SYSTEMS OF OPPRESSION AND INDIVIDUAL AGENCY: A COMPARISON BETWEEN HASINA AND RAZIA IN MONICA ALI’S BRICK LANE

Monica Ali’s Brick Lane provides a vivid description of women struggling with systemic oppression shaped by intersecting factors like gender, class, race, and others. Although Nazneen, the novel’s protagonist, has received a lot of critical attention, the narratives of Hasina and Razia offer equally compelling insights into how they deal with systems of oppression, including sexism, classism, and racism, and employ their agencies within their respective structure to strive for freedom. This study investigates the experiences of Hasina and Razia through the lens of intersectional feminism. It also explores how each character’s choices and actions reveal their attempts to overcome structural constraints and carve their routes to freedom. By comparing their journeys, the study aims to reveal multifaceted forms of resilience and resistance that women apply in marginalised situations. Based on a multidisciplinary framework, integrating Kimberley Crenshaw’s ‘Intersectional Feminism’ and Anthony Gidden’s ‘Structuration Theory,’ the study seeks to contribute to broader discussions on the complexities of oppression and the role of agency in employment. It emphasises how Ali’s characters navigate their identities and freedoms in oppressive settings while opposing structural constraints.