Social Construction of Gender in The Pearl that Broke its Shell

The focus of this research is on tracing Butler s and Lorber s theories through The Pearl That Broke its Shell (2014). In this article, the characters and plot will be analyzed to clarify the gender social codes of dressing and behavior on bodies and the extent of rebellious actions or confirmations. Some contextual information about Afghanistan such as its contemporary history and geography are required to grab the total social condition and its effect on people s lives which are explained in social construction in Afghanistan section. In the following sections, the dressing, behavioral and marital codes are discussed in order to get familiar with Afghan cultural background in the selected novel. Then, Butler s and Lorber s ideas are traced through the story lines. The notions of agency of women and voicing, cross-dressing and performativity, subversive bodily performances are applied in Hashimi s novel. For Butler, each individual is socially constructed. She believed that a subject is a linguistic structure in formation process (Salih,2). Butler and Lorber, two main figures of degendering movement, argued that people are performing the social prescribed roles not their own choice. They suggested subversive performances through clothing to degender the norms and roles associated with one gender. These critics of gender encourage women for attaining agency and freedom by revolting against social codes. Rebels like Rahima, the protagonist, are admired by Butler and Lorber because these characters dare to ask and fight for their rights. Afghan s culture and society is significant in this study when each individual lives dual life of personal and social. The characters of the novel are analyzed with descriptive approach.