MENTAL OBJECTIFICATION; UNPACKING THE PROTAGONIST’S TRANSFORMATIVE JOURNEY IN THE PATIENCE STONE

Abstract

This study examines mental objectification and racial discrimination, as an issue that is common to women in patriarchal setup, in which a woman is treated as commodity. Although the world view is transitioning, this issue is still prevalent in patriarchal societies. This study focuses on exploring mental objectification and patriarchal domination in the novel The Patience Stone (2008) by Atiq Rahimi. This also shows how societal norms shape women behaviour and attitudes and creates anxiety. By using the Objectification Theory (Nussbaum,1995; Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997) and Social of Dominance Theory (Sidanus and Pratto 1999) this study demonstrates that all forms of mental objectification and suppression are found in abundance in the novel. Doing so highlights the ways as well as the factors involved in the mental objection of the main characters in the novel. Furthermore, this study also demonstrates how Rahimi makes use of the metaphor of sang-e saboor in order to challenge the established norms of silence suppression that leads to mental objectification; thus, gives voice to the protagonist.