Beyond the Text
Feminist Psychoanalysis and Cognitive Poetics Analysis of Shaila Abullah’s Amulet for the Caged Dove
Keywords:
cognitive poetics, schema theory, psychoanalytic feminism, gender dynamics, psychological abuseAbstract
This study employs a novel perspective of cognitive poetics and feminist psychoanalysis to examine the cognitive and emotional processes involved in readers’ interpretation of Shaila Abdullah’s Amulet for the Caged Dove. By integrating schema theory, we explore how readers’ prior experiences and knowledge shape their understanding of gender dynamics and psychological abuse within the narrative. Utilizing Nancy Chodorow’s notion of unconscious gender development, this study investigates the ways in which pre-existing schemas related to power dynamics and gender are activated and transformed during the reading process. Drawing upon Peter Stockwell’s six types of schema management, we evaluate how readers construct their interpretation of gender violence by integrating their existing schemas with new schemas, as informed by the text. The findings reveal that the cognitive processes involved in schema management play a crucial role in normalizing and perpetuating patriarchal structures and psychological abuse in Pakistani society. By understanding these cognitive mechanisms, this study contributes to our understanding of how literature can both reinforce and challenge societal norms and stereotypes.
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