DOMINANCE, RESISTANCE AND IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION IN EL-SAADAWI’S WOMAN AT POINT ZERO: A PRAGMATIC APPROACH

Abstract

This paper studies El-Saadawi’s Woman at Point Zero using pragmatics and postcolonialism.  For pragmatic evaluation,  insights are drawn from Systemic Functional Grammar and politeness principles, while for postcolonialism, insights are drawn from centre-margin structure and identity construction.  The data for research comprise conversations/exchanges obtained from Woman at Point Zero selected through purposive sampling technique. Data analysis reveals that Firdaus,  the heroine of the novel, attempts to reconstruct her identity from resisting identity to project identity. During the period of resisting identity she constructs both positive and negative poles that are not assertive but when constructing project identity she uses statement propositions that are assertive and negative poles that negate centre-actors' dominance, these threaten the addressee’s negative face want. Data analysis also reveals that  Firdaus constructs body identity – sexuality delinked from marriage – as an instrument of control and freedom which she also uses to challenge women sexual slavery and men’s (sexual)  consumerism.  It is also discovered that Firdaus finds it difficult to move from the periphery to the centre because  she is placed in a bureaucratic society  that limits her space and action, and coupled with her long period of negative emotional and physical experiences, she breeds a second personality which helps her to construct project identity, debunk and disregard existing social structure, and finally become abusive.