Princess By Jean Sasson Research Paper

Human Progress is Indeed Slow In the world today, people like to believe that they have evolved into societies of equality, justice, and fairness. Yet around the world there are many ‘modern’ societies that still treat women as second-class citizens. This is clearly evident in the novel Princess, the story of women in Saudi Arabia, introduced through the life of a Saudi Arabian Princess. Jean Sasson was asked by Princess Sultana to use her life to exhibit to the Western World how primitive customs still determine women’s roles in the Saudi society. In Princess, Sasson argues that lack of change in Saudi Arabian society is the cause of men’s mistreatment of women through her repetition and severe imagery. Throughout the novel, Sasson continually
As Sasson looks into the life of her main character, she continually uses this term negatively to emphasize how it is the fault of these traditions that causes the unhappiness of Saudi women. She muses, “I was beginning to entertain the notion that some women might be happy in my land, in spite of traditions that do not belong in a civilized society” (124). Sasson uses tradition in an unorthodox way by making the readers see it as something damaging. Tradition in this case is not a happy family custom or religious ritual, rather it is an unfortunate habit of society that causes the discontent of Saudi women. Sasson also uses the idea that these traditions keep Saudi Arabia from becoming a civilized nation. She makes it appear that their civilization continues to exist in a world without advancement, education, or refinement. In order for women to achieve a level of happiness in their homeland, the customs and ideas must first change. Sasson includes this reflection to show the reader that by maintaining the same traditions for centuries, it is hindering women’s progress and allowing the continuance of a male dominated