Familiar Family Structure

As we dissect the concept of Orientalism, I feel that it is important to bring up the subject of family structure constructed by Ali. My misconception about Islamic families was that men were the over-bearing power that dictates a family, and women and children were subjected to their rule. Ali's story of the Hassan al-Hudayl clan reveals a structure I was completely ignorant to prior to reading Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree.  I was especially stricken by this when Zahra spoke of Umar's children: "Your children are relaxed in your presence" (p54). I felt Ali constructed Zuhayr, Yazid and Hind as very strong characters, all being outspoken and inquisitive of their family history and of their religious status after the reconquest.
The family answers their family questions and reveals religious concerns with their children through a Islamic-centered lens. While I grew up in a culture where negative misunderstandings define religions such as Islams, the same outsider perspective is used in the Hassan al-Hudayl clan when examining Christian culture. Where Christianity is a very symbolic religion where those member drink blood and eat bodies - when viewed from an outside perspective...yuck! The thing is, thought - I never thought how gross this representation was! Its silliness brought about a refreshing bash on the Christian Church, while demonstrating the practical misunderstandings between religions.