ڈاکٹر نجیبہ عارف کے ناول ”مکھوٹا“ کا نفسیاتی و سماجی مطالعہ

Abstract

In Mukhota, Dr. Najeeba Arif highlights the fracturing layers of individual and collective identity within the rural and urban landscape of Punjab through a complex web of postmodern narration. Divided into three sections “Dhoop” (Sunlight), “Saaye” (Shadows), and “Teeragi” (Darkness) the novel presents Salima’s educational struggle and her pursuit of self-realization amid historical upheavals, class-bound constraints, and psychological dilemmas. Through the use of intertextuality, metafiction, and symbolic imagery, the narrative explores existential loss, the conflict between appearance and reality, and the effects of migration. Ultimately, Mukhota frames the “mask” as a personal and cultural metaphor, inviting the reader to reflect on the hidden costs of progress and the inner journey toward coherence