Rupturing the oppressive cycle: an analysis of differential oppression in Haifaa Al-Mansour’s Wadjda and Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye
In certain communities, the persecution of female children has long existed, shedding light on the shared struggle against social and cultural conventions and the resilience that arises from such adversity. By examining two different social contexts—the Saudi setting in Wadjda (2012) and the African...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
|
| Series: | Cogent Arts & Humanities |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311983.2025.2511387 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | In certain communities, the persecution of female children has long existed, shedding light on the shared struggle against social and cultural conventions and the resilience that arises from such adversity. By examining two different social contexts—the Saudi setting in Wadjda (2012) and the African American context in The Bluest Eye (1970)—the current study aims to further explore this topic. Differential oppression is used to explain the psychological and physical effects racism and patriarchy have on children. Morrison and Al-Mansour examine childrens’ frustrated hopes, recurrent setbacks, and adversity-induced behavior. The forms of child oppression studied are: latent and active, direct and indirect, familial and societal. The cultural contexts presented in the selected works offer a contrast in the types of oppression experienced by their respective victims. Despite differing cultural, familial, and societal backgrounds, the victims in these stories unite in their shared suffering and mental endurance. This study’s broader implications lie in its ability to reveal universal truths about the human condition, specifically the resilience of children in the face of adversity. Despite cultural differences, strong self-image and mental health prove to be critical components in the face of oppression. The study also emphasizes the necessity of families to be agents of change. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2331-1983 |