UNVEILING WOMEN'S STRUGGLES: A POST-COLONIAL FEMINIST ANALYSIS OF NOVEL 'THE SECRET SKY' BY ATIA ABAWI

Abstract

The Secret Sky is a novel written by Afghan-American journalist on forbidden love in Afghanistan. It tells a heart-breaking story of two young Afghans, Fatima and Samiullah. The novel is based on cultural, religious and class conflicts which led two young lovers, especially Fatima to a long-term struggle. The misinterpretation of religion resulted in violence and long-term turmoil. Post-colonial feminism theory has been applied on this text, with the perspective of an Islamic feminist, Fatema Mernissi. The current study illustrates the prevalent practice of women's oppression in postcolonial Afghanistan. The theory explores the way women are repressed in third world countries especially in patriarchal societies. The purpose of this research is to expose the ethnic, gender discrimination as practiced by Afghan people in the name of religion. The narrative underscores the considerable challenges women face in attaining freedom within Afghanistan's social set up, where deeply ingrained patriarchal traditions impede their progress. Abawi meticulously portrays the harsh realities of women's oppression, emphasizing the disproportionate suffering endured in the name of religion, culture, and ethnicity. The novel reveals that the source of animosity is not Islam itself but rather the cultural misinterpretations of Islamic doctrines.