REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN BINA SHAH’S BEFORE SHE SLEEPS; A POSTCOLONIAL FEMINIST ANALYSIS

Abstract

This research paper examines Bina Shah's dystopian book, "Before She Sleeps," using the theoretical frameworks offered by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak and Chandra Talpade Mohanty. The study investigates the representation of women within the novel's oppressive sociopolitical landscape, drawing on Spivak's critique of imperialism as elucidated in "Three Women's Texts and a Critique of Imperialism" (1985) and Mohanty's exploration of feminist scholarship and colonial discourses in "Under Western Eyes" (1984). The analysis explores at how patriarchal norms intersect with larger systems of power, such as imperialism and capitalism, to shape women's experiences in "Before She Sleeps." The current study examines the agency and resistance of women in the story using Spivak's paradigm, focusing on their techniques for negotiating repressive regimes. The study also uses Mohanty's observations to attack Western-centric notions of feminism and emphasizes the significance of including non-Western voices in feminist discourse. This study using a postcolonial feminist lens provides a nuanced explanation of how "Before She Sleeps" challenges dominant narratives and amplifies the voices of marginalized women. And it concludes that Before She Sleeps (2018) demonstrates that the situation of women has remained unchanged even after decolonization. They are treated similarly to how they were handled during the colonial period.