Analysis of the themes of women, work, and poverty in Our Lady of Alice Bhatti by Muhammad Hanif

Abstract

The study focuses on the themes of women, work and poverty presented in Our Lady of Alice Bhatti by Muhammad Hanif and to highlight how these factors define the life of the protagonist as well as the experience of women in the modern day Pakistan. Alice Bhatti a young female nurse of lower class and Christian faith presents the dilemma of women who suffer from discriminant policies, gender abuse, and poverty. In this research, the study of gender, class, work and their impact in the lives of women in a novel has been analyzed qualitatively as it explores the features of the social world that hinders their freedoms and opportunities. The findings show the problems of woman in low-wage employment as poverty and poor education are depicted as factors that affects the position of women in a patriarchal society. The study recommends to explore the character and story of Alice through the lens of intertextuality so that a new perspective of the gender issue can be traced.