Negotiating Change: Generational Divide and Female Agency in Sahar Khalifeh's Passage to the Plaza

Abstract

Sahar Khalifeh in her novel Passage to the Plaza presents how social, cultural and political changes affect and shape the mindset of women from different generations. This paper examines the contradictions in their perspectives regarding tradition, role of woman and political uprising. The paper acknowledges how the older generation still believes in following traditional norms while the younger generation tries to set free of the old clutches and move forward. Their difference of opinion in social, gender and political expectations reflect the contrast between established beliefs and social change. It also discusses how women have been active participants in personal and political lives. The paper also argues how women challenge patriarchy and preconceived notions while overcoming the effects of occupation. Ultimately the study explores how Khalifeh's novel reflects the tension between established norms and new perspectives along with the importance of female agency in a land shaped by social and political strugggles.