Oppression in Saudi Arabia
and the Treatment of Slaves in
the U.S.
Critical Lens
The conflict of the
oppression of
slaves and women.
Author’s Bias on Oppression of
Women
 The inequality would take a long time to change
 Thinks it is unfair and wrong for this to be
happening
 That women should be equal to men in Saudi
Arabia
 Men manipulate the Koran’s words;
– They always use religion as a defense for their actions
Our Bias
 Not surprised but outraged by the inequality
between the opposite sexes
 We are hoping for change as time goes on
 It’s unfair for the laws to be on the men’s
side
 Women are treated as objects instead of
real people
Women in Saudi Arabia
 Have no control of their life ;
– Sultana’s sister, Sara, was forced to marry a
man older than her
 The Law is twisted so that it is hard for
women to do anything;
– Saudi Arabia is a theocracy and the men
twist the Koran to suit their needs
Sultana’s Situation
 Men are favored over
women;
– Sultana’s father
treated Ali like his
favorite child and gave
him everything he
wanted
– Sultana and her
sister’s presence was
merely ignored
Slavery in US
 Are allowed to buy their freedom
 Slaves get help from people called Quakers
to escape slavery
 Cheap source of labor
Comparison
 Arab females and slaves are both being
controlled by others;
– Slaves had to do what their owner tells them or unless
they get whipped
– Women had to abide by men or else they could be
punished by whipping or they could be stoned to death,
sometimes the punishment could be dealt out by their
own family
Comparison
 Though the slaves can buy their freedom,
women can not;
– After some time the slaves could be able to pay
for freedom and have their own rights
– Women are stuck with their masters (husband
or a male family member) until they die
 Both are born into their status (though
slaves are sometimes captives of war or
bought off of slave dealers)
Patterns in History
 A group of people make themselves more
powerful by putting another down
 They do this through laws
 It is taught to them through their culture and
passed on generation to generation
 They want to be in control
 Which keeps the other group, women and
slaves, oppressed by their “masters” for a
long time.