Deconstructing Class Struggle and Gender Oppression: A Post-Structuralist Analysis of Jamal Abro's Pirani and Naseem Kharal's Thirty-Four Gates through Barthes' Five Codes

Abstract

This study applies post-structuralist theory to analyze Jamal Abro’s Pirani and Naseem Kharal’s Thirty-Four Gates, focusing on how both stories portray class struggle and gender oppression within Sindhi society. Using Roland Barthes' five codes—hermeneutic, proairetic, semantic, symbolic, and cultural—the research uncovers multiple layers of meaning, interpreting the symbols, tensions, and ambiguities that reflect the socio-political realities of a male-dominated, feudal, and capitalist system. By employing a qualitative textual analysis, this research explores how Barthes' codes allow for the deconstruction of dominant narratives, revealing the complexities of class exploitation and cultural repression. The findings suggest that both authors critically condemn anti-women traditions and expose the systematic subjugation of women, who are rendered voiceless in a patriarchal society. This work contributes to a deeper understanding of Sindhi literature, translated into English and published by Oxford University Press, by engaging with the socio-political and cultural discourses embedded in the texts.