“Be like the date that grows sweeter and sweeter, even though the soil that nourishes it is rocky and harsh.”
The narrator and the mother have their lives suddenly change after the death of the patriarch in the family. Living in the 17th century Persia as women they now have a hard time making a livelihood as they suffer from the norms of gender roles. They have to live in terrible conditions in order to survive which forces them to take drastic measures to pull through. She defies expectations by excelling in her craft of rug designing showcasing even with extreme obstacles personal progress is possible. Thus, the assertion highlights her mindset in terms of becoming better even in a harsh environment.
“Our response to cruelty, suffering, and sorrow is to remind the world of the face of beauty, which can best restore a man's tranquility, cleanse his hear of evil, and lead him to the path of truth.”
The narrator accentuates how cultural oppression makes it hard for her as a woman to maneuver and make something of herself. Now subjected to a lower class in society after the breadwinner in the family dies, the narrator is reduced to be a ‘household slave’, and her prospects for a good marriage lowered. Therefore cruelty and misogyny are part of her life but that does not render her incapable to defend her vocations. Through her skills in rug designing, she showcases her brilliance and consequently conveys beauty. The statement expresses her response to the cruel world that does not in any way make it easy for them to navigate.
