The Aunts (Aida, Aisha, Farida, Nazli) Timeline and Summary

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The Aunts (Aida, Aisha, Farida, Nazli) Timeline and Summary

  • When Ahmed returns from dropping off her sibs at Cambridge, she falls ill with pneumonia and her aunties come to nurse her. Nazli is especially good at this job.
  • Ahmed remembers fun times with her aunts in Grandmother's rooms at Zatoun. Aisha and Farida are particularly hilarious, making fun of stern Grandfather.
  • Ahmed tells us that her aunts (and her mother) are all beautiful women.
  • Nazli (who has five children) and Aisha (athletic and fun) have happy marriages.
  • Aisha would take Ahmed and the other children of the family on long walks and adventures in the summer. Ahmed would swim with her.
  • Aunt Aida has an unhappy marriage and suffers from depression. She endures horrible "therapies" to treat it and winds up killing herself.
  • Aunt Farida also has an unhappy marriage and isn't helped at all by her family.
  • Ahmed remembers a summer trip that she takes with Aisha when they pass by El Alamein.
  • She takes refuge at Aisha's cabin during the summer beach vacay from hell, when her family gets on each other's nerves.
  • When Ahmed goes to Girton, she often recalls her aunties and the community of support at Zatoun.