Feminist consciousness of characters in Sophia Mustafa’s broken reed

This study examines feminist consciousness of characters in Sophia Mustafa’s Broken Reed by using liberal feminist theory. Specifically, the study aimed at examining how Indian Culture undermines feminist consciousness among characters in Mustafa’s Broken Reed, with the knowledge that there has never been a significant study examining this novel’s articulation of feminist issues. The study involved an examination of characters’ actions, voices as well as their relationships amid Indian culture, Islamic culture as well as during and after the partition of India and Pakistan. Very few characters are found to have feminist consciousness that is contributed by education, exposure to different cultures and life experience. Lack of feminist consciousness to people in the society portrayed in the narrative creates inequalities, conflicts, oppression and humiliation. Majority of male and female characters in the novel lack feminist consciousness because they are undermined by patriarchy that controls their thoughts and actions. It has been presented that due to religious conflicts of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, both genders are humiliated and oppressed by political fundamentalists. Few men and women have become aware of the oppression and have fought against it. Men have been killed and women have been kidnapped and raped by the religious fundamentalists on what is considered to be revenge on religious ground. Women have generally become a site for oppression both in religious and cultural conflicts.