NAILA’S STRUGGLE OVERCOMING GENDER DISCRIMINATION IN AISYA SAEED’S WRITTEN IN THE STARS NOVEL

Abstrak

This study examines gender discrimination and women’s struggle as represented in Aisha Saeed’s novel Written in the Stars. Gender discrimination remains a persistent issue within patriarchal societies, where women are often subjected to unequal treatment, limited autonomy, and coercive social practices. Using a descriptive qualitative research design, this study analyzes narrative passages and dialogues that depict discriminatory practices experienced by the female protagonist, Naila, and her resistance to patriarchal domination. The analysis is guided by Fakih’s concept of gender discrimination and Simone de Beauvoir’s feminist theory. The findings reveal that Naila experiences several forms of gender discrimination, including subordination, marginalization, and psychological violence, particularly in the context of forced marriage and restricted personal freedom. These discriminatory practices position women as objects of control within familial and cultural systems. Despite these constraints, Naila demonstrates resistance through awareness, emotional defiance, and the pursuit of self-determination. Her struggle reflects an existential process of becoming a subject who challenges oppressive gender norms. This study concludes that Written in the Stars portrays gender discrimination as a structural problem rooted in patriarchal ideology while simultaneously highlighting women’s capacity for resistance. By applying feminist theory to contemporary young adult fiction, this research contributes to feminist literary studies and offers insight into how literature functions as a medium for exposing and contesting gender inequality.