Dreams of Trespass: Exploring Gender Inequality

Dream of Trespass by Fatima Mernissi explores her childhood perspective growing up in Fez, Morocco. The novel, which takes place during the 1940s, includes many stories about how numerous family members influenced her ideas about gender and equality. While Mernissi discusses a wide variety of themes, the themes within the novel revolve around gender differences and inequality.

Theme 1: Space, Architecture, and Boundaries

The architecture of the harem, or traditional Moroccan home, served as the physical structure that separated men and women. Within the harem, there is a courtyard that is located directly in the center that is often decorated with gardens and fountains and even more important, natural sunlight. The courtyard was surrounded by arched colonnade that was supported by four columns; each had marble on the top and bottom. Moreover, a gigantic gate protected each courtyard (4). On all sides of the courtyard were salons. In the book, Mernissi explains that each salon belonged to a different part of the family with one salon being for the men’s dining room (6-7) (see image below). One distinct part of the harem was the second story, which only housed the divorced or widowed family members or friends, keeping them a distance away from the rest of the families. Lastly, in Mernissi’s harem, they had a guard, Ahmed, that protected the gate at all times and watched who came and went.  (5).

During this time, it was often normal for the women to remain within the home. In fact, it was often not permitted for women to leave the home unattended. As Mernissi writes: “Mother could not even step out of the gate without asking multiple permissions…” (39). The idea of unmarried men seeing the women without another man was an unfathomable thought. Due to this, they ensured that the women were protected from the outside by even going so far as to not having any windows opening to look outside (58).

However, the harem was not only a physical barrier for the women, but it was also a mental barrier as well.  “The word ‘harem,’ [Yamina] said, was a slight variation of the word haram, the forbidden, the proscribed…the opposite of halal, the permissible” (61). In the haram, strict behavior was to be followed at all times by the members of the family, especially the women. 

One example of such a behavior that was expected of women was wearing a veil. Women were typically required by their husbands to wear veils over their face to reassure them that men were not gazing at their wives (78). At times, women, such as Mernissi’s mother, were able to modernize and go against wearing the veil (118).

However during this time, women did not often leave the harem. This was the case with Mernissi’s mother, who found the pressure was too much to stay within the walls of the harem (209). By having the women stay within the walls of the harem, it further allowed the men to increase the amount of power and control they had over their wives. The men were able to constantly keep an eye on the women while at the same ensuring that they followed traditional norms and that no other men were looking at them. 

Theme 2: Women’s Expression

Women’s expression during this time was quite limited. Even with these limitations, the women within the novel were able to express themselves in various ways.

One way in which all of the women shared a common bond in expressing themselves was through beauty treatments. While the men often did not understand and even at times urging against such treatments, the women shared a common bond in doing such activities. The men often did not like these products so much that they urged them to use French beauty products because they had less odor (232-233).  However, finding the different treatments and best ingredients was one way in which many of the women were able to express themselves and “create their own magic” (233). Not only did it allow the women to feel like they are in control but it also gave them a sense of self and beauty (233). It was through such beauty products that the women were able to gain confidence and express themselves in their terms; something they were not often allowed to do.

Beyond beauty products, each of the women had their own individual way of expressing themselves that often times involved the other women as well. For example, Mernissi’s mother would express herself by standing up and defying her husband. More specifically, at first, she argued about the fabric that the veil and then about the haik. After changing the fabric of the veil, she wanted to replace the haik (see image below) with the djellaba (118-119). The djellaba was a more loosely fitting robe and a transparent veil, which was far more comfortable for the women (see image below). And eventually “the daughters started wearing the men’s djellaba, and soon after their mothers followed suit” (119).

Personally, I found the best act of expression was the form that Cousin Chama partook in: theater plays about powerful women. These plays would often feature multiple other women within the family. Not only were these plays something that brought joy to Cousin Chama, but the rest of the women within the family as well.  As Mernissi explains: “These plays provided wonderful opportunities for all of us to discover and show our talents, overcome our shyness, and develop some self-confidence” (126). The plays that they would reproduce were always about feminists and strong, confident women, which reinforced their self-confidence and thirst for liberation (126-128).

Lastly, Aunt Habiba would often express herself through her storytelling. In telling stories to the children, she is hoping that they will have more freedom than she did. Indeed one day she says to them, “wings need not be visible like the birds’: visible ones were just as good, and the earlier you started focusing on the flight, the better” (204). Aunt Habiba is just one of the women in the novel who hopes to impart wisdom and a desire for change into the children through expressing herself at the same time.

Theme 3: Family and Gender Hierarchy

The family and gender hierarchy within Fez during the 1940s was very different that what we are used to. The first real family hierarchy that we are introduced to in the novel would be the harem itself, both internally and externally. Within the walls of the harem, men would usually have more than one wife, while the women were not allowed more than one husband. As Mernissi writes: “a harem meant misfortune because a woman had to share her husband with many others” (34). When dissecting the structure of the harem, the men even had “the largest and most elegant salon of all in which they ate, listened to the news, settled business deals, and played cards” (7). Ultimately, the men had a place that they could call their own within the harem while the women did not.

However, externally, not only are women expected to stay within the household and leave only with permission, but they would also need a man to escort them if they do leave. If women were to leave the harem, they were expected to be fully covered while men did not have any dress code expectations (118). At the same time, the men could come and go from the haram as they please, once again showing the power that the men had.

Another prevalent gender hierarchy found within the novel is the relationship between Samir and Mernissi. While these two grew up together and could often be found with one another, Mernissi acknowledges that complexity of their relationship as time went on. Around the age of nine is when the two started to drift apart. “I wanted to enchant Samir, even though the opposite seemed to be happening and our relationship was becoming more and more difficult” (194). Even as the women continued with their rituals and expression, Samir wholeheartedly disagreed with their practices, which caused another tear in their relationship (196).

Due to the power dynamics within Moroccan society during the 1940s, Mernissi and Samir began to have completely different experiences. As they are beginning to grow older, they express interests in different things. For example, while Mernissi prides herself in her beauty products, Samir does not seem to understand the importance of it to Mernissi. Samir gets fed up with not being her only priority and even tells her that she needs to choose between the women and him (220). Around the same time, Samir is involved in an incident at the hammam (see image below). Samir “had a very erotic stare” while looking at a woman’s breast (240). Even though he was only nine at the time, the woman was mortified and from that point on he had to go to the hammam with the men instead of the women. This incident physically kept the two apart and also reinforced gender norms within the society. Not only were Mernissi and Samir going through physical changes, but those physical changes were also inhibiting their relationship together and ultimately led to its decline.

Theme 4: Western Perceptions

The final theme that was prevalent within Mernissi’s novel was that of Western perceptions. During this time period, the French army was occupying Morocco in addition to the global impacts of World War II (see image below). Because of this globalization, the women were even more exposed to Western ideas and culture.

Arguably, this exposure to Western ideas led to a desire for equality and better treatment. For example, Mernissi’s Mother even said to Lalla Mani “the French do not imprison their wives behind walls, my dear mother-in-law” (42). Mernissi’s Mother, who often voiced her disdain for the traditions surrounding women, argues that the Western world is not keeping their wives within the walls of the home all day and thus, they should not be subjected to that either. Her Mother even goes so far as to tell her husband: “This tradition is choking me,’ [Mother] would whisper, tears in her eyes” (78).

Beyond the familial hierarchies, many of the women turned to the Western perceptions of fashion. Not only did they simply admire the fashion but also went so far as to implement it. “In fact, Chama and Mother looked rather ostentatious as they were wearing the latest copies of one of Ashmahan’s notorious hats…with the word ‘Vienna’ embroidered on it” (206). In addition, Mernissi’s mother often dressed her in Western fashion as well. She would often times put her in such clothes a means of ensuring that she would have freedoms that she, herself, did not have (86). While she did not know firsthand, Mernissi’s mother had the perception that the West allowed for many more freedoms for her daughter than she was able to obtain.

Even small parts of the Western culture crept into Mernissi’s life. For example, Mernissi talks about American chewing gun and cigarettes. The Mother did not like that they were not allowed to chew gum and even argues, “the whole crusade against chewing gum and American cigarettes was in fact a crusade against women’s rights as well” (187). She further explains, “a woman who chew gum is in fact making a revolutionary gesture” (187). The main reason in which men did not like the idea of women chew gum and using cigarettes is because it was a decision that they did not have control over and as with everything at that time, the men and norms controlled almost all decisions. However, once again Mernissi’s mother rallies for women’s rights and this time does it with Western ideas and products.

While some of the women in the story were pushing for change, it is important to remember that not all of the women were. More specifically, Lalla Mani was very against Western culture and often viewed them as a threat to traditions and norms within their culture (206-207). Along with Lalla Mani, the men were also very against the West and change for the same reasons. While the women would push them in a direction of change, the men and Lalla Mani would push right back and argue would tradition and the current norms.