FREE ESSAY ON SHABANU BY SUZANNE FISHER

SHABANU BY SUZANNE FISHER

In Shabanu, by Suzanne Fisher, Shabanu must search for her own identity. Shabanu is
influenced by her family, especially her completely different older sister Phulan. Phulan
is beautiful, more like their mother whom she helps around the house. Shabanu is wild and
strong like their father, and helps him with the camels and other yard work. They are
both betrothed to marry, when they come of age. For the past few years, Shabanu helps her
father with the animals and this year, she must learn to cook food and clean the house.
Shabanu has to prepare to be married and learn to live a life of her own. She is
betrothed to Murad whom she loved, and will marry when she becomes of childbearing age.
Shabanu's older sister, Phulan is betrothed to Hamir, Murad's older brother. Shabanu's
family is making preparations for these two upcoming marriages. 
When Shabanu's family arrives at Hamir's land, Shabanu and Phulan find themselves
struggling between Hamir's family and a wealthy landowner. Shabanu robs the landowner of
his pride, resulting to Phulan's fiance's murder, which greatly devastates her. She was
looking forward to starting her own family with Hamir. Shabanu's family decides that
Phulan will marry Murad, Shabanu's fiance. Her parents also decide that Shabanu will
marry the evil landlord's more powerful brother, Rahim-Sahib, who is a wealthy councilman
of the district, extremely powerful consisting of many wives. When Rahim-Sahib first saw
Shabanu he fell in love with her. Shabanu was displeased at her parents' decision telling
her that she must marry Rahim-Sahib, exploited to bring peace to the two families. After
Phulan's wedding, Shabanu and her parents go back home where, Shabanu must wait and
prepare for her own upcoming ceremony with Rahim-Sahib. Shabanu is dreading the thought
of marrying him. When Shabanu states, "I know my fate is sealed" (Staples 239) she
realizes she has lost her battle, however learns that just because she must marry
Rahim-Sahib, does not mean she must love him. 
When Shabanu finds out that it is time to marry Rahim-Sahib, she runs away. She was on
her way to Sharma's house, when her father finds her and takes her life. Shabanu's
parents' are always telling her to do what she is told. Yet, Shabanu wants to listen to
her heart. She does not want to marry someone for the wrong reasons, because she wants to
marry for love. If Shabanu followed her own heart, it would be easier for her to find her
own true identity. If Shabanu did follow her heart it lead to her being killed. 
Shabanu is searching for her individuality, always comparing herself to Phulan, often
giving herself a phony identity. Sharma advises Shabanu that, "the secret is keeping your
inner most beauty, the secrets of your soul, locked in your heart," (Staples 240)
therefore one will find one's self and not rely on others for independence.
In Rebecca, by Daphne DuMaurier, the second wife, Mrs. de Winter, is searching for her
own identity. She marries Maxim de Winter, and moves to Manderly mansion. While at
Manderly, "she was in the house just as Mrs. Danvers had said, she was in that room in
the west wing, she was in the library, in the morning-room, in the gallery above the
hall" (DuMaurier 233). The second Mrs. de Winter merely takes the place of Rebecca, as if
she was still in the house, the servants were still taking orders, and the eating the
same food. The second Mrs. de Winter felt as if she was the replacement for Rebecca,
making it difficult to discover her proper identity. When the second Mrs. de Winter
begins to realize her identity, as Mr. de Winter's wife, people start treating her as
herself, not as Rebecca. The second Mrs. de Winter and Maxim's relationship improves,
when they share their thoughts and feelings with one another, Maxim tells her his deepest
secret. He killed Rebecca, his first wife. In telling this to the second Mrs. de Winter,
they experience the hardships together. One of those difficult moments occurred after Mr.
de Winter identified her Rebecca's body, and cops found another body at the bottom of the
ocean. Mr. de Winter is questioned. Mrs. de Winter is there for him, as herself, not as
Rebecca. Mr. de Winter informs the police that he made the unfortunate mistake of falsely
identifying Rebecca's body. With his new statement, the police came to the conclusion
that Rebecca committed suicide. In the end, the second Mrs. de Winter finds her true
identity by being herself, but Mr. de Winter could not live with the truths, therefore
committing suicide with his second wife.
In The Good Earth, by Pearl S. Buck, Wang Lung is searching for his identity. He is
always associating himself with a poor or rich man. When Wang Lung was poor, he worked
hard on his land, and used all of his resources. Wang Lung would wake up every morning,
and cultivate his land. His land was everything to him, for it was his dignity.
The day came when Wang Lung was to meet his wife. He goes to the House of Hwang and there
he sees how rich men live. From that day on, Wang Lung works hard to become rich and
respected, like the people in the House of Hwang. So Wang Lung and his new wife, Olan,
work hard on their land. During this, Olan conceived three sons and two girls, which was
good fortune. Wang Lung and his family overcame many hardships, for instance, the death
of his father and of his good friend Ching brought grief to the whole family. Finally, as
the years pass, Wang Lung is rich and prosperous; and his land was flourishing. He even
bought some land from the House of Hwang. Everyone in the village knew Wang Lung the
Farmer, and respected him. As Wang Lung became richer, the villagers became worse. Many
people came to Wang Lung for help, including his uncle, who did not work or try to feed
his family. Wang told them, if they wanted food or money, they would have to work on his
land. He believes one should work for what one receives. Wang Lung became accustomed to
the rich life; he bought nice clothes and ate only the finest meals. He even bought
slaves and moved into the House of Hwang. Now Wang Lungs past poor life vanished from his
memory. He was rich now, and he could buy anything he desires. 
Only when Wang Lung grew old did he realize that his real identity was neither a poor or
rich man. Wang Lung told his two sons, "if you sell the land, it is the end" (Buck 350).
He advises his children about taking care of the land, and in turn it will take care of
them. If they sell the land, it will end what and who they are. Wang Lung took pride in
his land; the land was everything to him. It made him who he is, an individual.
These three novels teach the reader to always be an individual. In Rebecca, the second
Mrs. de Winter always thought of what other people thought of her. She was always
comparing herself to Rebecca. In The Good Earth, Wang Lung was trying to be something
that impressed other people. In Shabanu, she was ignoring her true feelings in her heart.
These three characters, find themselves in the end. They find out that their real
identity is the unique person inside of them, not the person they must live up to or what
others expect from them.