"SHE SHALL NOT BE MOVED" Summary
The narrator, who has a foreign background, is on a bus with her daughter Mariam when they witness an unfair and racist situation. The story starts with the narrator saying that she would have changed something if she could. A black Somali woman is standing in the aisle with her pram and two children because two elderly white women are blocking the seats that are directed for people with prams. Thus, the woman is blocking the aisle because the two elderly women refuse to let her take the seat. The narrator points out the other free seats to the two women. The black driver loses his temper because of the blocked aisle and gets off his seat. The driver shouts at the Somali woman, and the narrator turns her daughter's face away because she doesn't want her to see such "ugliness." The narrator of the story doesn't stand up for the Somali woman. She actually wanted to be a role model for her daughter but refuses because of fear of getting thrown off the bus, having to buy another ticket, and her daughter shivering next to her. She knows that what is going on is wrong but acts selfish. The two elderly women blame the black woman as well. Mariam is unsatisfied and bothered by the situation. The narrator is a reverse racist because she won't stand up for an elderly woman who enters the bus. Mariam wants to get up for the elderly woman, but the narrator pulls her down. Mariam is disappointed with her mum. The mother and Somali woman leave the bus, and when the black woman gets off, she shouts "racists." The mother and Somali women have a conversation, and the narrator wants to help her with the pram and tells her to report the driver, but the Somali woman refuses and calls him a slave. The narrator is upset because of doing nothing and can't forget about it all day. The Somali woman is strong, fierce, stubborn, dominant, standing up for herself, calm, and unbothered.
Notes:
- Fear of foreigners to stand up for other foreigners because they lack confidence and power and may feel inferior → many excuses even though they're aware of the fact that it was clearly wrong and even affected herself too, because of her nationality (DILEMMA, INNER CONFLICT)
- On the other hand, she must have taught her kid what's the right thing to do in such a situation because she tried to do something about it, but her mother didn't let her
- Somali woman example for foreigners who are compelling
- Courage to really stand up for others is lacking by everyone on the bus because of fear of being "hated" by the majority of society
Mariam:
- Good manners
- Fierce, powerful
- Sheltered by mother
- Clever
- Selfless
Narrator:
- Political activist (had to flee because of her activism)
- Hypocritical
- Selfish
- Lack of interference and confidence
- Kind (pointing out free seats)
- Good-hearted
- Helpful, good will
- Inferior
- Less powerful when it comes to really acting
- Mind actions
