Gender-Based Violence and the Resilience of Female Characters in Zadie Smith’s Writings

In today’s world, where social justice has become a significant focus of attention, literature emerges as both a reflection and an analytic tool for social problems, addressing them in the individual's life. Gender-based violence remains a pervasive issue in modern society. They take many forms: physical, emotional, psychological, and universal, irrespective of age, class, or geographical boundaries. Zadie Smith, a major voice in modern writing, expertly crafts the narratives that reveal the complexities of racism, identity politics, and gender issues. Smith’s writings poignantly capture the scale and severity of such violence, particularly through the life experiences of her female characters. Often, her female figures grapple with gender violence, reflecting their life experiences in Britain. This paper looks at the extent to which Smith portrays the experiences of women in gender-based violence and the relationship of such experiences with the social context in Britain. In examining the claims of realism related to gender-based violence, Smith underscores the themes of resilience and empowerment present among her female characters. This article also aims at how Zadie Smith’s fictional women call to action: awareness and empathy towards violence against women and promoting gender equity.

Keywords: Gender-based violence, Identity, Race and Resilience