Abjection in Pakistani Women Literature: Analyzing Intergenerational Conflicts and Gender Stereotypes in How It Happened

Abstract

By using Julia Kristeva's abjection theory, this research paper examines how gender stereotypes, marital customs, and intergenerational gap are portrayed in Shazaf Fatima Haider's How It Happened. The conflict between traditional beliefs and evolving beliefs is shown clearly in Haider's work, with main focus on challenging experiences women come across in South Asia, especially in Pakistan. The study discusses the negative impact of generational gap through the characters like Dadi and Zeba, and emphasises the challenges rising in the repercussions of navigating societal norms. By applying Kristeva's theory, the research negotiates with the abjection of the protagonist Zeba. It further examines the ways Zeba refuses to pursue the conventions of first generation, and mediates the cultural confinements of first and third generation. This way, this research helps to reenvisage the ways of expressing rejection, gaining self-empowerment, and fostering a deeper comprehension of how South Asian literature is evolved in 21^st century. Ultimately, the study contributes to the larger negotiations of evolving cultural beliefs and the gender stereotypes in contemporary Pakistani women literature.