Beyond the Veil of Patriarchy: A Psychoanalytic Feminist Examination of Gender-Based Violence in Khan's Someone Like Her

Abstract

All across the world, particularly in South Asia, male chauvinism consistently contributes to gender inequality. The majority of women in this region are the victims of emotional and physical abuse that can be attributed to male chauvinism and gender stereotypes deeply ingrained in its societies. Using the lens of psychoanalytic feminism, this study analyzes Awais Khan's Someone Like Her (2023), a novel set in one such society where patriarchal norms dictate women's lives. The current study utilizes a qualitative approach and focused on how gender stereotypes in society, gender-based violence, and masculine chauvinism influence the life of the novel’s protagonist Ayesha. It focuses on the mistreatment that Ayesha received and how women are treated generally in society. Using the theoretical frameworks developed by Nancy Chodorow and Juliet Mitchell, the study looks at how patriarchal structures and gender-biased social norms work together to sustain oppression and gender inequality. This approach highlights how literature can question society norms, promote gender equality, and elevate the voices of underrepresented groups in addition to illuminating how it reflects and critiques them. Using this perspective, the study shows how literature may influence public opinion and promote social change.