CBA students gathered on Monday with Anne Duffy, the wife of US Consul General Tom Duffy, to discuss a reading of F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby," the widely studied novel that takes place during 1920s Prohibition-era America. In the book, Fitzgerald takes on themes such as the myth of the self-made man, the decay of the so-called American Dream, the illusion of social mobility and the superficial values of the era's pampered elites.
“The novel speaks about how the main character wants to achieve the American Dream, what do you think is the American Dream?” Amanda Hicks, press officer of the US Consulate General in Jeddah, asked the students.
That question went unanswered as the discussion shifted to comparing US and Saudi values as they pertain to society, women and media.
“I have noticed that we are much similar in personalities," said Lindsay Beal, the Consulate's cultural affairs officer. “I have learned a lot about Saudi women by interacting with those young girls and we want them to know more about American women.”
CBA students discussed how annoyed they become at how the US media portrays Saudi women.
“I have been to the United Stated a couple of times and I hated how everyone asked me if I lived in a tent and if I had a petrol well in my house,” said one of the students. “They see us as rich, spoiled girls who don’t have any responsibilities because we are wealthy."
Another student said she despised the stereotyping of Saudi women in the US.
“We also hate how we have to explain ourselves to them and talk about Islam and why we cover our hair," she said.
The discussion session lasted for about two hours.
