Nadia Hashimi’nin Kadife Pantolonlu Çocuk Romanında Kimlik İnşası

One Half from the East (2016), which is a novel written by Afghan American novelist Nadia Hashimi,

narrates the touching but heartbreaking story of Obayda, a young girl who adopts the cultural tradition

of bacha posh. This peculiar and rather cruel cultural practice permits girls to temporarily adopt a

male identity, which gives them more freedoms and benefits. Hashimi utilizes a captivating narrative technique, choosing to have Obayda, the main character, as the narrator, which helps readers have a

close-up view of the emotional and psychological effects of gender-based violence. As she is aware

of the limitations and violence against women, Obayda does not want to be a girl again when she

reaches puberty. Obayda’s hesitation is a result of her acute knowledge of the difficulties that she will

face as a young woman in a society marked by pervasive gender-based violence and inequality.

Through Obayda’s experiences, Hashimi deftly illustrates the complex struggles of Afghan women,

who are frequently subjected to abuse and violence a lot in Afghan patriarchal society, where deeply

rooted cultural practices support the continuation of gender based and sexualized violence to oppress

and control them. Additionally, this study shows how the characters deal with oppressive situations

while struggling with cultural expectations. It also contributes to a deeper understanding of domestic

violence’s impact on women and the intricate choices that they make when they face hardship.