Kindness in a World of Anger

While most characters in Amy Waldman’s book, The Submission, lose themselves in a struggle to preserve their pride and ego, Asma fights bravely for her rights when she needs to, but never argued simply to prove someone wrong, which quickly captured my interest and respect. Waldman describes how Asma could “could hold her meanest comments in” and juxtaposes her to everyone else involved in the memorial debate, who quickly use stereotypes, insults, and even violence to attack one another. She understands the fine line between being outspoken and rude and acts when she feels she must, regardless of how it affects her. As a widow trying to raise a baby alone, she already faced a difficult life, but as an Arab and Muslim woman as well, her life proved dangerous and yet, despite the obstacles in her life, she resolved to improve her life and her sons even if it meant making sacrifices. For example, although everyone else in her building ignores domestic abuse, she attempts to help an abused woman even though others criticize her for interfering. She goes out of her way to reach out to others, even when she has nothing to gain from helping them. Asma realizes that people should “want nothing but what is given” to them and through indirectly characterizing her as selfless, Waldman demonstrates that people do learn from tragedies and the past. Asma also accepts responsibility for her failings and those of others, unlike most characters, who only seek to blame others for their troubles. In the midst of conflict, Waldman asserts that people turn on each other and act in their own interests, yet despite the cruelty and violence the novel depicts, characters like Asma give me hope that people can change and improve. While it proves easy to blame others and conform, when people fight for their beliefs, even if only with small acts, they can have a huge impact.