EXISTENTIAL FAILING IN DANIYAL MUEENUDDIN'S SHORT STORY “SALEEMA”

Abstract

Daniyal Mueenuddin’s short story, “Saleema” is a miserable protagonist’s journey invoking the difficulties and complexities of existential struggles predominantly due tolack of meaning, apprehension between freedom and responsibility, isolation, the quest for authentic relationships, and the influencing social and economic factors. Grounding the core argument on theoretical underpinnings of existentialism as contended by Sartre and Frankl, the paper explores the murky layers of human existence, focusing on the story’s protagonist’s struggle in search for meaning and purpose of life. Navigating the thematic notions of despair and obscurity of communal expectations, the study underscores the protagonist’s suppressed personal aspirations and her desires and societal constraints symbolizes deeper meaning of the existential void. The paper illuminates the nuanced portrayal of existential failing/failure, foregrounding the impacts of peripheral factors in individual’s existential experiences which include cultural and communal forces on individual identity. The study also explores Saleema's internal conflicts, the choices she makes, and the consequences of those choices within the context of her cultural milieu.