The Dynamics of Patriarchy and Female Agency in Mohammed Hanif’s Rebel English Academy

Abstract

Mohammed Hanif’s Rebel English Academy (2026) questions patriarchal influence on the lives of women, investigating the factors that maintain patriarchy. This study reveals the secrets of male domination over women. Through the discursive approach, Hanif refuses to support patriarchy and frames resistance by women. Through the feminist theories of bell hooks (1984) and Simone de Beauvoir (1953), this paper explains how male dominance is achieved through normalizing a system in which women are considered “the others” and biologically dependent on the men. Both theorists focus on women’s evolution from a passive to active figure in the society. While Hanif’s other works have been discussed through the lens of feminism, focusing on objectification and fragmentation of women, this study focuses on patriarchy and female resistance. Through different female characters, this study examines how women face difficulty in finding dignity, identity, and freedom within a patriarchal structure. This article uses feminism as a foundational framework to address women’s agency as equal to men in the society. It does not only discuss the sufferings of women and patriarchal dominance; it also questions the factors that normalize the discrimination between genders as a compulsory process to maintain authority.