Weapons of the Weak in Ismail Fahd Ismail’s "The Old Woman and the River"

The study aims to examine the hidden resistance of the weak, which is rarely mentioned in historical archives, because those who write history are the people of authority and power. This study adopts a qualitative approach grounded in textual analysis. It draws on James C. Scott’s theory of everyday resistance as a theoretical framework to examine how the weak—who are under the domination—quietly resist for their dignity and survival, as presented in The Old Woman and the River by Ismail Fahd Ismail. Through close reading and critical interpretation, the study analyzes how forms of invisible resistance are constructed within the narrative. The analysis reveals that Um Qasem’s actions exemplify Scott’s concept of everyday resistance through subtle, indirect, and non-confrontational practices. Her strategies—such as sabotage, feigned ignorance, or even hospitality—function as practical means of survival within an unequal power structure. The study concludes that everyday resistance achieves effective results. Rather than seeking open confrontation, the weak employ modest but purposeful strategies that preserve dignity, belonging, and achieving their private aims. These practices demonstrate that resistance is embedded within ordinary life even in conditions of extreme constraint.