The Glimpses of Human Rights and Society in the Novels “Untouchable” and “The God of Small Things”

Daily writing prompt

Have you ever unintentionally broken the law?

Dr. Ravindra Ramdas Borse

B.P.Arts, S.M.A. Sci. and K.K.C. Com. College, Chalisgaon

Email: ravindraborse1@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The present study aims to observe the role of human rights in the societies before and after the independence India. It is studied through the novels of Indian writing in English. Here, it is an attempt to study, discuss and find out the reflection and violation of human rights in Indian society during pre-independence and post-independence period through the Indian fiction in English with reference to the selected novels of Mulk Raj Anand and Arunthati Roy. For this study two novels have been selected, first is “Untouchable” and another one is “The God of Small Things”. Selection of these writers and novels is based on the particular principles and thoughts. The basic criterion of selecting these writers and novels is the issue of “Human Rights”. Both the novels belong to two deferent periods of Indian history still they have a common theme that is humiliation of mankind and violation of human rights in the society. As we know that Mulk Raj Anand is the pioneer of Indian writing in English. He is an eminent writer in the history of Indian English Fiction. He is the first Indian writer who dared to write and raised the voice of deprived people in pre- independent India. On the other hand, Arundhati Roy is an author who belongs to post- independent period of India. In her novel, she tries to show the real picture and approach of Indian literate society and its people towards the poor and backward people through the depiction of Indian cultures and societies. In her novel “The God of Small Things”, she depicted the real picture of Indian people and their approach towards the illiterate and backward class people.

Above mentioned novels have been selected on the basis of following principles:

1. Both the novels focus on different cultures with common agenda.

2. The selected novels depict the plight and pathetic condition of downtrodden people in Indian society before and after the independence.

3. The writers of these novels have concern for underprivileged people.

4. Violation of human rights has been keenly depicted by these authors in above mentioned novels.

5. There is an ample scope for the study of human rights and its violation in India as shown in said novels.

KEYWORDS:

Deprived, underprivileged, downtrodden, human rights, backward, literate, illiterate, pre-independence, post-independence, plight, caste, creed, culture, multi-cultural, multi-lingual.

INTRODUCTION:

“Human Rights” are rights which have been offered to all human beings by birth with the purpose and aim of no discrimination. Without ‘Human Rights’ it’s impossible to the people to leave their life merrily. Each and every member in society needs of it. It helps all the human beings to live with freedom and peace. “Human Rights” can be considered as a basic rights or fundamental rights which have been offered to every individual. These rights are crucial in our life just like the ‘Food’,’ Cloths’ and ‘Shelter’ as the three basic needs of every human beings. Human rights have special significance in India and it also plays a vital role in the country like India. Role of ‘Human Rights” in a country like India is quiet complicated because it’s a large country in the world where people from different caste, culture and religion.

Role of ‘Human Rights” throughout a country like India is quiet complicated because it’s huge country within the world where people from different caste, culture and religion live together.

There are some other issues like population, poverty and lack of education which affect the proper implementation of human rights in India. The true beginning of “Human Rights” can be noticed on 10^th December 1948 at Paris. It is a year when United Nation’s General Assembly accepted and implemented the proposal of ‘Human Rights’ for world. But in India, it has been taken into consideration and implemented on 2^nd October 1993. An aim of ‘Human Rights Commission of India’ is to stop manipulation of Indians by the bureaucracy and safeguard the rights of common people.

As we know, India is multicultural and multilingual country in which people belongs to different caste, culture, community and creed still they live together. Above discussion makes it cleared that India is multi-lingual and multi-culture country. Due to these multi-culture and multi-lingual societies in India there is a chance and possibility to discriminate among the people of high caste and low caste. It has been noticed and observed from the past references that Indian society (in the context of Hinduism) had been divided into class / caste system (Vernas). The people were categorized into four classes / castes (vernas) such as: 1. Brahmin, 2. Kshatriyas, 3. Vaishyas, 4. Shudras. This class or verna system has at less or maximum level been continued in pre and post- independence India which we can notice in society and even in Indian writing as well. The incidents of ‘Human Rights violation in society’ are truly presented in the literary works of Mulk Raj Anand and Arunthati Roy. Number of words and sentences in “Untouchable” and “The God of Small Things” shows it in a cleared manner. For example, the words “Bhangis (Anand, p. 123), Chamars (Anand, p. 132), Harijans (Anand, p. 131) were used in contemporary period for deprived people of society to humiliate them by calling them with the use of their castes. To prove this point we can go through the novel “Untouchable” in which one can find number of examples of such discrimination among the people by the so called upper class society in Indian history from beginning to the present era by reading Indian literature. Indian literature is a mirror of society which reflects and represents Indian society, specially marginalized communities. In this context, the novel “Untouchable” and “The God of Small Things” are appropriate examples of deprived people. These writers shade lights on human rights’ violation in society through their respective novels. The characters sketch of the “Bakha” in ‘Untouchable’ and “Velutha” in ‘The God of Small Things’ are real depiction of underprivileged class in India. The themes of these novels move around these characters only. As we go through the reading of these novels it’s noticed that there is no life, freedom, peace and choice to lower class people in society as every incident in the novels present exploitation and humiliation of characters. Both ‘Bakha and Velutha’ are victims of caste system. Mulk Raj Anand and Arundhati Roy aim to reflect caste system and violation of human rights of these people in India in contemporary periods through the character sketches ‘Bakha and Velutha’. Mahatma Gandhi insisted and asked Mulk Raj Anand to give exposures to the plight of lower class communities in pre-independent India during 1930s. Casteism was a kind of disease in India. Even today, it has been continued in more or less amount directly or indirectly. Lower class people were suppressed by upper class not only by mental torture but also physically and socially. In this regard C.J. George says, “Casteism is a social practice and no Hindu religious leader of any merit and significance would admit it as part of his religion. Giving a place to casteism in Hindu religion is done by certain wolves in sheep’s skin for certain privileges and advantages” (p.40).

Human Rights and Literature (The novels under consideration):

Human rights and literature both are concerned to the human being and play crucial role in society. Progress and development of mankind is the common agenda of human rights and literature. Literature and human rights are age old concepts. The purpose of both of them is to shade light on human life and bring illiterate downtrodden people in to the flow. Thus, we can state that literature and human rights are two different things with same motto. Both try to develop and correlate to mankind. These two are the sources of the study and solutions to human challenges and issues of lower class such as exploitation and manipulation. Human rights and literature are the terms which harmonizing to one other. Therefore, it is necessary to discuss these terms simultaneously. Indian English literature has a tradition of raising issues of contemporary eras. Hereby, an attempt to study human rights perspective through the novels ‘Untouchable’ and ‘The God of Small Things’.

The novel “Untouchable is written by Mulk Raj Anand in 1935. It has been set in pre-independent India. The setting of the novel is of one day episode from morning to evening in which number of events can be observed in the life of low caste communities in colonial period of India. Mulk Raj Anand is one of the pioneers of Indian English Literature who often raised the point of subaltern people through all of his literary work. He is considered a champion of human rights as he depicted the true picture of human psyche in his literary pieces. The very first work of Mulk Raj Anand’s is ‘Untouchable’ where he pointed out the pathetic condition of marginalized people in society who have badly been treated in the Indian community by upper class. The story revolves around the prominent character ‘Bakha’. He is the man who has been fascinated by the upper class people in society. He just tries to imagine and imitate the upper class military officers life for oneself which highly impossible during the colonial India. We can notice the situation of it from the opening lines of the novel which gives us a vivid picture marginalized community and violation of their basic rights in the contemporary period. It can be cleared from the beginning lines of the novel “Untouchable”. The colony of these out caste people was settled in two rows near the cantonment in the town but out of the reach of upper class colony. The upper class people separated their colonies from the marginalised. There lived the scavengers, the grass-cutters and other outcastes from Hindu society” (Anand, p.1). Here, one can get an idea from the quote, how the place of living and the people who have been privileged were differentiated and poorly treated. During the pre-independence period lower class people were not allowed to join or sit with upper class people and it could be the reason of illiteracy and cause of lacking behind in lower class. Because they have never been allow to get an education or join the stream of knowledge which was the only right for upper class society. Education and performing prayers’ to God are the birth rights of upper class only. It was the tendency of upper class people towards lower class. Once Bakha was attracted by the worship “Sri Ram Chandarki Jai” (Long live the Great God Ram) (Anand, p.52). He was fascinated and moved at temple but was caught by the priest who shouted “Polluted, polluted, polluted”(Anand, p. 52). Lower caste people were not allowed to enter in the colonies of upper class. If he had to do so then must announce his arrivals.

“You be sure to shout now, you illegally begotten!” said a shopkeeper from a side, ‘if you have learnt your lesson!’ Bakha hurried away. He felt that everyone was looking at him. He bore the shopkeeper’s abuse silently and went on. A little later he slowed down, and quite automatically he began to shout: ‘Posh keep away, posh, sweeper coming, posh, posh, sweeper coming, posh, posh, sweeper coming!’ (Anand, p.42)

These lines appropriately express the plight and humiliation of Bakha in the novel Untouchable. Mulk Raj Anand in his novel clearly focuses on the treatment of upper class towards untouchables. Each and every page contains number of events that point out violation of human rights. In the novel ‘Untouchable’, it is noticed that even simple touch of untouchable impure the upper class man. “You’ve touched me, he had heard the Lalla say to Bakha, ‘I will have to bathe now and purify myself anyhow. Well, take this for your damned irresponsibility, you son of a swine!” (Anand, p.41). These lines show the mentality of so called upper class during colonized India. Untouchables were supposed to do all the menial work for upper class that is the only thing. In this way, Anand not only tries to sheds light on the upper class people’s attitude towards the lower class but also it is the violation of human rights of untouchables. On the other hand, though Arunthati Roy is a writer of post-independence era but reflection of downtrodden still observed in her novel “The God of Small Things”. The novel has been written in 1997 after the four years of establishment of ‘Human Rights Commission in India”. As we understand the background and professional life of Arundhati Roy it seems quite different to the way she has deal with the theme of “The God of Small Things”. The novel first published in the month of April of 1997 and received “Booker Prize” in the month of October of the same year. Within a short period of six months’ time she got an award for her novel. This is a rarest case in Indian history. It shows the prominence of the theme and her writing. By profession she is architecture and worked as a production designer. The theme and issues of Arundhati Roy’s novel are quite different from the other Indian writers in English. She began her writing carrier after getting separated from her husband after the four years married life. The novel “The God of Small things has its own place in Indian English literature. In the novel, she shades light on the current social issues of marginalized people. Through this novel, she provides exposure to these people and gives a platform to such people. She often tries to bring them in main stream of society as it has been noticed in the novel “The God of Small Things”. The plot of the novel begins with oppressive system of the society. There are two prominent issues we can notice here: one is caste exploitation in the contemporary period after the post-independent India and the second is the love story of a woman of upper caste who fallen in love with untouchable man. The setting of the novel is of Ayemenem, a small city in Kerala. The aim of the writer is to fight for equality and dignity of lower castes and classes in the society. Number of issues of human rights been discussed by her in the novel such as: children’s right, rights of women, rights of Dalit, right to select life partner for marriage and domestic violence.

Conclusion:

To sum up, the present paper is an attempt to sheds light on ‘Human rights and Literature’. Both the elements play crucial role in the life of people and society as well. “Human Rights and Literature” are interconnected and effective elements to understand psychology and traditionally biased mind set human being. At the one side, ‘Human rights’ is the study and guideline for people of society to live their life happily. On the other hand, ‘Literature’ can be strongly considered the manifesto of people in society. Apart from this, one can study, read and observe these novels for the better understanding of human rights and its violation. One can consider these novels as documents of human rights study and also the mirror which shows the real picture of upper class society and their tendency towards lower class. Reading of both the novels helps us to know ‘human rights and violation of it’ through literature as an outcome of society. Thus, it is noticed that the aim of Mulk Raj Anand and Arundhati Roy’s writing is to bring awareness among people of the society about the violation of human rights in real life situations.

REFERENCES:

Agnihotriet al. Trends in Indian English: A Sociolinguistic Perspective. New Delhi: Bahari Publications Pvt. Ltd., 1988.
Anand, Mulk Raj. Untouchable. New Delhi: Penguin Books, 2001.
Basu, Tapan, Translating Caste. New Delhi: Katha 2002.
Baxi, Upendra. The Future of Human Rights.Third Edition. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2008.
Baxi, U.Voices of suffering and the future of human rights.Transnat’l L. & Contemp. Probs., 125, 1998.
Benedek, W..Understanding Human Rights: Manual on Human Rights Education.BWV, Berliner Wiss.-Verlag, 2013.
Boggards, P. Dictionaries for Learners of English.International Journal of Lexicography, Vol.9, No.4. 1996.
.Chakrabarty, Koyel and Beniwal, Anup.“Human Rights and Literature: A Complementary Study in Indian Fiction in English.”International Journal of the Arts in Society.Vol.3. No.5. Common Ground Publishing Ltd. Melbourne: 2009:23-33.
Chakrabarty, Koyel. The Problematics of Human Rights in Indian Fiction in English.Unpublished Ph. D. Thesis. New Delhi: Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, 2011.
Choondawat, P. S. “Untouchability and Untouchable Youth: A Study in Urban Context” in Singh R. (ed.) The Expressed Classes of India: Problems and prospects. New Delhi: B.R., 1986.
George, C. J. Mulk Raj Anand: His Art and Concerns. New Delhi: Atlantic, 2000.
Hudson, R. Socio-linguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007.
Iyengar, K. R. S. Indian Writing in English. Bombay: Asia Publishing House, 1962.
Roy, Arundhati.The God of Small Things. New Delhi: Penguin Books, 2002.

Semantic Analysis of the Determinologization of Coroneologisms in the Uzbek Language

Daily writing prompt

Have you ever unintentionally broken the law?

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Citation

Shuhratovna, O. I., & Fernando, R. S. (2026). Semantic Analysis of the Determinologization of Coroneologisms in the Uzbek Language. International Journal of Research, 13(2), 118–124. https://doi.org/10.26643/ijr/2026/37

Ortiqova Iroda Shuhratovna

Uzbekistan State World Languages University

Rosell Sulla Fernando

University of exact and social sciences

ABSTRACT

The 2020–2023 COVID-19 pandemic functioned as a global natural experiment in lexical innovation, rapidly generating emergency-driven terms—coroneologisms—such as lockdown (lokdaun), immunity (immunitet), and remote education (masofaviy ta’lim). Bypassing traditional lexicographic channels, these initially specialized terms quickly spread into everyday discourse, humor, and social media, exemplifying determinologization—the loss of technical specificity as terms enter common usage. Drawing on determinologization theory, Ullmann’s (1962) semantic-change taxonomy, and cognitive semantics within a corpus-assisted framework, this study analyzes the semantic evolution of coroneologisms in Uzbek. It identifies four key mechanisms—broadening, narrowing, metaphorization, and evaluative coloring—and outlines a five-step trajectory from media emergence to institutional codification. The findings show that the pandemic compressed decades of lexical change into just three years, transforming emergency terminology into stable, stylistically versatile elements of the Uzbek lexicon.

Key words: determinologization, coroneologisms, COVID-19, semantic change, Uzbek language, corpus linguistics, broadening, narrowing, metaphorization, evaluative coloring, lexical innovation, crisis communication, lockdown, immunity, remote education, pandemic discourse

The COVID-19 pandemic, which unfolded between 2020 and 2023, is widely recognized not only as a global public health crisis but also as a significant natural experiment in the development of language. In various societies around the world, the overwhelming urgency to name and describe new phenomena – such as lockdowns, PCR testing, remote education, and social-distancing measures – triggered a remarkable wave of ad-hoc lexical formations. These formations often circumvented the conventional processes of approval associated with traditional lexicography. In the context of the Uzbek language, this surge resulted in a cluster of emergency-driven coinages that scholars and journalists have referred to as “coroneologisms” [4], a term that represents a hybrid of “coronavirus” and “neologism.” Many of these newly minted terms began their lives as highly specialized medical or administrative jargon – terms like “ventilator,” “antigen test,” “lockdown,” and “immunity.” However, within a remarkably short span of time, they began to diffuse widely across social media platforms, appearing in hashtags, memes, humorous posts, and even informal conversations among the general public. This rapid transition of specialized terminology into popular discourse serves as a clear example of determinologization—the gradual erosion of a technical term’s limited meaning once it becomes integrated into the fabric of national language [2],[5]. This article seeks to explore the semantic pathways of determinologized coroneologisms in the Uzbek language. It specifically investigates (a) the primary modes of meaning shift – namely broadening, narrowing, metaphorization, and evaluative coloring – that accompanied these terms, and (b) the communicative and social processes that catalyzed or accelerated these transitions. Our analysis is grounded in corpus-assisted evidence derived from media and online discourse, allowing us to describe how a three-year emergency compressed decades of lexical development into a condensed historical timeframe.

Determinologization—a concept originally defined in the field of terminology [2] and further elucidated by L’Homme [3] – describes the process by which a technical or scientific term migrates out of its specialized context and into ordinary language. This movement is rarely neutral; as a term transitions “outside of its domain,” it often loses its precise denotation, acquires additional affective or ideological weight, and undergoes stylistic shifts across both formal and informal registers. To effectively characterize these semantic pathways, this paper employs Ullmann’s [6] framework for classifying semantic change, which is augmented by contemporary research insights regarding cognitive semantic evolution. Four mechanisms of semantic change emerged as particularly salient in this context:

Broadening (Widening): This mechanism refers to the expansion of a technical term’s referential scope, extending far beyond its original definition. For example, the medical term immunitet (biological resistance to disease) developed metaphorical uses signifying any kind of protection or resilience, as in iqtisodiy immunitet “economic immunity” or “institutional immunity to corruption”.

Narrowing (Specialization): This mechanism occurs when a term’s meaning contracts to a more limited subset of its earlier referents. For instance, the English loan lokdaun (< lockdown) originally denoted a range of industrial or security-related shutdowns, but in Uzbek pandemic usage it came to mean only “legally imposed stay-at-home order.” The term ventilator, widely used in headlines as ventilyatsiya qilmoq “to ventilate”, narrowed to refer exclusively to “connecting a patient to artificial lung ventilation.”

Metaphorical Transfer and Re-conceptualization: This mechanism involves projecting concrete imagery from one domain onto other, often more abstract, targets. A notable example is the everyday noun to‘lqin (“wave of water”) was repurposed to describe successive “waves of infection”, producing widely used expressions such as 1-to‘lqin, 2-to‘lqin.

Evaluative Coloring: In this mechanism, terms acquire positive or negative attitudinal elements, often imbued with humor or irony. Combinations such as “Kovidiot” (a blend of “covid” and “idiot”) and the compound antiniqobchi (anti + niqob + -chi) designated “anti-mask activists”, marking not only behaviour but also an ideological position.

These mechanisms collectively illustrate that the transition from specialized phrases to common vocabulary is not a linear process; rather, meanings may expand or contract, take on metaphorical nuances, or become evaluative in response to communicative needs and societal contexts.

The methodology employed in this research is rooted in a corpus-driven descriptive model [1], which emphasizes the analysis of real speech as the primary source of evidence for semantic change. To this end, we constructed a custom corpus comprising a diverse range of Uzbek language news sources, official announcements, online forums, and prominent social media platforms spanning from March 2020 to December 2023. This methodological approach facilitated the investigation of the following dimensions:

– The chronological diffusion of newly coined words across the three-year span of the pandemic;

– The distinguishing differences in register among official media, informal posts, and colloquial speech patterns;

– The profiles of collocations that unveiled new senses and figurative applications of emerging terms;

– Pragmatic signals that indicated humor, stance, or judgment, further elucidating instances of semantic change.

By liberating the analysis from an overreliance on prescriptive dictionary definitions – which have proven inadequate in capturing the dynamism of language evolution – the study aims to articulate what vocabulary has come to signify in public communication, contrasting this with the more static definitions prescribed by traditional dictionaries.

An in-depth analysis of the Uzbek linguistic data reveals that a significant number of high-frequency coroneologisms underwent a five-stage lexical evolution, a process that was notably expedited during the pandemic due to the prevailing sociolinguistic conditions:

Stage 1 – Media Seeding: In the initial shock phase of the pandemic (March–May 2020), the urgent need for communication led to the borrowing of English terms such as “lockdown,” “PCR test,” “ventilator,” and “mask regime.” These terms were rapidly integrated into Uzbek headlines, hashtags, and memes, where the immediacy of communication took precedence over adherence to orthographic or morphological consistency.

Stage 2 – Morpho-Phonemic Adaptation: As the usage of these borrowed terms began to stabilize, a process of nativization ensued. This involved alterations to stress patterns to conform to Uzbek linguistic standards, the simplification of consonant clusters, and the adoption of Latin script conventions in spelling. For instance, “RT-PCR” became simplified to “PZR,” and “lockdown” was adapted to “lokdaun.”

Stage 3 – Semantic Dilution and Metaphorization: During this stage, common words began to expand or mutate either metaphorically or in terms of their general application to biomedical contexts. The term “to’lqin,” for example, began appearing in headlines describing “a wave of layoffs,” while “karantin” evolved into shorthand for any form of restrictive regulation.

Stage 4 – Lexicographic Recognition: From 2021 to 2022, several key terms, including “lockdown,” “distance learning,” “PCR test,” and “immunity,” were officially recognized and included in the COVID-19 Explanatory Dictionary.

Stage 5 – Pedagogical / Institutional Stabilization: Ultimately, these terms found their way into educational materials such as school textbooks, teachers’ guides, and civil-service style manuals, as well as journalistic glossaries. This integration reflected a full incorporation of these expressions into the Uzbek lexical system. A key finding of this research is that the shift from impromptu borrowing to institutionally codified lexis was accomplished within a mere three-year timeframe. This indicates that the exigencies of crisis-driven speech have the potential to accelerate lexical development that would typically unfold over decades. The pathway also highlights that determinologization is not only structural but also emergent, influenced by local communicative urgency, institutional acceptance, and societal prominence.

Beyond merely structuring the semantic transformations discussed, the Uzbek coroneologisms exhibited four reiterative communicative and pragmatic roles that account for their swift proliferation within the language:

Economy of Expression: The newly introduced forms, which were predominantly borrowed, provided concise and readily comprehensible labels for concepts that may have been unfamiliar to the general public. Terms that required longer descriptive phrases, such as “online schooling” and “PCR diagnostic test,” were efficiently replaced with these shorter alternatives, thereby facilitating effective public communication within both media narratives and healthcare discussions.

Stance-Marking and Evaluation: Several terms adopted pejorative or ironic connotations during the politically charged periods of the crisis. For example, “covidiot” (a fusion of “covid” and “idiot”) became associated with individuals who disregarded safety protocols. Additionally, the slang term “remotka” (meaning “remote work”) emerged with a mildly humorous or dismissive tone, while “anti-niqobchi” explicitly indexed ideological opposition to mask mandates.

Group Identity and Solidarity: Some terms evolved into in-group codes that reflected the collective experiences of lockdown, distance learning, and online communication. The productive phrase “meeting up on Zoom” transformed into a rallying cry among social groups, encapsulated in expressions like “zumlashmoq” This development fostered conversation and unity among individuals navigating the challenges of isolation.

Humor and Coping: Lexical blends such as “quarantini” (a combination of “quarantine” and “martini”) and the incorporation of slang terms like “doomscrolling” provided a playful linguistic outlet for navigating anxiety and boredom. These terms thus served as coping mechanisms, contributing to stress-relief strategies in an otherwise challenging context.

These pragmatic functions underscore that the determinologized pandemic vocabulary was not merely a referential identity but also a valuable resource for stance-taking, community-building, and coping mechanisms amidst the crisis.

Table 1

№	*Term*	*Expansion on the meaning*
	Pandemiya	Shifted from strictly medical to any globally spreading phenomenon (“infodemic”, “pandemic of fear”).
	Koronavirus	Became a generic label for any contagious trouble; often used metaphorically (“a coronavirus of bad habits”).
	COVID-19	Extended to denote cause, blame, or time-marker (“because of covid”, “covid generation”).
	Vaksina	Metaphorised into “silver-bullet solution” for non-medical crises (“education vaccine”, “economic vaccine”).
	Imunitet	Broadened to any system’s defensive capacity (“tax immunity”, “bank immunity”).
	Karantin	Re-semanticised to mean any restrictive measure or even punitive isolation.
	Izolyatsiya	Moved from clinical isolation to everyday social distancing and on-line modes (“isolation lessons”).
	Lockdaun	Imported as-is; now also describes total shutdowns in business or mental states (“mental lockdown”).
	Antitela	Used figuratively for ideological or emotional resistance (“antibodies to negativity”).
	Epidemiya	Generalised to any rapidly spreading trend (“epidemic of errors”, “epidemic of selfies”).
	Masofani saqlash	Physical distance became a metaphor for emotional coolness in relationships.
	Gigiyena	Hygiene concept expanded to information & mental spheres (“info-hygiene”, “sleep hygiene”).
	Dezinfektsiya	Disinfection now covers cleansing of fake news or toxic content.
	Simptom	Clinical sign → any visible indicator of systemic problems (“symptoms of economic crisis”).
	Test	Narrow lab procedure turned into generic verb “to test” and synonym for any quick check.
	Immunitet pasayishi	Immunological drop re-interpreted as weakening resilience in economics or organisations.
	PCR	Acronym became a household verb meaning “to swab-test” regardless of method.
	Antigen	Technical term now stands metonymically for rapid-test devices themselves.
	Ventilyator	Life-support machine → metaphor for any critical external support (“financial ventilator”).
	Post-pandemiya	Temporal phase converted into a cultural label for “new normal” behaviours and policies.
	To‘lqin	Originally “wave” of water; pandemic discourse turned it into numbered surges (“third wave”) and now any periodic spike (“price wave”, “jobless wave”).
	Zumlashmoq	Pure Uzbek verb “to accelerate”; during the crisis it shifted from physical speeding-up to rapid scaling of remote work, vaccination drives, or digital services (“business zumlandi”).

The findings derived from the Uzbek data demonstrate that the process of lexical borrowing, catalyzed by a crisis, can significantly accelerate the phenomenon of semantic and pragmatic diversification. This process enables the transformation of technical medical terminology into broadly stylistic and affectively expressive components of everyday vocabulary. The outlined five-step trajectory, which encompasses the initial seeding of terms in media and their subsequent institutional codification, illustrates the complex nature of this social mediation process. It becomes evident that determinologization is not merely a function of lexical evolution but is socially mediated through communicative urgency, varying attitudes, and policy decisions. By combining determinologization theory, Ullmann’s semantic-change taxonomy, and a corpus-assisted methodology, this study presents a condensed lifecycle of lexical evolution that would typically require decades to develop. The results underscore the necessity for dynamic lexicographic practices and language-planning methods that are capable of responding swiftly to future public health or technological emergencies. An organized record of rapid lexical evolution, such as the analysis presented here, contributes to our understanding of how and why national languages maintain their flexibility and functional resilience in the face of global crises.

References

Baker, M. (2011). In Other Words: A Coursebook on Translation (2nd ed.). Routledge. 353 p.
Felber, H. (1984). Terminology Manual. UNESCO. 457 p.
L’Homme, M.-C. (2020). Lexical Semantics for Terminology: An Introduction (3rd ed.). John Benjamins / De Boeck.
Nasirova, M. F. (2023). COVID 19 pandemiyasi davrida vujudga kelgan neologizmlar Oriental Renaissance: Innovative, educational, natural and social sciences . Volume 3. Issue11.
Sager, J. C. (1990). A Practical Course in Terminology Processing. John Benjamins.
Ullmann, S. (1962). Semantics: An Introduction to the Science of Meaning. Blackwell.

Analysing the Perception of Violence in Walker’s Short Story Collection In Love and Trouble: Stories of Black Women

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Have you ever unintentionally broken the law?

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Dr. Ireshadsaheb Usmansaheb Shaikh

U. P. Arts and Science College, Dahiwel, Dhule (M.S.) Dec. 2025

ireshad.shaikh11@gmail.com

Abstract: Alice Walker is a renowned African American novelist, poet, short-story writer, and social activist.She became known worldwide with the publication of her seminal work, The Colour Purple. She is regarded as a radical black feminist author. She propagated her theory of womanism in her stories. Violence is a recurring theme in her stories. Walker’s narratives demonstrate the hardships, tribulations, and dilemmas faced by African American immigrants in the United States. Alice Walker’s short story collections explore the theme of violence, particularly as it relates to women of color during the era of chattel slavery in the United States. Women of colour have historically been subjected to violence by both white and black men. While violence against black women is dehumanising, their resistance offers the possibility of a new identity. Walker exposes the traumatic lives of black women resisting oppression and violence in her short story collections in various forms, such as physical, mental, self-inflicted, and societal violence.

Keywords: Violence, Oppression, Resistance, Resilience, Mammies, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment.

Alice Walker is a versatile and globally recognised American author, best known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Color Purple (1982). She is regarded as a radical feminist writer and is known for formulating Womanism, also known as Black Feminism. Walker believed that the feminist movement was primarily owned by white women, leaving little room for women of colour, as white feminists often failed to acknowledge or relate to the experiences of Black women. Along with other Black feminist critics, she helped develop a feminist theory that includes the issues and problems of women of colour. For Black feminists, race and class are as vital as gender is for white feminists. Racial and gender discrimination have equally contributed to the dehumanisation of women of colour, prompting efforts to dismantle racist structures.

A recurring theme in Alice Walker’s short story collection In Love and Trouble: Stories of Black Women(1973) is the testament of the exercise of verbal and physical violence against women of colour in the public and domestic spheres. She lays bare the truth of crafting an image of a Black woman as subhuman, unworthy of empathy, asexual, servile, angry, and bestial. Despite being labelled as inhuman, these women persist in asserting their voices and expressing pride in their cultural heritage. Walker’s narratives demonstrate the hardships, tribulations, and dilemmas faced by African American immigrants in the United States. Through these experiences, Walker’s Black female characters endure racism and ultimately gain the strength to challenge and dismantle oppressive patriarchal structures within American society.

Alice Walker’s short story collections explore the theme of violence, particularly as it relates to women of colour during the era of chattel slavery in the United States. Enslaved women were often subjected to dehumanising stereotypes, being labelled as breeders, mammies, jezebels, hoochie mamas, and sapphires. In her stories, Walker delineates these negative perceptions. Representations of Black women in art, literature, and popular culture have frequently depicted them as strong, masculine, bulky, boisterous, and angry, which has contributed to the notion that they could endure or were susceptible to violence. In the story ‘Everyday Use,’ a mother describes herself as,

“a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands……. I can kill and clean a hog as mercilessly as a man. My fat keeps me hot in zero weather. I can work outside all day, breaking ice to get water for washing; I can eat pork liver cooked over the open fire minutes after it comes steaming from the hog. One winter I knocked a bull calf straight in the brain between the eyes with a sledgehammer and had the meat hung up to chill before nightfall.” (Walker 46)

A prominent example of colonial and racial exploitation in European history is the case of Sarah Baartman, who was paraded and exhibited half-naked in street shows in London and Paris around 1811. Crowds were invited to observe her body, described as large, uncommon, and erotic, and she was labelled the ‘Hottentot Venus’. After her death, her body parts were preserved in jars and displayed in a museum. This violence was perpetuated by the dissemination of negative images of black women. Baartman’s narrative documents abuse, violence, sexual harassment, and rape. The construction of a false narrative about women of colour was intended to coerce them into inhumane and degrading conditions, thereby normalising violence against them and discouraging resistance. Women of colour have historically been subjected to violence by both white and black men. While violence against black women is dehumanising, their resistance offers the possibility of a new identity. In “Her Sweet Gerome”, the black female protagonist is described as a “big awkward woman, with big bones and hard rubbery flesh” (Walker 26) and endures domestic violence. Her husband physically abuses her and fails to recognise her as an equal partner. She gives him all her money and attempts to conceal the visible marks of abuse with makeup. She married him for his perceived gentlemanly behaviour towards other women and initially felt proud to be his wife, but his actions ultimately contradict this image. Although he is a civil rights activist, he beats her “black and blue” (Walker 27), yet the community continues to regard him as a gentleman.

Walker exposes the harshness of black men even as they fight for their own rights, highlighting the violation of the protagonist’s rights. He never treats her as a wife; when she seeks affection, he responds with violence. He also inherits her father’s money. Despite enduring his violent and abusive behaviour and spending all her resources, she becomes distraught upon discovering his affairs with other women. In her search for the truth, she realises his obsession with the Civil Rights Movement and the black revolution. In a moment of heartbreak, she destroys his books with a knife and sets fire to the bedroom. “Overwhelming with pain,” she hides her face behind her slightly burned hands and “screamed and screamed” (Walker 34).

“The Child Who Favored Daughter” depicts the severe abuse, crime, and violence experienced by women of colour at the hands of both white masters and black men. The narrative centres on the suffering of three women. The story begins with a black man described as “father, judge and giver of life” (Walker 35) who has a daughter named Daughter. In his youth, his sister, also named Daughter, fell in love with his white master, who treated them inhumanely. She is described as “like honey, tawny, wild and sweet,” and her brother cared for her deeply. Despite his pleas, she left with the white man. She later returned, accompanied by another woman’s husband, appearing hysterical and profoundly changed. She had lost her long hair, “her teeth wobbled in her gums when she ate,” and no longer recognised anyone. She sang continuously and was “tied on the bed as she was at the mercy of everyone.” To keep her silent at night, her father beat her with a belt. Eventually, she was found dead on the compound spikes.

The narrative describes a man who, overwhelmed by his emotions, violently abuses his wife, ultimately causing her death and leaving behind a daughter. This daughter, depicted metaphorically as a flower, mirrors her mother’s fate by falling in love with a white man. Upon discovering this, the father subjects her to prolonged physical abuse, as described: “he beats her for a long time with a harness from the stable, and where the buckles hit, there is a welling of blood that comes to be level with the tawny skin, the spill over and falls” (Walker 43). The violence continues the following morning, culminating in further brutality: “he sees her blouse, wet and slippery from the rain, has slipped completely off her shoulders and her high young breast is bare.” In a frenzied state, he “gathers their fullness in his fingers……. he is suddenly burning with unnamable desire……draws the girl away from him pulling off his own arm and with quick slashes of his knife leaves two bleeding craters the size of grapefruits on her bare bronze chest and flings……to the yelping dogs” (Walker 43). Walker poignantly narrates the girl’s traumatic experience, drawing a comparison to flowers and emphasizing her defiance: “flowers pledge no allegiance to the banners of any man” (Walker 44). The story explores the pervasive violence faced by women of colour, particularly within familial and romantic relationships. Walker’s narratives detail the profound suffering of black women as they navigate relationships with fathers, brothers, husbands, and lovers, striving to survive and find meaning within oppressive circumstances.

“The Welcome Table” exposes the racist and violent actions of white individuals toward a poor, elderly Black woman in the American South. The protagonist attempts to pray at a church, but, due to her age and mental state, she does not realise it is a church designated exclusively for white congregants. Convinced that her devotion to Jesus Christ will protect her, she enters, only to be forcibly removed by members of the congregation. She experiences humiliation and injury and is found dead beside the road the following day. The narrative highlights her deprivation of human rights and the community’s indifference to her suffering and the injustice she endures. Similarly, “Flowers” depicts the realities of violence, lynching, and segregation during the Civil Rights Movement. White individuals would often fabricate accusations of rape against Black men to justify lynching, which served as a tool to degrade and dehumanise Black communities. The story follows Myop, a young girl who discovers the body of a lynched Black man, leading to her loss of innocence as she confronts the brutal realities of racial violence. Her stories are poignant and address themes of physical violence, beatings, fear, threats, the threat of rape, lynching, and death.

The story “The Revenge of Hannah Kemmhuff” explores the theme of physical violence. Here, the protagonist, Hannah, is physically abused by her husband, leading to a dramatic and violent confrontation. “Really, Doesn’t Crime Pay?” is another powerful story in Walker’s collection that deals with emotional abuse. The protagonist, Roselily, is trapped in an oppressive marriage with a man who emotionally manipulates and controls her, while another man in her life destroys her creativity by stealing her manuscript of stories. Stories like “Roselily”, “Everyday Use”, “The Welcome Table”, “Strong Horse Tea”, and “The Diary of an African Nun” demonstrate the societal violence, through systemic racism and sexism, confronted by women of colour, making them prone to violence and oppression. Stories like “Entertaining God’ and “We Drank Wine in France” reveal the theme of self-inflicted violence. Walker’s female characters struggle with internalised oppression, leading to self-destructive behaviours.Walker’s stories expose dark realities of the experiences of women of colour, filled with violence and subordination. Her stories attest to the resistance and resilience of women of colour.

Reference:

Allaham, Ali Ahmad. “The Short Story As a Form of Resistance :A Study of the Short Stories of Ghassan Kanafani, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, and Alice Walker.” 2009, https://core.ac.uk/download/153778714.pdf.
Bagabas, Riham. “Analyzing “The Welcome Table” by Alice Walker from a WomanistPerspective.” 2022.Christian, Barbara. “The Contrary Women of Alice Walker.” The Black Scholar, 1981, pp. 21–71, doi:117.240.50.232. Accessed 4 Dec. 2025.
Collins, Patricia Hill. “What’s in a Name? Womanism, Black Feminism and Beyond.” The Black Scholar, vol. 26, no. 1, 2001, pp. 9–26.
Harris, Trudier. “Folklore in the Fiction of Alice Walker: A Perpetuation of Historical and Literary Traditions.” Black American Literature Forum, vol. 11, no. 1, 1977, pp. 3–8. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3041531. Accessed 13 Mar. 2024.
Harrison, Jade M. “The Core Four: An Examination of Contemporary Black Women\U27s Writing in The Norton Anthology of African American Literature.” 2019, https://core.ac.uk/download/635587962.pdf.
Hubbard, Dolan. “Society and Self in Alice Walker’s ‘In Love and Trouble.’” Obsidian II, vol. 6, no. 2, Summer 1991, pp. 50–75. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/44485248. Accessed 4 Dec. 2025.
Mickelson, Anne Z. Reaching Out: Sensitivity and Order in Recent American Fiction by Women. Scarecrow Press, 1979.
Morrison, Toni. Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination. Harvard University Press, 1992.
Murugan, Seema. The Fiction of Alice Walker: A Study of Black Images. Authors Press, 2008.
Petry, Alice Hall. “Alice Walker: The Achievement of the Short Fiction.” Modern Language Studies, vol. 19, no. 1, Winter 1989, pp. 12–27. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/3195263. Accessed 4 Dec. 2025.
Ross, Sinclair. “Racism.” Oxford Reference, Oxford University Press, http://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20111012125231893. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.
Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. 10th ed., Phoenix, 1982.
The Complete Stories. 1994. Phoenix, 2005.
In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1983.
Weida, Kaz. “Womanism.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Dec. 2023, http://www.britannica.com/topic/womanism.
Winchell, Donna Haisty. Alice Walker. Twayne Publishers, 1992.

Accessed January 6, 2025.

From Repression to Ruin: A Study of Patriarchy and Female Trauma in Marjan Kamali’sThe Stationery Shop of Tehran

Daily writing prompt

Have you ever unintentionally broken the law?

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Sanjeeda Bano Shaikh Dadamiya

S. S. M. M. Arts Science & Commerce College, Pachora, Dist. Jalgaon

E-Mail: ssanjeeda160@gmail.com

Abstract:

Trauma, particularly as experienced by women in patriarchal societies, is a recurring theme in literature that offers profound insights into the intersections of gender, psychology, and cultural norms. In patriarchal frameworks, women often carry the burden of societal expectations and personal sacrifices, leading to unresolved psychological wounds that manifest in their relationships and choices. Marjan Kamali’s ‘The Stationery Shop of Tehran’ provides a poignant exploration of these themes, particularly through the character of Badri,whose unresolved trauma, experiences of betrayal and repression shape the trajectory of the story. Rather than positioning Badri merely as an antagonist, the paper re-reads her as a deeply wounded woman.Her unresolved trauma and internalized fears not only define her identity but also disrupt the lives of those around her, particularly her son, Bahman, and his beloved, Roya.

This study employs feminist trauma theory and post-traumatic stress disorderPTSD theory to analyse the psychological and social dimensions of Badri’s character. By applying Feminist trauma theory underscores the role of systemic patriarchy in shaping Badri’s trauma, revealing how her unfulfilled desires and societal pressures contribute to her controlling and fear-driven behaviours simultaneously PTSD theory provides additional insight into the psychological symptoms she exhibits, such as hypervigilance, emotional withdrawal, and the compulsive need to secure her son’s loyalty.

This interdisciplinary study contributes to the broader discourse on gender, trauma, and the interplay between personal and societal struggles, offering a deeper understanding of women lived experiences in literature.

Key words: Trauma, Feminist trauma theory, Repressed desires, PTSD.

Introduction:

A recurrent theme in literature for a long time is the complex tapestry of female trauma, woven through the strands of patriarchal oppression.Women’s experiences of oppression, abuse, and psychological misery have been poignantly documented from the boundaries of intimate areas to the broad expanse of societal systems.These experiences have been a common theme in literature;many authors use the storytelling medium to highlight the nuanced ways in which women navigate a society that seeks to constrain them. literature has provided a platform for examining the psychological and emotional impact of patriarchal oppression on women.Literary examinations of female trauma frequently delve into the connection of individual and societal experiences. Authors may shed light on the larger historical and social influences that influence women’s lives by delving into the lives of specific individuals.This intersectionality allows for a deep comprehension of the ways in which trauma is both a personal and a shared experience, rooted in the systemic injustices that women face.

The novelThe Stationery Shop of Tehran by Marjan Kamali explores themes of love, betrayal, and societal constraints, with its characters shaped by the cultural and emotional forces of mid-20th century Iran. Among these, Badri emerges as a complex and tragic figure whose past trauma dictates her present actions, ultimately influencing the lives of those around her.The 14-year-old Badri came from a middle-class family; her father sold watermelons. Her life changed when a young man from anupper-class family named Ali Fakhri became captivated by her charm and beauty.Despite their differing social statuses, they began a secret relationship.However, Ali eventually bowed to familial and societal expectations, leaving Badri to marry a woman of his own class.Years later, Badri encountered Ali again, and he became aware of the devastating impact his betrayal had on her life. When he betrayed her Badri had been pregnant with Ali’s child.Alone and overwhelmed by shame,she tragically decided to end the pregnancy.The experience left her physically weak and emotionally scarred.

In the years that followed, Badri’s life was marked by loss. While she had other children, none survived, leaving her with only her son, Bahman.She developed a strong bond with Bahman and was overcome with fear of losing him.When Bahman fell in love with Roya, Badri perceived Roya as a threat to their bond.Determined to keep her son close, Badri threatened Mr. Fakhri with suicide, coercing him into separating Bahman and Roya. Her relentless efforts ultimately succeeded, driving a wedge between the couple.

According to the descriptions given above, the purpose of this paper applies Feminist Trauma Theory and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to analyse Badri’s psychological condition.Feminist Trauma Theory frames Badri’s experiences as a product of patriarchal oppression, exploring how societal norms magnify the impact of her betrayal and perpetuate cycles of harm. PTSD provides a lens to examine the long-term effects of her trauma, focusing on the psychological symptoms she exhibits, such as hypervigilance, emotional instability, and an obsessive fear of loss. By integrating these frameworks, this paper argues that Badri’s repression, shaped by patriarchal forces, drives her eventual emotional ruin, manifesting in destructive behaviours that ripple through her relationships.

Background to Study:

The word “trauma” originates from the Greek word “τραῦμα” (traûma), which means “wound.” This ancient Greek term was primarily used to refer to physical injuries. Now, has evolved to encompass not just physical injuries but also the profound psychological and emotional wounds inflicted by violence, abuse, and systemic oppression.

As the American Psychological Association (2024) defines it,

“Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, crime, natural disaster,physical or emotional abuse, neglect, experiencing or witnessing violence, death of a loved one, war, and more.”When shock, flashbacks, denial, and physical symptoms like headaches or nausea last for a long time after an event, it’s possible that the person is likely suffering from trauma.

While physical harm was the primary focus of the original trauma idea, feminist thinkers have broadened it to encompass the invisible wounds suffered by women and other oppressed groups.It acknowledges that trauma is influenced by power dynamics, cultural norms, and society systems rather than being an objective experience. Sexual violence, domestic abuse, and institutional oppression are among the specific types of trauma that women are particularly susceptible to. This idea emphasizes how these traumas can have enduring psychological and societal effects and are frequently based in patriarchal structures.

Trauma is not just an individual experience, but is also shaped by social and cultural factors.This means that women’s experiences of trauma are often compounded by gender-based discrimination and violence. According to Judith Herman-

“Trauma results from an event or events that overwhelm an individual’s capacity to cope, causing intense fear and helplessness.”Trauma results from experiences that are too overwhelming for a person to handle, leaving them feeling extremely scared and powerless. These incidents have shaped Badri’s behaviour and mentality throughout her life.

The relationship between Badri and Mr. Fakhri is a significant example of social and emotional treachery. As a young, lower-class lady, she puts her trust in him, but when social pressures force him to put his family’s expectations ahead of their relationship, she is dumped. This incident makes her feel incredibly powerless, she is abandoned at a vulnerable moment in her life, bearing the burden of pregnancy and societal shame alone.The stigma of being an unwed, lower-class mother in a patriarchal society instils a fear of judgment, ostracization, and survival.The deaths of most of Badri’s children deepen her sense of helplessness, compounding her grief and fear of loss This un resolved trauma becomes a foundational wound that influences her later actions.

post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD):

After witnessing or experiencing anything disagreeable, frightening, upsetting, or painful, a person may acquire post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is a psychological condition that develops following exposure to traumatic events. Symptoms include intrusive memories, hypervigilance, emotional dysregulation, and distorted perceptions of relationships.

Symptoms of PTSD include:

Reliving the horrific experience repeatedly through intrusive thoughts, or flashbacks
Feeling tense all the time, and being easily startled.
Avoiding reminders of the trauma, such as people, places, or activities.
Negative mood and thoughts, thinking negatively about oneself and the world.
Self-destructive behaviour, such as drinking too much or to threaten suicide.
severe physical or emotional reactions to something that brings up a traumatic experience.

The Effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Suffered by Badri:

Badri’s reactions was a result of her suffering of post-traumatic stress disorder. After being betrayed by Mr. Fakhir, she herself killed her baby and after that witnessing the death of most of her babies made her physically and emotionally weak.Badri’s exposure to a traumatic experienceis what caused the negative effects of post-traumatic stress disorder on her mental health, which in turn affects her psychological disorders.

Avoidance:

Avoidance of Emotional Confrontation,she developed a strong bond with her only surviving son Bahman and was overcome with fear of losing him. She justifies her decisions as protective rather than admitting they were driven by fear or insecurity.As it is seen in the text-“If Bahman marries that girl, I’ll lose him, I know. Roya won’t be like Shahla. She won’t let me stay close to him. As if losing the others wasn’t enough.”( p.271)

Behavioural Impact:

Badri’s efforts to keep Bahman and Roya apart, including forcing Mr. Fakhri to do so, reveal her desperate attempt to keep control in a world in which she feels helpless.Her threat of suicide is a manifestation of trauma that overwhelms her rational decision-making.The fear of losing Bahman, the last remaining connection to her identity as amother, leads her to extreme measures.Badri remains trapped in her unresolved guilt and emotional pain, leaving her isolated and unable to find peace.She sucked in her breath and held her hand to her neck. “Just let her go, Bahman. For me. You communicate with her and I will do it again.”(p.279)

Impact on Relationships:

Badri has a profound and damaging impact on her relationships, particularly with her son, Bahman. Her unresolved trauma compels her to be overbearing and controlling, creating a strained dynamic between them. Badri’s inability to trust others or relinquish control leads her to manipulate Bahman’s life, especially regarding his relationship with Roya, which she views as a threat to her authority and the family’s stability.In sabotaging Bahman’s happiness, Badri not only harms their bond but also perpetuates a cycle of pain and estrangement, illustrating the ripple effects of trauma on familial relationships. Her control which she sees as protective caused tension in her relationship with Bahman, pushing him further away emotionally.

“I wanted my mother to be normal, to be like other mothers. I wanted her to care for and support me, and I wanted her to be at our wedding and to let us live our lives. I wanted that more than anything else. But she was not like other mothers. She was herself. She had the rage, she had the depression, she was violent, she was cruel, she refused to let me live in peace. She wanted to control my life, she told me she loved me so much that she wanted the best for me.”(p.280)

Long term effect:

Badri is trapped in a state of inner turmoil because she is unable to deal with the consequences from her acts or manage her pain.This emotional burden prevents her from experiencing peace or moving forward in her life.She was unable to overcome her trauma or the betrayal by Mr. Fakhri. Her past constantly held her back, preventing her from moving forward in life.Instead of healing from this she kept weakening herself further and constantly worried about enduring more losses in the future.

“You thought you could do whatever you wanted to me, Ali. Behind the mosque. In that square. You got away with everything. You had the money, the privilege. I had nothing.” She wept into her hands. “I was a child!”(p.276)

This act underscores the long-term effects of trauma, her cry of “I was a child!”emphasizes the deep violation of innocence and trust, leaving her emotionally damaged and unableto heal from the scars of her youth, her past experiences leave her unable to process her emotions constructively, perpetuating harm instead.

Conclusion:

The story of Badri in The Stationery Shop of Tehran is a compelling illustration of how systemic injustice and individual trauma interact.Marjan Kamali portrays the devastating effects of patriarchal norms, which not only amplify individual suffering but also perpetuate cycles of harm across generations.Deep emotional wounds from Badri’s betrayal and the demands society places on women’s obedience and purity cause her to act in ways that are driven by control, fear, and an obsession with keeping her son Bahman safe.

By applying Feminist Trauma Theory, this paper has illuminated how Badri’s trauma is deeply gendered, rooted in the cultural and social structures of her time. Her pain is not simply a result of personal misfortune but is exacerbated by systemic inequalities that devalue women’s agency and prioritize appearances over emotional well-being. We have also examined the psychological effects of her unresolved trauma, such as her hypervigilance, emotional instability, and toxic relationships, through the perspective of PTSD.

Together, these frameworks reveal Badri as a complex and tragic figure whose actions, while harmful, are deeply human and shaped by her circumstances. Rather than viewing her merely as an antagonist, this dual analysis positions her as a victim of both personal betrayal and societal oppression.

Ultimately, Badri’s character serves as a reminder of the profound effects of trauma, especially in cultures where women’s lives and choices are restricted by patriarchal structures.Her story underscores the importance of recognizing and addressing both individual and systemic trauma to break the cycles of harm and create a more equitable and compassionate world.

References:

Kamali, Marjan. The Stationary Shop of Tehran. Simon & Schuster, 2021.
American Psychological Association. (2024). Trauma. Retrieved from, https://www.apa.org/topics/trauma
Herman, Judith Louis. Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence from Domestic Abuse to Political Terror. Basic Books, 1992, p. 33.
Caruth, Cathy. Unclaimed Experience: Trauma, Narrative, and History. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, p. 3.
LeDoux, Joseph E. The Emotional Brain: The Mysterious Underpinnings of Emotional Life. Simon & Schuster, 1996.

Butler, Judith. The Psychic Life of Power: Theories in Subjection. Stanford University Press, 1997.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355967

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd-and-complex-ptsd/symptoms/

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