In the early 1900s, male colonialism made women in the Indian society

become marginalized through the lack of education they received. As

Hossain states in her story Sultanas Dream, a young woman named Sultana
believed that womens intelligence were lower compared to men, Even their
brains are bigger and heavier than women's. Are they not?(326). Surprised,
Sultana asked Sister Sara this question upon finding out it was the women
who conquered men in her dream. It did not occur to her that the women
could outsmart or beat men. This shows that the women in Sultanas
colonized society were not very educated and that they ideally assumed
their colonial masters (men) were dominant in all aspects, brawns and
brains. Also we learn that in Sultanas society that the men did not support
education for women because Sultana was surprised and happy to hear in
her dream that a Queen, circulated an order that all the women in her
country should be educated [And] a number of girls' schools were founded
and supported by the government. [Also] education was spread far and wide
among women(326). This is another example of how the men in Sultanas
society colonized and marginalized their women. Instead of educating the
women they kept them inside their Zenana (female quarters), believing they
were inferior in mind and body. This sort of marginalizing self-belief was a
direct result of the colonial environment women like Sultana lived in.
Similarly, Natives Americans (Indians) were also a victim of marginalization
through education. A telling statement from the article Assimilation through
Education: Indian Boarding Schools in the Pacific Northwest, The goal of

Indian education from the 1880s through the 1920s was to assimilate the
Indian people into the melting pot of American by placing them in institutions
where traditional ways could be replaced by those sanctioned by the
government (Marr 323). The Americans used their colonial power to try to
marginalize the culture of the Native Americans by forcing them into their
educational systems. They tried to assimilate the people by controlling their
mindset. One way they did this was by making them believe they were
inferior/weak and forcing them to cut off their respected long hair. As one
young girl remarked on the experience, We have to submit. Because they
are strong(Zitkala 373). This shows that the Natives will was broken and
they had to accept the colonial changes to their people. The Americans
treated them with no regard in the educational system and made the
Natives voice become powerless and insignicant.
In terms of work, colonialism also marginalized women through the types of
jobs they could do. As Hossein demonstrates in her story Sultanas Dream,
with Sultanas answer to Sister Saras question,
'Do you know knitting and needle work?'
'Yes; we have nothing else to do in our zenana.'