Female Bonding as a Form of Resistance: A Study into Sarif’s Movie The World Unseen

Abstract

Shamim Sarif’s movieThe World Unseenis about the scenarioof female experiencesof South Africa during 1950.It deals withthe questof a characterfor personal freedom in the racist and sexist culture of apartheidinSouth Africa.The storyis built upon the ground of the hierarchical and dichotomous relation of center- margin, dominant and dominated.The characters like Miriam, Amina, Madeline etc. are in the pursuit of the personal freedom as the patriarchal and racial oppression makes theirluck in the society. The characters are on the verge of losing dignity as human being; theystruggle to make their survival.Following the lead of the feminist critics like Adrienne Rich, Alice Walker,bell hooks, Michele Wallace etc,the research demonstrates that the female bonding asthe soothing balmto their suffering. Whenthe unfair and oppressivesystem in its extreme represses the marginalized groupthat is female and other social groups like the blacks, female tie as a resisting force moves up asthe only solution.Female bonding protests against racial and patriarchal repressions rejecting all the norms and conventions of male based society.