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Volume 9, Issue 1 (3-2026)
JSAL 2026, 9(1): 0-0 |
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Mirhaghjoo langerudi S, Irani M. (2026). The Challenges of Female Identity in Lebanese Society: A Sociological Analysis of Layla Baalbaki’s I Live. JSAL. 9(1),
URL: http://jsal.ierf.ir/article-1-252-en.html
URL: http://jsal.ierf.ir/article-1-252-en.html
1- Islamic World Science & Technology Monitoring and Citation Institute , mirhaghjoo@isc.ac
2- University of Religions and Denominations, Qom, Iran
2- University of Religions and Denominations, Qom, Iran
Abstract: (45 Views)
This study examines the construction of female identity in Lebanese society through a sociological analysis of Layla Baalbaki’s novel I Live (Ana Ahya, 1958). The novel is widely recognized as one of the early Arabic literary works that critically interrogate patriarchal norms and the restrictive roles imposed on women. Through the experience of its female protagonist, the narrative reflects the tensions between individual autonomy and the social structures that regulate women’s lives. Adopting a sociological approach to literary criticism, the study analyzes the representation of social pressures affecting women’s identity formation, including familial authority, cultural expectations, and class dynamics. The analysis is informed by theoretical perspectives on gender and symbolic domination, particularly Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of symbolic power and Simone de Beauvoir’s reflections on the social construction of womanhood. By focusing on narrative voice, characterization, and the depiction of social relations, the article explores how the novel reveals the mechanisms through which patriarchal authority is reproduced and contested. The findings indicate that I Live portrays female identity as a site of conflict shaped by intersecting social constraints. Although the protagonist seeks independence and self‑definition, her experience exposes the persistent influence of patriarchal values embedded within family structures and social discourse. Consequently, Baalbaki’s narrative not only reflects the lived realities of women in mid‑twentieth‑century Lebanese society but also articulates a broader critique of the social order that limits women’s agency.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Sociolinguistics
Received: 2025/10/18 | Accepted: 2025/12/7 | Published: 2026/01/30
Received: 2025/10/18 | Accepted: 2025/12/7 | Published: 2026/01/30
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