beneath my clothes and effected what I had done.The pee felt warm and cold and sticky to my fight (64). When the RCC man had asked him about his father, Suleiman gets scared and pees himself not being able to sustain him. Even though he was the man of the house this incident proves him as a kid who cannot control himself. Another example was when Najwa tells Suleiman about how Faraj, who she belonged to, and all the other men out there had to puncture his wifes veil and bleed her to prove his wife as a virgin. I didnt know what Mama meant, but feared that when the time came I office not prepare what it takes to puncture a women (13).Suleiman fears he might not be able to do the duty that every man is to do to prove his wife a virgin. Even though there are some responsibilities of a man that Suleiman has fulfilled, he still doubts if he will be able to be a real man just like his father was. Najwa, Suleimans mom, as she like to say, lost her freedom when she was just 14 years old. She had been forced to marry a completely unidentified man who was 9 years older than her even though she treasured to complete her education first. She being the girl was not even allowed to withstand the marriage or even argue to defend herself. The High Council dogged my fate (144). When she says High Council it meant all the males in the house her father and all her brothers. Here we see that women had no choices but to obey what the males or so called High Council said. Also the only reason why the family to marry Najwa as quickly as possible is because one of her brother had seen her with another clapperclaw same age as her at the Italian Coffee sponsor and so t hey wanted to get rid of her before someone can spread rumors about them and ruin their reputation.In a family like Najwas, members cared more about the familys reputation then ever caring about a woman. She remembered her grandmother say to her If a slave came to propose, a slave as black as this night, I would give you to him(144). This definitely proven that girls/women did not consume any right to speak up for themselves. They were just there to keep their men happy and follow their orders. After the Black day day she got forced to marry baba, her life has not changed very much.She is only there to keep baba happy since he is the man of the house. When baba is away she is ill. She starts drunkenness alcohol as a symptom of depression due to the freedom she has lost. And when baba returns, she dresses up good to please her man. During those nights, when Baba was home, Mama dragged her blanket behind her to the waiting room (85). She does not like to sleep in the fare with Bu Suleiman even though he is her husband. However if the man demands something then she could not reject him.She is basically like a slave of the man in the house. For example, the marital bed scene describes what she has to do for her man. I saw him on top of her. she cast beneath him, unmoving, looking away(86). Also, the only role of women seen in the book is A women had to be young and strong enough to bear children and dole out the man well into his old age (151). This definitely proves how women did not have the rights to express them self, were enured like slaves and their only role was to obey their man.Therefore, it could be concluded that the Cult of Masculinity has a huge impact on Suleiman and Mama. Males are always considered the higher authority in a family. It changes the way how Suleiman thinks and how Um Suleiman Najwa losses her rights to live her life the way she wants to. However, it still concerns me why women were hardened so unequally compared to today. T oday the women do not just have to take care of their family but can also work in any type of career they want to, while being treated equally as men.