Social Problems In Brian Gilbert's 'Not Without My Daughter'

Betty Mahmoody is an American writer and a public speaker married to Sayed Bozorg Mahmoody a man of Iranian origin. She was born on 9th June, 1945 in Alma, Michigan. She is best known to us for her novel, “Not without my Daughter”. In this book she writes about the experiences she face in 1984 to 1986 when she left her home in American to go to visit her husband’s family in Iran. She also has another book of compiled stories called “For the love of a Child”.

The novel “Not without my Daughter” is a book based on true event in the authors life. The novel gained recognition all over the world and in 1991 it was even made into a movie directed by Brian Gilbert. The novel speaks about the treatment Betty and her four year old daughter, Mahtob

Betty and Sayyad behave differently depending on where they are. Sayyad was a good husband and did not emphasis on ill treating his wife. They had a causal relationship like most American couple. Once they were in Iran the situation changed and Betty could not adapt to the rules of a Muslim household which was the cause of all the problems. The American way of life was not accepted by her husband relatives, and since the man is the head of the family Sayyad had to control and teach his wife. From this point Sayyad is not the same man he was in American, he become more violent, aggressive and keeps her imprisoned in his home. He becomes a very furious man who is totally driven by religion and by his family. He is in total control of Betty’s action. She has no right to do anything without him permission. This comes as a huge culture shock to Betty and does not know what she can do to adjust to such unfamiliar practices and treatment. She becomes desperate and , she shouts and screams only to make her situation worse as such emotions are not expected of a

They were not allowed to talk to strangers making it hard for them to escape. There are many instances when Betty and her daughter are playing and laughing when other Iranian men and women give them a dirty look. Betty and Mathob are in another fix when they have to follow the dress code which they are not used to and hence get yelled at when they dress up wrong. All women in Iran have grown up with this tradition and style of living and have accepted their faith of being the weaker sex and ready to accept the yelling and violent behaviour of their husband. But Betty lived in America her whole life and knew what freedom and equal rights were and had experienced it firsthand. When she was dominated and all her rights were taken she was determined to escape and go back to her country but her daughter has become a property of the husband so she cannot help herself. She is even denied any form of communion with her family back home and can only make indirect contact during her visits to the