Story begins with a social issue fear, the fear of so tall as told in these words in the short story “The Tallest Woman“ by Maham Javaid
“Where she tied her pants – to below the ankle, and yet
the pants were ending at her lower calves. Her heartbreak turned into a
familiar fear when her mother said, “Oh Zainoo, I’ll bring the tape measure”.
(Javaid, Maham (2019) p-1)
The
height measurement not only carried out once, it is in routine and the moment
in Zainab’s conscious was five feet and five inches, when she carelessly
released the measuring tape which stroked on her finger and blood exuded. Then,
once measurement five feet and nine and at last seven feet crossed. Average
height of women in Pakistan almost five feet and the height of Zainab is much
more than others that Zainab looks like a giantess between others.
Maham Javaid used the word measuring ritual; word ritual means religious ceremony in which serious actions were performed and measuring action also presented like ritual actions; “Zainab against the wall, the pencil mark, the tape stretched out, five feet and nine inches.” Here, measuring practice is emphasized and shows intense worries of Zainab’s mother about her daughter’s height.
Continue reading “Social Issues presented in short story The Tallest Woman”
