Who is Fatima's Mother from Dreams of Trespass: Tales of a Harem Girlhood and what is their importance?

Fatima's mother is a serious woman who chafes under the restrictions of life in the harem, she dreams of a better life with more freedoms for both Fatima and Fatima's sister. Fatima's mother defies several aspects of the harem life, including the need for communal meals. She rises later than everyone else and cooks herself a lavish meal for breakfast despite the fact that everyone else would have eaten hours earlier. When lunch time rolls around, she is often too full to eat.