Class Inequalities: A Marxist Study of Uzma Aslam Khan’s The Story of Noble Rot

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the aspect of Class inequalities in Uzma Aslam Khan’s novel The Story of Noble Rot from Marxist perspectives. This study also highlights how the factors of Class inequalities become the cause of class conflict and give rise to the issue of false class consciousness. False class consciousness refers to the frame of mind that wards off a person from perceiving the maltreatment of their situation. According to Marxist theory, the society is divided into two different classes, the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. Labor is a commodity in a capitalist society, and it is taken as something bought and sold in the economic market. The bourgeoisie exploit the proletariat by using their labor power and such manipulation of the masses gives rise to class conflict. The proletariats are deceived into thinking that everything is fine and the alarming situations in which they live and work are inevitable. This self-deception is known as false class consciousness, which leads to a sense of alienation. The masses suffer from false class consciousness and fail to realize their common interest against their exploiters. Such Inequalities also bring to light the perspective of Marxist feminism, which highlights the exploitation of women by the bourgeoisie in a capitalist society.