The research intends to study patriarchal consciousness in Afghan patriarchal society in Nadia Hashimi’s novel The Pearl That Broke Its Shell under the perspective of patriarchy and feminist consciousness. The study highlights how Afghan women are subordinated, marginalized and exploited in the name of customs and traditions. They are deprived of basic human rights and confined in the four walls of the house. The research highlights gender discrimination which is strictly observed in the form of bacha posh tradition and the feelings of humiliation and remorse on the birth of daughters in the selected text. The pathetic condition ultimately leads women to the consciousness of their rights. They challenge the status quo and break their shells in order to thwart patriarchy. In addition to it, the study depicts private and public patriarchy in Afghan society i.e. women are suppressed and exploited not only in their houses but also at the institutional level.  Hashimi’s works are part of academic curriculum in the world so the other researchers will be familiar with the culture of war-torn country Afghanistan specifically the bacha posh tradition. Furthermore, the research shows that Afghan women are well familiar with their rights and not passive like other South Asian countries. They are in constant struggle to change their naseeb (destiny). The current research focuses women and patriarchy with the insight of Gerda Lerner’s two works The Creation of Patriarchy (1986) and The Creation of Feminist Consciousness (1993) as a theoretical framework.

Works Cited

*              Assistant Professor, Department of English, Gift University, Gujranwala

**           MPhil Scholar, Department of English, Gift University, Gujranwala

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