Many Afro-Arab women novelists, if not all, have been addressing feminist issues for ages while homeland issues have been masculinized. Against this trend, Leila Abouzeid's academic interests span not only women's issues, but also those of men and of her country as well. Her book shows how a woman is dominated by patriarchy and colonization and how she herself appears to be an executioner. It also shows her struggle and resistance against patriarchy and imperial power, without sacrificing her commitment to her national and religious identity. In contrast to secular feminism, Abouzeid views religion as a source of relief and solace. The study also argues that the men happily adopt the colonial culture whereas their women resist it. Tackling the experience of double colonization in Year of the Elephant captures the experiences of millions of women in both the eastern and western hemispheres who rebel over the laws that govern their lives.

许多非洲裔阿拉伯女性小说家，如果不是全部的话，多年来一直在解决女权主义问题，而家园问题已经被男性化了。与这一趋势相反，Leila Abouzeid 的学术兴趣不仅涉及女性问题，还涉及男性和她的国家的问题。她的书展示了一个女人是如何被父权制和殖民统治所支配的，以及她自己是如何成为刽子手的。它还显示了她对父权制和皇权的斗争和抵抗，同时又不牺牲她对自己的民族和宗教身份的承诺。与世俗的女权主义相反，阿布泽德将宗教视为救济和慰藉的来源。该研究还认为，男性乐于接受殖民文化，而女性则抵制它。应对大象年的双重殖民经历记录了东半球和西半球数百万妇女反抗支配她们生活的法律的经历。