This study compares how girls that are disguised as boys are portrayed in both fiction and reality. The analysis explores Maria Gripe's Shadow-tetralogy set in 1911-1914 and Jenny Nordberg's reportage book The Underground Girls of Kabul between 2011-2014. The study applies a feminist and queer theoretical perspective. Drawing on Judith Butler's concept of performativity, the analysis explores how gender is not a biological or natural characteristic but rather a social construction that is maintained through repeated actions and behaviors. Literature has used the motif of disguise to alienate gender, highlight structural imbalances and expose gender stereotypes. It has been a way to present strong, complex and active girl characters. In recent years, the genre of fantasy in particular has a similar function. However, in today's Afghanistan, the bacha posh is a survival strategy that gives unprivileged women an opportunity to gain access to education and freedom for a limited time. The results of the analysis indicate how in both fiction and reality, disguising as a boy is an opportunity for girls to live a freer life for a time, albeit for a limited period of time.
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:lnu-122554 |
Date | January 2023 |
Creators | Zamola, Taina |
Publisher | Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för film och litteratur (IFL) |
Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
Language | Swedish |
Detected Language | English |
Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
Format | application/pdf |
Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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