THE FORMATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROTAGONIST IN AMAL UNBOUND BY AISHA SAEED: A BILDUNGSROMAN PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This paper examines the character development of Amal, the protagonist in Aisha Saeed's Amal Unbound (2018), through the theoretical framework of the Bildungsroman. Traditionally rooted in European literary traditions, the Bildungsroman—defined as a coming-of-age narrative focusing on the psychological, moral, and intellectual maturation of a central character—has historically centered on young male protagonists navigating personal conflicts within a broader social context. However, in recent decades, the genre has evolved to include marginalized voices, particularly those of women, postcolonial subjects, and socioeconomically oppressed individuals, who challenge dominant narratives of development and identity formation. By applying this adapted Bildungsroman lens to Amal Unbound, a novel set in rural Pakistan, this study explores the multi-layered development of a young Muslim girl whose growth is shaped not only by personal aspirations but also by the constraints of a deeply patriarchal and feudal society. Amal’s journey—marked by her initial idealism, forced servitude, moral awakening, and eventual resistance—demonstrates how coming-of-age narratives in postcolonial contexts are intrinsically political. Her transformation is not solely an inward, psychological evolution but also a form of social resistance against systemic injustices such as gender inequality, illiteracy, and class exploitation. Furthermore, the paper situates Amal's development within feminist and postcolonial theoretical frameworks, emphasizing the role of education, mentorship, and moral agency in her resistance to oppression. Her story reflects a broader trend in South Asian literature where young female protagonists are depicted not as passive recipients of cultural norms but as active agents of change. Through Amal’s progression from innocence to empowerment, the novel reimagines the Bildungsroman as a genre capable of embodying intersectional struggles and redefining what it means to come of age in a non-Western, gendered, and socially stratified world.

Keywords: Bildungsroman, Amal Unbound, Aisha Saeed, Female Protagonist, Identity Development, Coming-of-Age, Social Justice, Feminist Theory, Postcolonial Literature, South Asian Fiction