From victims to agents: reclaiming female autonomy

Abstract

Feminine readings of *Woman at Point Zero*, *A Thousand Splendid Suns*, and *The Color Purple* still arouse curiosity and interest among scholars around the world. This comparative study aims to delve into a critical analysis of all three novels from the perspective of protagonists who suffer under the patriarchal system. Using the theoretical frameworks of Beauvoir’s “Othering” and Gilbert and Gubar’s “Angel-killing,” the study shows how this male-dominated structure uses verbal abuse, commodification, and domestic torment to enforce female immanence. The analysis of the novels, their protagonists, and the dynamics and ideologies of feminism presented in the novels is conducted using a qualitative research methodology. Through close reading of the novels, connecting them with the theoretical frameworks, and conducting an in-depth literature review, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of feminist perspectives.