Annals of the Romanian Society for Cell Biology
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION (2021) 58(1): 4236-4242 An Interdisciplinary Journal PATRIARCHY AS A SOCIAL TRIBAL VALUE: FEMINIST ANALYSIS OF JAMIL AHMAD’S THE WANDERING FALCON Gulnaz Sattar 1*, SaimaYasin 2, SayyedaFarihatulaen Rizvi3, Afshan Khalid4 1,4Lecturer, Department of English, National University of Modern Languages, Multan Campus). 2 Lecturer, Department of English, University of Jhang. 3 Lecturer, Department of English, National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad Campus. ABSTRACT The present study is aimed to investigate the status of women in the novel The Wandering Falcon by Jamil Ahmed originally published in 2011. The Wandering Falcon is a collection of nine short stories. All the stories are interlinked with one another. The novel shows life in the tribal areas situated at the borders of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. In the present study, the researcher has examined the impacts of tribal traditions and rules on the lives of the people of these region. The research deals with the cruel and brutal laws of Federally Administrative Tribal Areas (FATA) and the miserable life style of these tribal people, especially the women of the region, as depicted in the novel. The tribal people have to face the indifference of nature as well as the supremacy of society. The rules and regulations of society have a deep impact on the social, mental and psychological development of its members. The present study deals with the social status of women in these tribal areas. It describes the attitude of tribal customs and traditions toward women and reflects the impact of these brutal laws on the lives of women as well as the poor and suppressed class of the society. This article aims to highlight the tribal customs which, commodify the women of FATA. Qualitative research paradigm has been selected for the novel as it tends to be exploratory and interpretative and feminist perspective have been applied on the sample. Keywords Patriarchy, feminism, tribal customs. Article Received: 20 September 2020, Revised: 30 November 2020, Accepted: 18 December 2020 Introduction nothing but to obey the orders of others. They have no right to speak in front of the male members of the family. They From the very inception of human history, women play a cannot express their choice or life according to their will. vital role in the creation of an ideal society. Man, and They have to yield before the regulations of patriarchal woman are both equal and no gender holds any supremacy society. Gender discrimination stays a significant hindrance over another by nature. It is necessary to give them the basic to human development. Women, girls and transgenders are human rights or freedom so that they can work easily facing the problems of gender discrimination; they are according to their desires and for the betterment of life for significant source of inequity in the society. Women are themselves and for the other members of the family or discriminated in all spheres of life that includes health, society. It is one of the prime facts that from the education, politics, maternal health and economy. Pakistan commencement of life on the earth, women have to suffer has been ranked the second worst country in the world for more than men in order to get their rights or to perform their gender inequality. The educational status of Pakistani role in the betterment of society. They are always women and transgender is among the lowest in the world. In considered an inferior being in society. It is the tradition of a country like Pakistan, the moment a girl is born, most of the world that man always sets rules for society as well as her decisions have already been made. However, when a for their other fellow beings. Women have to follow the baby boy is born, his family would give him a chance to do terms set by men. From the very start of human history man whatever he pleases. A woman in the classical Pashtun is considered superior to women. Adam was created first, culture has to depend on the male family member in almost and Eve was created out of his rib. He also gave name to every sphere of life. Eve, his wife (Genesis, 3:21). Therefore, women are all the time considered inferior to men. The feminists think that One of the prominent features of the novel The Wandering women have an equal status as compared with men because Falcon by Jamil Ahmad is the patriarchyin the culture of the they equally take part with men in all the fields of life; they Baloch tribes. It has been portrayed that females are do work in their homes as well as they do other jobs outside restricted in their roles in not just their homes, but overall in the home to support their family (Abbas, 2017, p. 1). the society. Their primary focus is to tend the men of their house. Different chores like cleaning and cooking are their Jamil Ahmed replicates the harsh realities of women in The major duties of women in the Pashtun society. They are not Wandering Falcon. The Wandering Falcon shows the nasty allowed to talk in the matters outside the household. No life of women in tribal areas. Being a woman becomes the woman has the courage to question the norms of the society. most terrible fact. The role of women in this society is There is no judicial system that may defend for the rights of 4236 www.psychologyandeducation.net PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION (2021) 58(1): 4236-4242 An Interdisciplinary Journal women or at least speak for them as these areas are not ruled Delimitations of the Study by any specific government. The researcher has analyzed the incidents of patriarchy as portrayed in the novel. The study focuses on the feminist analysis of the novel The Wandering Falcon by Jamil Ahmad. Statement of the Problem Literature Review Despite the numerous gender discrimination laws and court rulings, women are subjected to un-equal treatment in all Patriarchy is a culturally loaded term and has been defined spheres of life all over the country, especially, Baluchistan. differently by different feminists. Mitchell defines the term Patriarchy is one of the major hindrances in the development “to refer to kinship systems in which men exchange women” of the Pashtun society. The roles of women in a Pashtun (Mitchell 1971:24). Another feminist critic explains it as culture are restricted to household activities. They are not “patriarchy as a system of social structures and practices in allowed to speak about matters which do not involve which men dominate, oppress and exploit women” (Walby cooking, sewing or cleaning etc. Women are rarely allowed 1990:20). For Walby patriarchy is an organized system to read or write. They are not allowed to go outside without whose central aim to is create male hegemony by rejecting permission. Because of these hindrances, the vast majority the biological truth related to gender and sex. This system of the population (Pashtun women) of the country is not advocates the biological difference between a man and working for the development of Pakistan. The current women hence, performs different roles ascribed by society. research has analyzed how in The Wandering Falcon, Jamil Ahmad portrayed the plague because of which women are After reading many feminist critics definition of the term, portrayed to be deprived of the basic rights. one inference can be generated about patriarchy is that is a very systematic process of putting men at the dominant Significance of the Study position of a household and a society. Patriarchal systems propose that “men hold power in all the important This study highlights the prevalence of patriarchal culture institutions of society”, they further contend that women are even in modern societies. It raises an important issue which powerless because of their sex and are inferior to men hinders the progress of the whole country. The current (Lerner 1989:239). Engels has given a very comprehensive study not just facilitates the social arena by highlighting the discussion on the development of the patriarchal system in patriarchal setup but also intends to aid the students of his seminal work The Origins of the Family, Private literature in getting a profound understanding of the selected Property and the State (Engels 1940). He argues that topic especially by highlighting the status and plight of subjugation of women started when women began to own women in the tribal areas of Pakistan. property which was highly unacceptable for men. Men wanted to hold a dominant position and overthrow the mother rights, especially their claim on property. Women had to be domesticated in order to be subjugated and controlled by them which they eventually achieved. And this Research Objectives is how men got to the dominant position and led to the development of patriarchal systems. For a long time The research objectives of the current study are: patriarchal systems remained unchallenged until the development of feminism. Feminism and feminist critics ●To portray the incidents depicting ‘Patriarchy’ in The took the issue of patriarchy and inferior status of women Wandering Falcon by Jamil Ahmad into their writing. ●To explore the effect of patriarchy on the characters of the novel Digambar S. Kulkaaniclaims that writers denote the story of ●To analyze the significance of honor in the Baloch the entire society through their writings (literature). Jamil tribes Ahmad who is one of the famous Pakistani writers, keenly observed the tribal communities of Pakistan, the important Research Questions region where Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran meet, and he described the life styles, cultures, and traditions in his great 1.How is patriarchy employed through the instances and piece of work.