فرہنگ قرۃالعین حیدر(تعارفی جائزہ) QURAT UL AIN HAYDER‘S GLOSSARY (AN INTRODUCTORY REVIEW) Section Urdu Literature

Abstract

An Analytical Study of Altaf Fatima’s novel “KHAWAB GAR” in the perspective of social masculinity.”

Th novel “Khawab Gar” penned by the famous writer Altaf Fatima is spread over 303 pages and divided into 29 chapters was first published by Feorzson’s in 2005 from Lahore. Though the novelist admitted of it not being upto her standard and expectation, she never explained as to what precisely lacked in it, despite the fact that she took years to conceive its plot and contents. Unlike the West where masculinity implies social and financial dominance of men over women, this phenomenon is perceived and gets demonstrated quite differently in the Eastern culture as at times women do have precedence and discretion over their opposite genders in a sort of balancing act. The subject novel portrays life of the inhabitants of Gilgat & Baltistan, especially the men who despite being away from their homes for years for earning livelihood for their families not only remain committed to their pristine local traditions and noble values such as hard work, solitude, integrity, decision power and compassion etc., but they also prove faithful to their women folk. Ibrahim, being hero of the novel, symbolizes this phenomenon who despite having been betrayed by his wife Mah Noor doesn’t squarely blames her for her faithlessness but rather considers other financial and social factors and compulsions responsible for the same. Therefore, the novelist has successfully attempted to prove the point that in fact such attributes are the masculine social qualities which irrespective of gender qualifies a person, whether a man or a woman, to be admired as “manly” or in other words a responsible, trustworthy and dependable gender bestowed with positive and constructive approach and qualities