Above all else, family is the most important social institution in Saudi Arabia (1992). Family construct and descent are patrilineal meaning that they are traced only through the male lineage of the family. Families are nuclear in structure, much like we see here in the United States. The main difference being that women are encultured to learn only how to manage the home, and not much outside of the family circle unless they are required to take a job. Women do not take the last name of their husband, in fact, they keep their father’s last name in order to keep the patrilineality of their family tree. The patrilineal structure is displayed in several scenes throughout the film, and is also the focus of the film’s subplot. Figure 3: Wadjda …show more content…
The first, and most appalling example of this strict segregation in the film occurred when two girls arrived at the all-girls school, and excited to see one another outside of the school they began to excitedly explain to each other whatever teenage event had occurred in the lives over the weekend. As they approached the entrance of the school, an instructor scolded them for talking out of doors, and in the presence of a man (the schools maintenance person). She explained that “women’s voices should not be heard outside because it shows her nakedness,” (Wadjda, 2012, 00:900:00). Shortly thereafter, Wadjda and her classmates were playing a version of hopscotch in a school courtyard when a man appeared atop a nearby roof. Upon their realization that the girls were in clear view of the man they all began to wrap themselves with the hijabs, and scattered back into the building out of sight of the man. Wadjda decided to finish her turn, and was interrupted by one of her classmates who made clear that “respectable girls go inside to play where a man cannot see [us],” (2012, 00:11:00). As can be seen, Wadjda defies almost every cultural norm existent in Saudi culture. In fact, she is the perfect example of how one person can change cultural