Not Without My Daughter

Sayyed Bozorg Mahmoody, nicknamed Moody, is the antagonist in Not Without My Daughter. His pattern of behavior while in the US embodies many of the complexities of immigrant experiences in the United States, and he also comes to represent the clash between tradition and modernity during his family’s time in Iran. Initially, Betty introduces Moody as an Iranian man who eagerly embraces American culture during his educational sojourn abroad. As opposed to other Iranian expatriates, who often chose to connect exclusively with others within the Iranian expat community, Moody made an effort to assimilate and blend into the diverse American society in the early days of the couple’s marriage and their life in the United States. However, Moody’s character trajectory showcases a conflict between embracing American cultural ideals and the underlying yearning to reconnect with his Iranian identity, and this internal conflict lays the groundwork for the events that unfold in the narrative.

Moody’s character undergoes a significant transformation during the events of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which influence his vision of American society. He gradually becomes hostile to his US family and his work environment. Moody comes from a renowned religious family in Iran, and this degree of privilege is what initially allowed him to travel to the US to obtain his medical education in the first place. In fact, Moody’s social status in America is also dependent upon his profession. Moreover, in Iran, his social status, which is already high due to his familial background, is further enhanced by his American medical training. After his return to Iran, Moody attempts to make use of his training despite his declared hostility toward American culture and politics. This inconsistency establishes him as a hypocritical character who radically shifts his perspective as he sees fit.

Although he returns to Iran and ultimately decides to remain there, Moody is constantly dissatisfied with his position in Iranian society. He is often irritable and exhibits a shifting temper befitting his nickname of Moody. As time goes on, his temper manifests in increasingly violent ways, culminating in episodes of extreme domestic abuse for which he expresses no regret afterward. His sense of vulnerability when faced with financial or personal issues increases the chances of an abusive episode. Although Betty’s description of his personality in America depicts him as a malleable man, one of the defining character traits of Moody’s Iranian persona is his urge to dominate, which is especially directed at his wife and daughter.

Ultimately, Moody is a round character who displays many contradictory attributes. For example, he is a devoted father, but he is also abusive. He can be a loving husband, but he is also neglectful and domineering. Over the course of the narrative, he does not change, which makes him a static character. However, it is implied that Moody’s character underwent a crucial transformation while he and Betty were still in America, and this transformation led to the tumultuous events that unfold in Iran.

Mahtob, the five-year-old daughter of Betty and Moody in Not Without My Daughter, plays a crucial yet secondary role in the narrative. Her innocence and vulnerability become emblematic of the larger stakes involved in Betty’s struggle for freedom. Betty’s lens as the first-person narrator offers insight into Mahtob’s character, portraying her as a resilient and adaptable child who is unexpectedly thrust into the complexities of cultural clashes and familial upheavals.

Throughout the narrative, Mahtob symbolizes of the collateral damage inflicted by her antagonistic father and the oppressive environment in Iran. Mahtob’s adaptation to life in Iran is intricately tied to the challenges posed by her family’s situation, which force her to navigate a world vastly different from her American upbringing. Mahtob’s reactions to the unfamiliar cultural norms and the oppressive environment are a catalyst for Betty’s motherly sacrifice. As the story unfolds, Mahtob’s character undergoes a subtle evolution that is marked by her resilience to adversity. The young girl’s emotional responses and adaptability become a testament to the strength that Betty instills in her, for Betty endeavors to shield Mahtob from the harshest of the realities that surround them. Mahtob’s role thus extends beyond that of a mere observer; instead, she becomes a confidante for Betty and complies with her mother’s plans to escape.

Sara Mahmoody Ghodsi, affectionately addressed as Ameh Bozorg (meaning “great aunt”), is a dynamic secondary character in the novel. Initially portrayed as the matriarch of the family, her significance in Moody’s life is underscored by their emotional reunion at the airport, when she embraces him warmly. Throughout most of the narrative, Ameh Bozorg plays the stereotypical role of the mother-in-law. She is often used as the embodiment of Betty’s perception of Iran’s cultural backwardness. She is also described as the epitome of religious devotion, and Bettys descriptions of her focus on Ameh Bozorg’s tolerance of unsanitary environments and her perceived lack of personal care.

Ameh Bozorg’s traditionalist views and commitment to upholding Iranian customs become sources of tension as Betty’s family navigates a myriad of cultural differences. The clash between American habits (such as daily showers) and Ameh Bozorg’s adherence to traditional Iranian practices thus reflects the broader struggle between modernity and tradition within Iranian society. Ameh Bozorg’s resistance to Betty’s attempts to contribute to the household and her rejection of American customs underscore the deep-rooted cultural conflicts that shape the family dynamics.

However, in Chapter 17, Ameh Bozorg undergoes a radical transformation, challenging the narrator’s expectations. In a difficult moment, she surprises Betty with her compassionate acknowledgment of Betty’s plight and offers to defy Moody’s restrictions and allow Betty to make a clandestine phone call to her family. This unexpected support hints at a potential ally emerging from an unexpected source. Ameh Bozorg’s character therefore becomes a nuanced one in the last third of the book, as her actions suggest a growing awareness of Moody’s erratic behavior and a growing willingness to protect Betty and Mahtob.

Ellen Rafaie is a secondary character and a foil to Betty Mahmoody, for her own domestic situation, while similar to Betty’s, nonetheless provides a stark contrast to the narrator, especially when it comes to the two women’s respective responses to life in Iran. Unlike Betty’s undying sense of rebellion and agency, Ellen’s character undergoes a transformation from a loyal American wife and mother to a submissive Muslim spouse. The narrative presents Ellen as a woman who has sacrificed her education and independence by marrying an Iranian man, Hormoz Rafaie, and moving to Iran with him. Ellen and Betty initially bond over memories of their shared birthplace, Michigan, and the narrative reveals that Ellen found herself a captive in Iran, just like Betty did. However, unlike Betty, Ellen eventually decided to comply with her husband’s wishes; he is, like Moody, physically abusive. When Betty meets her, Ellen is committed to making the best of her life in Iran, for she has embraced Islamic customs and is working for an English magazine for Islamic women.

Betty initially confides in Ellen and asks her for help in contacting the embassy. In Chapter 12, however, Ellen betrays Betty by telling her own husband about Betty’s plans of escape, and she also threatens to reveal Betty’s plans directly to Moody as well. Later on, after Ellen and Hormoz witness one of the domestic abuse episodes to which Moody subjects Betty, they decide to not tell him what they know. However, Betty loses trust in Ellen and does not count on her help any further. Ellen’s choice to embrace life in Iran challenges Betty’s preconceived notions about American women in Iran. For Betty, Ellen provides a disquieting glimpse into a potential future that echoes her own fears about Moody’s influence and represents a potential choice to adapt to life in Iran: a prospect that Betty completely rejects.