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Defiance to Phallogocentricism in Soniah Kamal’s Unmarriaegable
Eisha tul Razia1
Dr. Maria Farooq Maan2
1
MPhil Scholar, Air University, Islamabad
2
Assistant Professor, Air University, Islamabad
Abstract
This paper highlights the phallogocentric orientation of post-partition Pakistani society and culture
that has perpetually tried to create the illusion of priority and superiority of masculinity over
femininity to sustain continued dominance. The phallogocentric gender binarism in Soniah
Kamal’s Unmarriageable is explored and dismantled with the help of various female characters of
the novel like Alys Binnat and Qitty Binnat who are seen making their mark in emerging world by
working as a teacher and a blogger or columnist deviating from the long held gender codes of
behavior. By using the framework of “Phallogocentricism” a neologism in deconstruction theory
coined by Jacques Derrida to criticize binary thinking imposed by patriarchal culture, this paper
tends to show the defiance on the part of modern women of Pakistan paving their ways from male
influential society through the force of education. Education no longer makes them vulnerable to
men, the protagonist Alys Binnat being a teacher urges the younger generations to realize that
education is more important than seeking a suitable suitor and that they might have a life beyond
marriage and children.
Keywords: Phallogocentricism, Deconstruction, Unmarriageable, Patriarchal Society
Introduction
Soniah Kamal is an award winning novelist, essayist and public speaker. Her recent novel,
Unmarriageable, was shortlisted for the 2020 Townsend Prize for Fiction. Her debut novel, An
Isolated Incident, was a finalist for the KLF French Fiction Prize and the Townsend Prize for
Fiction. Her novel Unmarriageable depicts how women’s subjugation is enrooted in a male
dominated society which favours the gender discrimination within society. Hence, the study
revolves around the speculation that there are conscious attempts of constructing the stance of
defiance to male centralization in a patriarchal society.
This study is based upon the framework inspired from Phallogocentricism which reveals
that male centralization ultimately decentralizes female gender in the society, resulting into the
discriminatory practices in the society. This theory is an offshoot of Derrida’s Deconstruction,
while focusing upon the binary opposition as the fundamental construction of Phallogocentricism
(Derrida, 1978). Phallogocentricism means the centeralization of male gender which determines
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meanings of the society and creates social norms. By implying the lens of phallogocentricism in
the novel Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal (2019) the paper discusses it as a thoughtful attempt
by author to fight against the same stereotypes legalized under the label of institution of marriage
of Pakistani society while watering the roots of male’s gender idealization as the center and
backbone of the society through analyzing the linguistic evidence. As it portrays the inherent
obligation for females to be subject to male financially because they are fragile enough to prosper
in the fields (profession) which are reigned by male gender.
The protagonist, Alys Binnat and Qitty’s construction as well as their ideological
propagation is the total representation of combating the stereotyping of male gender prevailing in
the culture. Thus, she proves to be the threat to patriarchal culture prevailing in the modern
Pakistani society. As Phallogocentricism explicates the linguistic notions which keep the male
gender close to phallus and phallus to the center of the society (Hina et al,2016)
Review of Related Literature
Soniah Kamal's new novel, Unmarriageable, is often referred to as "Pride and Prejudice
in Pakistan" and it is that, certainly. Here Elizabeth Bennet becomes Alysb Binnat and Fitzwilliam
Darcy becomes Valentine Darsee, which Kamal finds a neat explanation for: "The Darsees
descended, Mrs. Binat announced, from darzees—tailors—and at some point their tradesmen
surname of Darzee had morphed into Darsee, or else, she suggested, squinting, an ancestor must
have deliberately changed Darzee into Darsee on official certificates."(Kamal qtd by Masad in an
article,2019). This glimpse into the ways names is changed over time in order to elevate social
status away from menial labor is especially relevant, since so much of the prejudice that occurs in
the book is based on familial ties and class: Slander follows Mrs. Binat about her grandmother
being a low-class sex worker; Darsee, of course, is made to seem like a monster who cut Wickam
out of the will.
There are many studies which have been devoted to different perspectives. Brenda S.A.
Yeoh. (2001) in research article" A Deconstructive Reading of William Golding 's Lord of the
Flies for EFL Learners in the Saudi Context" have highlighted the complications which are faced
by English as a foreign language learners in Saudi context in comprehending the English language
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words and expressions with their nature of being interpreted in a number of ways. This article is
focused on the analysis of "Lord of Flies" by William Goldings with the help of Jacques Derrida's
Deconstruction" approach. This novel "lord of Flies" has been analyzed in terms of
"Characterization", "Themes" and "textual Structure" in order to investigate the impact of the
deconstructive reading on the interpretation of this post-world war piece of literature. The
qualitative research methodology has been adopted in this study. It has been observed that with
the help of deconstructive reading, students are able to interpret the meaning of text on their own
behalf. This kind of reading is helpful in inculcating critical thinking skills and to enhance them.
This study is an appreciation of the Derrida's Deconstruction theory in exploring and interpreting
the meaning of any literary work.
By applying this deconstructive reading method, the researcher has introduced a new
dimension of the mind stream of characters. This new dimension has been achieved by the
"Metaphysics of Presence" and its irreversible consequences. Derrida's Deconstruction theory of
1970's was an academic revolt against Structuralism of mid 1960's. According to structuralism,
the interpretation of a text is based on metaphysics of presence but Derrida is of the view that a
structure can be repeated and it can be subjective intelligence of structuralist. According to Derrida
the western tradition gives a great importance to metaphysics of presence in its philosophical and
historical form. Julia Kristeva’s idea of Intertextually resolves this is matter of presence.
Intertextuality as a concept that informs how individual texts are inescapably related to other texts
in a “matrix of irreducible plural and provisional meanings”(Mambrol,2016). The term has been
used to imply the various ways in which any one literary text is made up of or incorporates other
texts. This is done by direct or indirect references and allusions, citations. Unmarriageable is a
perfect example of Intertextuality.
Theoretical Framework
Deconstruction theory of Jacques Derrida is taken as the theoretical framework for the
present study. Derrida opined that there is a specific approach required in understanding and
reading of the text. The text must not be thought of as a defined object. In other words, the text is
experienced only in an activity, production or traces of more text (Barthes,1979). Deconstruction
liberates the text entirely from the hegemony of an author. For Derrida once, a work has been
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written, the text acquires an independent existence. Derrida’s deconstruction remains a rigorous
form of interrogation, because the ‘speaking subject’, when he or she speaks, must speak the
language of reason. Here the basic method of deconstruction is to find a binary opposition (e.g.
speech and/or writing) and show how each term, rather than being the polar opposite of its paired
term, is actually part of it. Then the structure or opposition that kept them apart collapses.
Ultimately, you cannot tell which is which and the idea of binary opposition loses its meaning or
is put into a play (traces of textual meaning). This method is called ‘deconstruction’ because it is
a combination of constructing meaning and deconstructing the metaphysics of presence from the
text. The study focuses majorly on the connection between imperialism and the rise of social evils
afterwards from the lenses provided by the aforementioned figures. It also spots light on the literary
approach of Sonia Kamal regarding the intervention and involvement of colonizers in the internal
and external matters of the colonized countries.
“Phallogocentrism” is defined by Jacques Derrida as: ‘the system of metaphysical
oppositions’ (1978: 20) predominant in Western philosophy that has until recently been written by
men. Donna Haraway argues that this black/white and divisive logic has produced ‘dualisms’ that
‘have all been systemic to the logics and practices of domination of women, people of colour,
nature, workers, animals’. The examples she offers of these ‘troubling dualisms’ are ‘self/other,
mind/body, culture/nature, male/female, civilized/primitive, reality/appearance, whole/part,
agent/resources, maker/made, active/passive, right/wrong, truth/illusion, total/partial, God/man’.
(ibid) These divides have been written into Western culture and it is difficult to conceive of society
and culture, or produce knowledge about the phenomenon of the world, without the use of them.
Data Analysis and Interpretation
By keeping in view Derridean concept of Phallogocentrism, those aspects form the novel
are studies and presented that highlight how the phallus can be moved from the centre
Questioning the financial dependency as an agent of Phallogocentricism
Within the course of the novel, Alys is found to be preaching the financial independency
of women. As the novel opens up, she is found imparting the same notions which defies the ground
of patriarchal upbringings in the Pakistani society, where a female is supposed to get married or
associated to a male gender so that she can elevate her status financially. The comments on her
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student’s rewriting of the initial statement of Pride and Prejudice according to which the financial
security of a women is embedded with her marriage, has been stated below as an example of the
same context: “But how about the daughter earn a good income of her own and secure this freedom
for herself?” (Kamal, 2019, p. 12).
Hence, the sense of freedom and independence is being inculcated into the students who
have the ability to radicalize the future of the Pakistani patriarchal society. The character of Alysis
more inclined towards imparting the sense of opting profession in her students instead of simply
being Mrs and then mothers which also liberates the students (coming generation) from worshiping
the phallus as a center of society. As her encounter with her student Tahira reveals that she is not
much pleased by the fact that her student is engaged at such an early age, that she is immature
enough to decide about the person she is up to getting married is intellectually marriageable or not.
Ally’s discourages the fact that her mother has made her prioritize her engagement ring (token of
financial security) upon her books (token of her awareness). Hence, the contemporary society
which surrounds Alys is more up to negating any kind of awareness which would defy all the
supportive notions which make women financially reliant. Her views related to liberation of
women in financial terms are:
Yet it always upset her that young brilliant minds, instead of exploring the universe, were
busy chiselling themselves to fit into the moulds of Mrs and Mum. It wasn’t that she was
averse to Mrs Mum, only that none of the girls seemed to have ever considered travelling
the world by themselves, let alone been encouraged to do so, or to shatter a glass ceiling,
or laugh like a madwoman in public without a care for how it looked. At some point over
the years, she’d made it her job to inject (or as some, like Rose-Nama’s mother, would say,
‘infect’) her students with possibility. And even if the girls in this small sleepy town refused
to wake up, wasn’t it her duty to try?. (Kamal, 2019, p. 13).
As the above stated excerpt also shows the resistance of the society upon the views of the
Alys, as is discouraged as well as continuously bashed for propagating the controversial norms
which society does not support. Thus, she is found to be guilty upon her preaching as acts. In
addition to this when Sherry gets married she negotiated with her husband that he should allow his
wife to earn money by selling her voice recording while reciting Quran e Pak. Mr. Kaleen protests
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against this as financial independence is not for women as it is not backed by the society as well
as his ego. To dismantle Phallogocentric ways of functioning it becomes impertative on women
to break away from such economic dependence which maintains the status of the men as the center
of power.
Protesting the Objectification of Women
In addition to the above stated notions, the female character, AlysBinnat, is also found
confounding disregarding all the practices which reinforces the objectification of women in front
of men, while considering manliness as the center of worship for society. In novel, there are many
instances which conforms to the upper stated proposition. For example, in class, the students
suggest her to go for routine makeover so that she could be liked by someone (male) in a pretext
of getting married to the richer person. As it is stated in the text that: ‘But why not!’ several
distressed voices cried out. “You’re not that old. And, if you grow your hair long again and start
using bright lipstick, you will be so pret” (Kamal, 2019, p. 16).
Hence, these views of the students are the signs of the societal reinforcements for women
objectification. On the other hand, within the same course of the story, Abys is found negating
such types of views which emphasizing upon the proposition that women is not submissive enough
to doll up for men, who is not equal to her. Thus, she does not consider anyone equivalent to
anyone and vice versa.
Likewise, there are many instances in the novel, in which Mrs. Binnat orders her daughter
to pay special consideration towards their attire while in any marriage ceremony, so that they could
get liked by some eligible bachelor (Richer persons). But, in contradiction to this proposition as
well as practices, Alys sets the trend of paying special consideration towards the intellectual
growth than on the outlooks. Therefore, she dresses up as she want to be but not like what society
wants her to be. In a nutshell, Alys defies all those prevailing practices as well as norms of the
society, which subjugates women in front of men in the terms of financial gains. Moreover,
Mrs.Binnat outsides own daughters when they are not looking their best or looking tanner than
their original color. Hence, she conforms that a women should look as appealing to men as she
could so that she can be ranked as marriageable by them as well as society but in contrast to her
mother views, Alys thinks that owning your own physical appearance is the biggest favor a girl
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can give to herself. Therefore, she appears in her own casual looks in the events. As she says: “but
that doesn’t change the fact that looks are not the be-all and end-all, no matter what our mother
says” (Kamal, 2019, p. 23).
Besides, getting good outturn as well as making oneself up, Alys also combats against the
oppression of the women in the terms of searching a perfect match for marriage. For instance,
Sherry explains all those incidents of her life in which she lost the proposals due to the reasons
that the boy had found a replacement of Sherry in Germany as the girl would help him in career.
Alys consoles her that it is better to not engaged in such a poisonous relation and staying single
and unmarried for such causes is far better. All these instances are signs which signify all those
societal practices which are faulty in nature as they decentralize women to stay submissive to
males. And due to this decentralization of females by the society, she is easy to be blamed as ill
omen (as Sherry was blamed so) or labelled as divorcee (as Alys points it out that women’s marital
or sexual status is more important than men’s).
Furthermore, Alys also backs Darsee that he did not act like conventional men of the
society and make his mother and sister a subject to violence when he reveals that he had no
objections when his mother got married or her sister was in illegal relationship with Wickham in
her young age and conceives his baby. Instead, he becomes a backbone for her sister and help her
to cater the situation and conceals her secret from the society.
In addition to this, another instance can also be taken as the protest of Alys against the
objectification of women. On the first encounter of Alys and Darsee, she overhears him saying not
so appropriate things regarding her while labelling her as not marriageable material for him.
After this event, she did not consider giving him any type of attention, unlike the other girls
of the contemporary society who would show interest in a person while trying to get married to
him by hook or by crook. Hence, her this deviation from society also ensures that during the course
of novel she is protesting against the phallus centralization and women decentralization, where a
women is also supposed to meet the societal measure/yardstick to becoming or being eligible for
marriage by male figures.
Moreover, while proposing to Sherry, Mr. Kaleen links her to a dog, as a dog is thought to
be submissive as well as obedient for its own. Likewise, his future wife should be submissive and
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obedient to his orders. These things are later observed by Alys, when she visits them for this reason,
Alys was not in support of this marriage but ultimately she was happy as her friend was happy
with this marriage. Besides, she did not accept the proposal of Mr. Kaleen because she does not
like the fact that her uncle was proposing her to marry him just because he wants someone to
overlook his children as his wife was dead. But Sherry was already convinced to beseech any
compensation for her non-ability to procreate which she found in the form of Mr. Kaleen who was
wealthy and did not want children from his future wife. Hence, women are prone to compromising
upon aspects that are not socially acceptable.
As it is mentioned above that the Mrs. Binnat is a strong representative of the stereotypical
patriarchal society which assigns power to all social constructions of male gender. Therefore, she
and her most favourite daughter, Lady, is in a habit of making Qitty conscious of here obesity as
a dimmed aspect of her personality, as it is not a trait that aligns itself with accepted beauty
standards nor make her a strong candidate. As her mother says on the occasion of sending her to
the event that: “Qitty, lose five pounds and you will feel much better. Qitty glared at her mother.
She hadn’t had a single samosa so far, but now she popped one whole into her mouth” (Kamal,
2019, p. 39).
Thus, the character construction of Qitty proves to be a strong dejection for patriarchal
culture of the society in which the text is contextualized. Hence some of the examples have been
stated below which denies the acceptance of objectification of women by Qitty.
The readers can observe the character of Qittyas most invulnerable as she is portrayed
unaffected by the comments which she usually receives on her personality due to her obesity. The
most redeeming aspect of this characters is unraveled whenever Lady degrades her in front of
everyone to make fun of her, but she defends herself and stays same without conceiving any
inferiority complex. For example, as her mother keep insisting on losing the weight by saying that:
“Please, Qitty, for my sake try to lose some weight before NadirFiede. No one wants to marry a
fat girl” (Kamal, 2019, p. 40). She assures her mother that she can never be the reason of the
disgrace of family but Lady can be as she is flattered upon having the attention of all the sought
after men. Likewise, her mother, Mrs. Binnat is in habit of considering her own daughter as
commodity to overcome the degradation by Mr. Binnat’s brother, by marrying them in higher
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strata of the society. Hence, she is usually found in an attempt of proving her daughters worthy of
getting married and procreate the children as it is apparent from the following comment on Qitty:
“Not to worry! Even Qitty’s womb is in tip-top shape; all she needs is a bit of dieting” (Kamal,
2019, p. 102).
Besides this, there are many other instances, which explicate the resistance in Qitty for
accepting herself as a conventionally approved marriageable material by disobeying her mother’s
order to have a balanced diet and lose weight. Hence, these instances prove that there is a presence
of a constant negotiation on the part of the character of Qitty with the society upon the
decentralization leading into the commodification and objectification of the female gender for the
mean causes of phallus to be the center and holding determinateness.
Moreover, as the novel opens up, the readers are conveyed about the interest of Qitty, which
is to become a journalist or cartoonist. This shows the radicalized views and enthusiasm in Qitty.
But initially her father did not allow her. Hence, she suppresses her desires because of the
authoritative decision by her father taken on the behalf of her. But still, she continues sketching
but keeps them with herself only.
Alys’ Attempt to Reconstruct Female Subjectivity
Since patriarchal societies are phallocentic it is natural that women are pushed to the
margins and considered socially and intellectually inferior hence leading to the continued
decentralization of women. Alys is portrayed as a heroine who has intellectual power to think and
convince herself. During her first encounter with Darsee, he leads down her upon her reading list
which was Reader’s digest and Good Housekeeping. But later on, her reading list overtakes
Darsee’s list which makes him overwhelmed which is evident from his comment: “I see you read
more than Reader’s Digest and Good Housekeeping,’ Darsee said” (Kamal, 2019, p. 107).
Hence, Alys breaks the stereotype where women is supposed to have restricting reading
list and is not considered as well-read. Therefore, she is intellectually thought to be inferior to men.
Besides this, Alys is most favorite of her father, due to her intellect. As the story unfolds that he
favours her thoughts on being liberal yet defying all the stereotypical notions engrossing phallus
centering in the Pakistani society.
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While discussing about the intellectual prospective of Qitty unfolded through her immense
concerns towards learning about the marginalized women (women who are outsized and looked
as Other by other women, as they are not able to fulfill the criteria of being marriageable). Hence,
Qitty is inclined towards the representation as well as on the exploration of marginalized women
in the magazines as Alys says to her: “I’ve brought you a bundle of used magazines I found, called
Mode, for plus-size women” (Kamal, 2019, p. 225).
So, the character of Qitty is another source of modern technique challenging the status quo
of the society as well as the norms which are made to elucidate male gender as pious and elevated
one. Another instance that depicts the fight of the marginalized females fought by Qitty is when
she comments on closing down of her favourite magazine, which used to publish obese models,
as: “Top designers only wanted to design for skeletons. Their Loss. Fat Stocky Short Squat Women
Are Here. We Exist. We Are Visible” (Kamal, 2019, p. 284).
By adding another inference into the same assertion it can be stated that Qitty was proposed
by a person at the wedding of her sisters, who wanted her to change and be like his desire (slim
and smart). She rejected the proposal by saying that: “Daffaho, get lost. If I’m happy loving myself
just the way I am, then who are you to put conditions on accepting and loving me?” (Kamal, 2019,
p. 289).
In spite of receiving much unbearable criticism, Qitty is found to be indulging into the
activity which engrosses women empowerment in patriarchal society, as she engraves the liberal
quotes on the shirts of her sister’s shirt, for example: “Alys was wearing white linen trousers and
a black T-shirt saying NOT YOUR AVERAGE AUNTY. ‘Thanks. My sister Qitty makes these
for fun” (Kamal, 2019, p. 240).
Thus, she gives an expression to her rage which has been restored by the society as well as
her own mother and sister Lady through constant criticism and attempts to urge her to change at
the end of the novel, when she writes all about her suffering of being marginalized by male
dominated society which expects her to conform to their standards by saying:
She’d sent her words to a national newspaper: she was not just fat; she was fat and
intelligent, fat and funny, fat and kind, fat and fun, fat and beautiful, fat and a good friend,
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fat and creative, fat plus every lovely attribute in the world. She was fat and happy and did
not care about being thin – imagine that. (Kamal, 2019, pp. 289-290)
Hence, Qitty authoritative holds a position to write as a columnist of a newspaper to write
and voice the concerns of the marginalized and decentralized women who have equal rights to live
their life as the centralized male have.
Conclusion
In conclusion is can be stated that novel knits the plot while okaying a special heed towards
the fruitful attempts of defiance to phallogocentricism, mainly through Alys, the protagonist of the
novel, as well as through her sister Qitty, who is a victim of body shaming coming from her own
family as well as from the society but gradually her aspirations to become an artist make her
flourish, and give her the confidence to voice her concerns and protest against the faulty practices
of the society. Likewise, the discussion extracted from the instances of Alys retaliation against
the male dominated social world expresses her wise endeavors to enact and highlight the societal
need to enlighten the young females who are continuously made to be submissiveness and
subjugated in front of phallogocentricism.
While considering both characters as the mouthpiece of the narrator, it can be further
concluded that the narrator has opted these both character as the tool to construct a stance against
phallogocentricism by spreading the words of awareness among the readership of emerging and
radicalized modern era.
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