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The relationship between Wadjda's mother and father

posted 9 years ago by grantss
6 replies | jump to latest

I loved this movie but one thing I couldn't figure out was what the deal was between Wadjda's mother and father. As far as I can tell:
1. Her mother and father aren't married
2. Her mother and father live apart
3. Her mother is competing with other women to marry the father.

Now, in western society #1 would not be so surprising. In a very religious, rule-based society like Saudi Arabia, it would be. I imagine pregnancy, even sex, outside of marriage would be very frowned upon.

#2 implies that they are divorced, but that also seems unlikely in that society.

And then, #3, for the mother to be competing to marry the father - what gives? It also seems like he has children with other women - the family tree scene.

Can someone explain this? The arrangement didn't seem unorthodox in that society - the family weren't shunned or regarded any differently.

I'm sure it's a cultural thing - hence my wanting to know. Please excuse my ignorance.

Like a bird on the wire, like a drunk in a midnight choir, I have tried in my way to be free

[–] oktjabr 9 years ago

They were married. I interpreted that Wadjdas father was away a lot because he worked in the oil industry far from his home.

Wadjdas father was planning/pressured by his mother to take a second wife (Islam allows polygamy) since W's mother was unable to have children after almost dying when having W - family needed a male child.

I don't think W's father had children with other women. The family tree had only male names (as her mother mentions) and Wadjda pinned her name next to her father.

[–] dimitrouladem 9 years ago

Oktjabr I have a question: I saw the movie last night but I don't remember them saying that Wadjda's mom almost died giving birth to her. Do you remember where??

Skylark

[–] oktjabr 9 years ago

I didn't remember the exact spot, so I found this with google from some review site:

"Riding a bike is considered such an outlandish expression of the female “voice” (that is, both freedom and agency alike) that it is deemed to destroy women’s child-bearing capacities. Wadjda can’t see the logic in this, and she counters her mother’s refusal of bicycle money with, “Well, you can’t have children, and you don’t even ride a bike.” Lamenting the loss of her husband to a second wife because she is not able to bear a son, Wadjda’s mother retorts, “I almost died giving birth to you!”" (Source:http://www.kinocaviar.com/wadjda.php)

[–] ilar2 7 years ago

Yes, the mother tells it to Wadja when they are in the bathroom towards the middle-end of the movie.

[–] beherenow3 9 years ago

The father was either marrying a second wife or, I thought while watching, divorced the mother (this can be done almost immediately by a man in Saudi) to marry again and have a son. Divorce is certainly not illegal in Saudi.

The mother saying 'just you and me now' to wadjda made me think she was now single/divorced but hey it was never explicitly stated so who knows.

[–] Henrietta_S 8 years ago

I thought it was less a divorce and more that Wadjda's father would now be busy with his new wife and possible other children, not to mention being away for work so often. I suspect that he'll come over from time to time to visit Wadjda (he never seemed to be a very involved father, but he did seem to genuinely care for his daughter), but probably only once a month or so. Going by my western point of view, they might as well be divorced, but since it was never explicitly stated that they now were, I don't think that they are.