What role does Christianity play in the novel, An Unnecessary Woman?

Aaliya makes a number of references to the Christian religion in her story. These references are interesting because Aaliya describes herself as being a student of the Quran. At some point she familiarized herself with the principals of the Christian religion as she often refers to different important facets of this religion. For instance, she refers to her mother as a cross she must bear, a reference to the crucifixion of Jesus. At one point in her story she talks about the Christmas holiday and speaks of the Christians covering themselves in “gold, frankincense, and Chanel to honor their savior’s birth. Trivia matters naught to me” (p. 5). She pokes fun at the three traditional gifts believed to have been presented to the baby Jesus at His birth by substituting the popular perfume Chanel for the traditional myrrh.