Kaukab in Maps for Lost Lovers, by Nadeem Aslam: Representing and Subverting the Unspeakability of the Subaltern

In Maps for Lost Lovers (2004), Kaukab is the mother of a Pakistani family living in a close-knit community of an English town. Although she feels isolated in the British society due to her poor knowledge of English, she is presented as a dominant woman in her household. Nadeem Aslam introduces an ambivalent character that must confront opposite discourses in the aftermath of the murder of her in-law and his lover. The aim of this article is to show not only how Kaukab fulfils the category of the subaltern proposed by Spivak but also how she subverts it. For such purpose, the context and the role of the reader will be key aspects to define in which way the unspeakability of the subaltern can be challenged and still remain a subaltern.