Woman Between Islam and Western Society
3. Western Woman
~ 114 ~
Welfare Department paid Betty’s rent, but the two
additional checks they provided monthly barely
covered the purchases of necessities, much less
“luxuries” such as a telephone, radio, TV or
vacuum cleaner. “I am a slave to my financial
problems,” Betty said, “and my life is meaningless
as far as having things that people are supposed to
have.” Whatever hopes she had of returning to
work were dashed, Betty reported, when her 19-
year-old daughter gave birth to an illegitimate
child.
Survival, Betty explained, was her primary concern.
Women’s lib? “I’m not interested.” Religion? “I
don’t go to church. They’re robbers. I can prey at
home, and He’ll hear me just the same. I don’t have
to pay for it.”
•
Luaretta Galligan
married in 1944. She found
herself alone most of the time when her husband’s
company assigned him a job that kept him away
from home six days a week. To make friends and
keep busy, Lauretta opted for a job and attended
night school. As her household expanded to include
five sons, she dropped her outside interests to
