The transformation of female identity in Aysel Özakın’s Alnında Mavi Kuşlar (Blue Birds on Her Forehead): A feminist reading

Aysel Özakın, one of the prominent writers of modern Turkish literature, addresses the transformation of female identity in her novel Alnında Mavi Kuşlar. The novel highlights patriarchal order, social pressures, and gender roles transmitted across generations, revealing the constraints these impose on women. The protagonist Armağan’s resistance to these limitations plays a decisive role in her struggle for self-discovery, demonstrating that female identity is shaped not only through passive acceptance but also through active resistance. In this study, text analysis and thematic analysis, which are among qualitative research methods, were used. The analyses were grounded in a feminist theoretical approach. Butler’s concept of gender performativity, Bourdieu’s notion of masculine domination, and Kandiyoti’s theory of patriarchal bargaining provide the theoretical foundation for the analysis. These frameworks guide the interpretation of the female characters’ discourse, behavior, and experiences. Three main findings emerged from the analysis. First, the novel shows that patriarchal norms create a restrictive framework for the construction of female identity. The concept of womanhood is shaped around values such as family, honor, and obedience. Second, women’s lived experiences play a significant role in shaping female identity as they are transmitted to the next generation. The mother-daughter relationship between Armağan and her mother simultaneously reveals the inheritance of patriarchal values across generations and embodies the struggle against these imposed norms. Third, individual liberation and economic independence have a transformative impact on the reconstruction of female identity. The protagonist’s migration to a new city and the accompanying sense of loneliness are portrayed not only as symbols of liberation but also as the cost of resisting patriarchal norms. Alnında Mavi Kuşlar thus provides a significant example of female representation in modern Turkish literature. This study aims to contribute to feminist-oriented research in literature and social sciences by examining the transformation of female identity through the interaction between individual resistance and social norms.transformation.