Character Analysis of Shahrazad

Shahrazad’s character is a victim of gender discrimination. She is completely ignored by her

family in her brother comparison. Her mother treated her as a step daughter. She always
longed to please her but failed. She could not do anything according to her own desires, even
she didn’t want to go Malcolm Carter’s birthday party but her mother forced her to attend the
birthday function at Mrs. Forester’s house. She is very hated character of this story no one likes
her in her family. To some extent her father loves her but he too could not pay special attention
to his daughter. She loves her Leopard more than her family. Some time she was suffering with
conflicts, she has in her. She thought that anyone should love her family such as, mom, dad and
brother more than their toys.
She was mostly upset because lack of the attention from her family. Her feelings and thoughts
were mostly unappealing to anyone, once she wanted to talk with her parents about her
double promotion at school but at the same evening Uncle Bunny and his wife Aunt SB were
invited to the dinner. At that night she had to suffered a great deal of hatred in front of them.
Everyone was calling her Fatty-Ma but her mother did not care about her emotions, even she
did not care about anything happening to her. Everyone considered her bad she did not go to
many family functions because she was not like there but her brother praised by everyone
more than he deserves.
Her mother’s thoughts about her were something like that.
‘’ She has no concept of being obedient or looking nice, she always buried in her books, she
only eats fried foods and sweets, she does not exercise the children she wants to plays are riff
raff. I really think she should be sent to a boarding school. Where the nuns can sort her out
because I certainly can’t it is too much for me and my nerves.
Shahrazad cries in silence with sobs upon hearing such about herself. The only happiest
moment remain in her life is when she talks to her leopard and touches it with excitement and
looks herself into its eyes she thinks of herself as princess.
 The Significance and Importance of Leopard in this Story
The character of leopard in this story has very significant role. It was Shahrazad’s birthday
present given by her uncle Bunny on her special day. She was not allowed to play with it yet
because she was very young according to her mother and her uncle Bunny won this leopard at
raffle in England. Leopard has lovely golden fur; she stares into his eyes which shone in the dark
like a real leopard. Malcolm Carter was received same leopard on his birthday as a good
present gift given by her parents. Shahrazad went to Malcolm’s house only for playing with her
leopard. She had seen it many time in her dreams. At the last of the story when she came to
know that her leopard had broken by Malcolm she threw the electric engine at her face.
In this story is a symbol of passion for her. It is something she can look up and feel hopeful.
Since her mother has let her down many time and again she feels that everything bad that
happens in her life will go away if she finally gets a chance to play with her leopard. The leopard
something that she owned all by herself and it had no share in anyone else life. It was her
possession she was proud of that made her feel worthy and confident. The leopard exuded self-
esteem and self-worth for Shahrazad. He could read her thoughts, understand her every word
and he has power to take away her pains.
Shahrazad longed to have such beauty and admiration that her mother wanted, she wished to
be admired in the same way. The golden leopard was source of her condolence and
satisfaction. What the people in her life failed to give her was provided to her by the leopard.
Her mother constant scathing criticism slowly chipped away parts of her self-esteem.

Psychoanalysis Theory in Shahrazad’s Golden Leopard

Most of Muneeza Shamsie’s stories deal with issues like colonialism, culture, language, gender
and family. Shahrazad’s Golden Leopard is extreme in its lack of understanding and trust
between parent and child. The bully mother leaves no stone unturned in snubbing and scolding
her innocent daughter. Shahrazad(Fatima). Her brother Shah Rukh is also preferred and
justified in all matters and disputes. In the very beginning of the story, it revealed that
Shahrazad longed to please her mother. Throughout the story, Shahrazad follows her mother’s
orders and does as she is told even if she hates it. She longs for motherly affection and care that
is expected in the relationship. Her mother scold her ruthlessly in public for every mistake or
error that Shahrazad makes. You’re such a stupid, stupid girl, Fatty-Ma, her mother would
screech at her without a thought a thought of the impact it would make on the little girl\s mind.
A series of small incident build up together to create a large crack in the mother-daughter
relationship. The mother praises her son more than her daughter and openly declares her
partiality. She expresses her dislike for her daughter, her lack of proper friends and even goes
to display doubt about her being retarded. She shows no concern for the nickname that
Malcolm, a neighboring English boy, has for her daughter. The continuous chant of Fatty-Ma
adds to Shahrazad’s inferiority complex and her confidence drops drastically. She feels isolated
from her family and believes that there is no one who understands her or gives her importance.