A Comparative Study of the Short stories by Chinese Writer Rou Shi “A Slave Mother” and Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi “Sons & Daughters”

Abstract

By comparing Rou Shi’s and Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi’s short stories, it is surprising to find that these two well-known authors, though living in different countries, have created works with very similar meanings. In revealing sufferings and miseries of women of the underclass, they have uncovered the common social problems brought about by poverty, ignorance, and outmoded conventions and customs. In the semi-feudalist society, women from both countries are all in a very humble position: they are deprived of their own social position, thus becoming lambs to be slaughtered, belongings of their husbands, and victims of poverty and backwardness. In their works, both authors unveiled the miserable and inhumane conditions of women, demonstrated the tragic life of working women of that time, condemned tortures and torments brought to women by the unfair social system, and offered their deep sympathy to poor peasants, especially toiling women. This study underscores the enduring relevance of literature in exposing and critiquing societal inequities, offering poignant insights into the shared struggles of women navigating oppressive systems across different national contexts.

Keywords

• China, Pakistan, Women, Gender bias, Stereotypical rituals, Discrimination.