8 research outputs found
"Maṣrūf Aurat" by Khalida Hussain (1937-2019)
No full text<p>Khalida Hussain (1937–2019) was born in Lahore and started her literary career by publishing short stories in the journal Adab-e Latīf during the 1960s. She took a break from writing for more than a decade after her marriage. She remerged again on the literary scene in 1981 with the publication of her short story collection, Paḥchān, followed by five more short story collections and a novel. Hussain is known for introducing a new trend on the Urdu literary horizon as she experimented with the idea of abstract and non-inear narratives. She was very skillful in her craft, using a technique, John Gardner calls 'the psychic lens'. Every now and then she would draw the reader in to her thoughts then zoom out and offer a more aerial view of the plot. Her technique differed from stream-of consciousness, which her contemporaries employed, as she was careful not to isolate the reader into the confines of her mind. She was also one of the few writers who despite living in intolerant times under dictatorship, was not afraid to draw on Hindu mythology or Sufi traditions as she explored spirituality in her writings, particularly the concept of wujūd through existentialism. Hussain's narratives serve as a source of inspiration for challenging societal norms and advocating for positive change, making her work profoundly relevant in today's world. Her compact yet dazzling body of work endures as a clarion call to raising feminist consciousness, destined to inspire generations in the quest for equality and freedom. She wasn't just an author; she was a humanist icon, her stories, a powerful voice for change.</p>
"Maṣrūf Aurat" by Khalida Hussain (1937-2019)
No full text<p>Khalida Hussain (1937–2019) was born in Lahore and started her literary career by publishing short stories in the journal Adab-e Latīf during the 1960s. She took a break from writing for more than a decade after her marriage. She remerged again on the literary scene in 1981 with the publication of her short story collection, Paḥchān, followed by five more short story collections and a novel. Hussain is known for introducing a new trend on the Urdu literary horizon as she experimented with the idea of abstract and non-inear narratives. She was very skillful in her craft, using a technique, John Gardner calls 'the psychic lens'. Every now and then she would draw the reader in to her thoughts then zoom out and offer a more aerial view of the plot. Her technique differed from stream-of consciousness, which her contemporaries employed, as she was careful not to isolate the reader into the confines of her mind. She was also one of the few writers who despite living in intolerant times under dictatorship, was not afraid to draw on Hindu mythology or Sufi traditions as she explored spirituality in her writings, particularly the concept of wujūd through existentialism. Hussain's narratives serve as a source of inspiration for challenging societal norms and advocating for positive change, making her work profoundly relevant in today's world. Her compact yet dazzling body of work endures as a clarion call to raising feminist consciousness, destined to inspire generations in the quest for equality and freedom. She wasn't just an author; she was a humanist icon, her stories, a powerful voice for change.</p>
The Creative Process: A Journey of Self-Discovery through Creative Writing
No full textThis PhD submission constitutes a novel and accompanying critical commentary. My novel Nobody Killed Her provides an alternative history of the assassination of Pakistan's only female Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto. The thesis questions the choices I made in order to develop the writing of this novel and the decisions I took in order for it to reach its readers. I discuss the issues of creative integrity and the role of the publisher as an enabler, and as a modern day censor. I examine the role of literary influences and publishing pressures on the multi-layered and shifting strains of the creative process and explore fiction as a powerful tool for communicating the paradoxical state of modern Pakistani women, which my novel draws upon. Accordingly, my research narrative is interspersed with personal vignettes that helped shape my writing.
Reflecting upon the role of memory, history and politics, and literary influences that shape our writing, I try to interrogate the ‘flash-bulb’ moments of inspiration and argue that creative writing is actually a series of complex thought processes that shape our consciousness. I have also, during the compilation of this essay, looked critically at the role of the publisher in shaping an author’s creativity and the author’s desire for publication in influencing his or her creative choices. I have examined the role of the audience, by asking who the writer is writing for, concluding that the creative journey is more important than the destination i.e., the culmination of the writing into a published form. I conclude by contending that creative writing is above all communication, not just with the reader but also with one’s self. It is about self- expression and therefore must remain true to the self
The Creative Process: A Journey of Self-Discovery through Creative Writing
No full textThis PhD submission constitutes a novel and accompanying critical commentary. My novel Nobody Killed Her provides an alternative history of the assassination of Pakistan's only female Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto. The thesis questions the choices I made in order to develop the writing of this novel and the decisions I took in order for it to reach its readers. I discuss the issues of creative integrity and the role of the publisher as an enabler, and as a modern day censor. I examine the role of literary influences and publishing pressures on the multi-layered and shifting strains of the creative process and explore fiction as a powerful tool for communicating the paradoxical state of modern Pakistani women, which my novel draws upon. Accordingly, my research narrative is interspersed with personal vignettes that helped shape my writing.
Reflecting upon the role of memory, history and politics, and literary influences that shape our writing, I try to interrogate the ‘flash-bulb’ moments of inspiration and argue that creative writing is actually a series of complex thought processes that shape our consciousness. I have also, during the compilation of this essay, looked critically at the role of the publisher in shaping an author’s creativity and the author’s desire for publication in influencing his or her creative choices. I have examined the role of the audience, by asking who the writer is writing for, concluding that the creative journey is more important than the destination i.e., the culmination of the writing into a published form. I conclude by contending that creative writing is above all communication, not just with the reader but also with one’s self. It is about self- expression and therefore must remain true to the self
Reflective practice: Review of Amal Chatterjee (ed) 'Creative Writing: Writers on Writing' Creative Writing Studies Imprint, Professional and Higher Partnership, Newmarket, UK 2013, ISBN 9781907076114, Hb 216pp GBP75.00
No full textWhat a good idea, I thought when I first received my copy of 'Creative Writing: Writers on Writing'. Amal Chatterjee has collected creative works from himself and seven other writers, Colm Breathnach, Fred D'Aguiar, Jane Draycott, Philip Gross, Kathryn Heyman, Sabyn Javeri and Emily Raboteau, and then asked each writer to pen a reflective piece about the creative works. The original literary works cover poetry, fiction and translation. The writers come from Australia, India, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Most of the material is written in English, though Colm Breathnach's poems are presented in Gaelic as well as English. The original creative works are short enough for seminar use. The reflective pieces are also reasonably digestible. I am already using different chapters in class because they provide practical insights into what I expect when I ask students to complete an exegesis. Undergraduate writing students frequently clamour for exegesis examples. This book offers multiple solutions, since both the original literary works and the exegeses are greatly varied
Hijab-ing Dissent: Responses to Javeri's Hijabistan and the Limits of Academic Discourse in Pakistan
No full textThis article is a case study of the critical response generated by Sabyn Javeri’s anthology of short stories Hijabistan in Pakistan, as gleaned from locally published literary and research publications. It argues that these responses, while often methodologically flawed, offer a valuable window into the prevailing ideological landscape of Pakistan. The stories are seen to be fuelled by ‘liberal Western values’, and are claimed to be demonising the hijab and, by extension, devout Muslims. In some cases, the course correction proposed is a reeducation in true Islamic teachings for local women, including Javeri herself. We situate such reactions in their larger ideological backdrop, claiming that they spring from a hesitancy to acknowledge and examine the challenge of modernity. The result is a tendency to essentialise the veil, and a reluctance to engage with the complexities of Javeri’s work. The article also highlights counterarguments to its main proposition, while emphasising the need for a more nuanced understanding of the hijab and its representations in literature. Ultimately, the article calls for a deeper engagement with internal contestations within Muslim societies regarding modernity, identity, and women’s rights
The Complexity of the Veil
No full textWomen fight injustices and underrepresentation all over the world, however, the women’s right movement does not look the same all over the world. Every country and every woman is fighting for different rights that they need, but not all women share the same experiences when it comes to the women’s rights movement. There are many intersections that determine the experiences of every individual woman. One of the intersections this paper will examine is the lived experience of women and Islam and the intersections between identity and gender in the Arab world. It’s important to note that in this paper, although the theme of gender and religion will be explored, not all Arab women identify as Muslim and not all Muslim women are Arab. There is no one way to be a woman who is Muslim, and every Muslim woman has their own experiences. Despite this, many people, many westerners, even western women, argue as though Islam is the sole reason women in the Arab world face oppression. It is a fear of Islam that extends to their own homelands, fear that can be seen in backlash against Muslim women who adorn the veil. Headscarf bans in France. Bans in Austria, Belgium, and Denmark. Like the complicated relationship between Islam and Arab identity, the veil has a complicated symbolic meaning in both the Eastern and Western worlds. In the Eastern world, the veil is a symbol of protection, the protection worn when their countries were getting invaded during war. The idea of women having a safe space besides their home was no longer there so when women needed to go anywhere besides their house, they needed to veil. In the western world, well, it still provides protection but it also evokes fear. In this paper, I will look at the intersections between Islam, the veil, gender, and Arab identity through the story collections of The Sea Cloak by Nayrouz Qarmout and Hijabistan by Sabyn Javeri. These stories explore the lives of Muslim women in both the Eastern and Western world. They also explore the idea of the veil and the different journeys these veiled Muslim Khan 5 women take. And in the process, I hope I will at least partially answer the question: what does the women’s rights movement in the Arab world actually look like
