Abstract
This paper proposes an analysis of Fehmida Riaz’s Pakistani English short
story: “The Daughters of Aai” (2007) in the light of Pierre Bourdieu’s
notion “field” (1986, 1990) taken from his Theory of Practice. The field is
a context and place of survival of individuals, which determines their
position in a social order. Keeping in view this notion, the short story “The
Daughter’s of Aai” is viewed as a remarkable story of innocence, abuse
and the resourcefulness of women in a village in Pakistan. Following close
reading analysis method, the study focuses on women’s plight in their
contextual field. The study finds out that there are two major fields in the
village; poor villagers’ field (which is again sub-divided into the field of
men and that of women) and landlords” field. The village women struggle
hard to survive in their devalued and dominated field. They save an insane
and innocent handicapped girl Fatima in the name of accepted and
identical practices in their field, which is to make her Allah Walli (holy
woman). Thus, the collective efforts and unity of women helped to make
Fatima a resourceful woman, which otherwise was impossible. The study
also finds out that the field of village men supports them in their every
action taken for their dis/honour. The men can molest any woman (i.e.
Fatima) but cannot afford a word for their own woman. For the sake of
honour their whole tribe involves in years long fighting and killing, leaving
their women widows and children orphans who face prolonged court cases.
Ume Kulsoom Rind, Dr. Muhammad Khan Sangi, Najma Gopang. (2017) Resourcefulness Of Women: A Study Of Bourdieu’s Field In Fehmida Riaz’s The Daughters Of Aai, The Women - Annual Research Journal of Gender Studies, Volume-09, Issue-1.
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