Rethinking Ideological Interpellation: An Althusserian Interpretation of Nadia’s Subordination in Mohsin Hamid’s Exit West

Abstract

Female oppression does not occur only through physical constraints by men. Certain invisible power structures, such as the ideologies working through family and religion, are responsible for subordinating women. All previous studies analyze Nadia's character generally, irrespective of the ideological influences that subjugate her. The following study employed Louis Althusser’s Ideological State Apparatuses as a theoretical framework to examine the workings of ideological institutions that pave the way for the internalization of patriarchal standards, thereby positioning this current paper as a step ahead of conventional discussions of female oppression. Through a qualitative textual analysis of the novel, the character of Nadia has been examined by relating her to the real-life issues of women's subordination. For this purpose, the study posits four research questions that include the role of family, religion, and moral conscience in subordinating Nadia and how she withstands them. The findings aim to show how far patriarchal values work through societal institutions with a motive to control her agency.

Keywords: Ideological Interpellation, Family, Religion, Patriarchy, Moral Conscience, Resistance.