How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
Aadam Aziz had always insisted that his daughters be permitted to have male friends. (1.4.8)
We can see how well that worked out for him.
Quote #5
Nowadays, the cities are full of modern, fashionable, dupatta-less misses; but back then the old men clicked their tongues in sorrow, because a woman without a dupatta was a woman without honour, and why had Emerald Bibi chosen to leave her honour at home? (1.4.45)
Okay, we're not going to bombard you with pictures this time, but it's worth noting that the dupatta is traditionally considered a symbol of a woman's honor and virtue. Considering that in traditional Muslim houses women were often not allowed to go outside on their own, nearly all the women in the novel break the gender roles.
Quote #6
Women have always been the ones to change my life: Mary Pereira, Evie Burns, Jamila Singer, Parvati-the-witch must answer for who I am; and the Widow, who I'm keeping for the end; and after the end, Padma, my goddess of dung. Women have fixed me all right, but perhaps they were never central-perhaps the place which they should have filled, the hole in the centre of me which was my inheritance from my grandfather Aadam Aziz, was occupied for too long by my voices. Or perhaps-one must consider all possibilities-they always made me a little afraid. (2.13.67)
Why would Saleem be afraid of women?