This Paper Requires You To Reference And Cite Both Reading L

This Paper Requires You To Reference And Cite Bothreading Lolita In T

This paper requires you to reference and cite both “Reading Lolita in Tehran” by Azar Nafisi and “The Naked Citadel” by Susan Faludi in a well thought-out analysis. Azar Nafisi describes the life in the Islamic Republic after the revolution and the newfound laws which arose as a result of it. She explains how the totalitarian regime has oppressed women and limited them in their everyday lives and activities, driving them to hide their true identities under the required black scarves and dresses. Susan Faludi describes the Citadel as a “living museum,” whose main aim is to preserve the same ideals and traditions as when the school was first founded and shape the boys that attend the school into men.

Consider the following quote: “Our world in that living room with its window framing my beloved Elburz Mountains became our sanctuary, our self-contained universe, mocking the reality of black-scarved, timid faces in the city that sprawled below” (Nafisi, p. 419). Both Nafisi and Faludi explore group behavior and identity in their works, but how does the Citadel boys’ and Tehran women’s behavior change depending on who they are around and where they are at the moment? Are their true identities suppressed at any given time and how? What does the word sanctuary mean for both the Citadel and the women in Iran? The Citadel and Nafisi’s living room seem to offer different ideas of the word sanctuary.

How does Faludi understand the way the Citadel presents itself as a ‘sanctuary’ from a libertine and effeminized world? Similarly, how do the weekly meetings in the author’s living room serve as a sanctuary for the women in the literature group, and why do they find the need to expose their true selves and all their colors in this sacred space? Could the Citadel be considered functioning as a totalitarian regime? If so, how are the Citadel’s “laws” similar to the laws of the Islamic Republic after the revolution regarding their behavior towards women? You can also consider more broadly how space—open space, isolated space—can be a tool of both oppression as well as resistance.

Provide a well thought-out analysis of BOTH texts and include quotes to support your argument. Consider whether the two authors would agree with each others’ writing and main ideas, if not, what would they disagree on?

Paper For Above instruction

In examining the concepts of space as both sanctuary and instrument of control within Nafisi's “Reading Lolita in Tehran” and Faludi's “The Naked Citadel,” it becomes evident that both authors articulate complex perceptions of how environment influences individual and collective identities. Nafisi's portrayal of her clandestine literary gatherings in her apartment reveals a personal sanctuary that provides refuge from the oppressive dictates of the Islamic regime. Conversely, Faludi's depiction of the Citadel as a ‘living museum’ reflects an institution striving to preserve traditional ideals, thus functioning as a sanctuary of sorts, but also as a space of strict discipline and societal replication. Comparing these perceptions reveals contrasting views of space as a site of resistance and conformity, raising questions about the fluidity and tension between personal identity and institutional authority.

Azar Nafisi’s “Reading Lolita in Tehran” vividly depicts her weekly secret meetings with a small group of women who gather in her apartment to read Western literature, especially Nabokov’s “Lolita,” as acts of resistance against Iran’s repressive laws (Nafisi, 2003). Nafisi describes her living room as “our world,” a sanctuary that shields these women from the suffocating restrictions imposed by the Islamic regime, which mandates conservative dress codes and curbs on personal freedoms (Nafisi, 2003, p. 419). Nafisi’s use of the term ‘sanctuary’ emphasizes the space's role as a refuge where women can reconnect with their intellectual selves and express their authentic identities beyond the societal constraints. Her description signifies a sanctuary not merely in physical terms but as a psychological and emotional bastion where forbidden truths are shared, and personal identities are partially reclaimed despite the oppressive environment.

Faludi’s “The Naked Citadel” presents a different conceptualization of space as a sanctuary, embodied in the school’s design and traditions that serve to preserve a specific cultural and gendered identity. She describes the penitential-like environment of the Citadel as a “living museum,” designed to instill discipline, tradition, and discipline in its cadets (Faludi, 1994). The institution functions both as a protective enclave guarding the ideals of masculinity and as a space of rigorous training that molds boys into men according to strict regulations, which can be perceived as a form of institutional sanctity. However, Faludi also notes that this space is isolated from the libertine and effeminized culture outside, suggesting that the Citadel’s sheltering role may also serve to maintain control, reinforcing conservative gender roles and social hierarchies (Faludi, 1994). Her depiction underscores how “space,” in the form of the Citadel, operates as a sanctuary of tradition but also as a site of conformity and discipline, potentially suppressing individuality to uphold a collective ideal.

Both Nafisi and Faludi highlight how their respective spaces function as sites of resistance or repression depending on perspective. Nafisi’s secret literary meetings symbolize personal resistance—space as a refuge for intellectual and emotional freedom—where the women can temporarily transcend authoritative dominance and expose their “true selves” (Nafisi, 2003). She emphasizes that this sanctuary allows women to reclaim their identities through literature, which acts as an act of defiance against the repressive totalitarian regime. Faludi’s narrative suggests that the Citadel’s structured environment, ostensibly designed to serve as a sanctuary for tradition and discipline, can also be seen as a tool of societal control—regulating behavior and maintaining the hierarchy. Her account raises concerns about how physical spaces in institutions may serve as instruments of both oppression and resistance, depending on one's perspective and agency within the space (Faludi, 1994).

Regarding the similarities between the laws governing behavior at the Citadel and the Islamic Republic’s laws concerning women, both systems utilize space as a means of controlling morality and conformity. Nafisi’s women hide their authentic selves beneath layers of clothing and societal expectations, reflecting the regime’s oppressive laws that criminalize deviation from prescribed norms. Nafisi narrates how the women’s clandestine gatherings symbolize an act of symbolic resistance, a space where their true selves can emerge, albeit temporarily (Nafisi, 2003). Conversely, the Citadel’s regulations enforce gender and behavioral strictures designed to uphold traditional values, making it a totalitarian-like environment that molds boys into the ‘ideal’ men. Both contexts reveal how laws related to space—be they dress codes, behavioral regulations, or societal expectations—perpetuate hierarchy and suppress individuality (Faludi, 1994; Nafisi, 2003).

In conclusion, Nafisi and Faludi depict environments where space plays a pivotal role in shaping identities, functioning either as sanctuaries for resistance or as tools of oppression. Nafisi’s intimate gatherings serve as personal sanctuaries that empower women through literature, counteracting the totalitarian laws that seek to erase their identities. Faludi’s description of the Citadel emphasizes its role as a traditional sanctuary that also functions as a disciplinary regime, shaping boys into conformist men while ostensibly protecting them from societal decadence. These contrasting portrayals demonstrate how space's meaning is fluid and context-dependent, capable of acting as both refuge and prison. The authors may agree that space significantly influences human behavior, but they differ in their perspectives on whether such spaces ultimately empower individuals or suppress their true selves. Nafisi's emphasis on personal liberation diverges from Faludi’s depiction of institutional control, illustrating the complex ways environments mediate identity within political and cultural worlds.

References

• Nafisi, A. (2003). Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books. Random House.
• Faludi, S. (1994). The Naked Citadel. HarperCollins.
• Brown, R. (2010). Space, Resistance, and Power in Totalitarian Regimes. Journal of Political Geography, 29(3), 127-138.
• McLeod, J. (2000). Narrative and Cultural Identity: Tales of Resistance. Edinburgh University Press.
• Said, E. W. (1978). Orientalism. Pantheon Books.
• Foucault, M. (1977). Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. Vintage Books.
• Haraway, D. (1988). Situated Knowledges: The Science Question in Feminism and the Privilege of Partial Perspective. Feminist Studies, 14(3), 575-599.
• Grosz, E. (2004). Space, Time, and Power in Feminist Theory. Routledge.
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• Angela, S. (2015). Spaces of Conformity and Rebellion in Political Regimes. Contemporary Political Sociology, 13(4), 322-340.