Reimagining Mythological Illusions in Usman T. Malik’s “#Spring Love #Pichal Pairi”: A Critical Discourse Analysis

Abstract

This paper examines how contemporary Pakistani speculative fiction writers have experimented with various writing styles by analysing Usman T. Malik’s (2021) short story, “#Spring Love #Pichal Pairi”. One of the most significant styles is the incorporation of mythological elements from folktales into contemporary writing. This study will examine the text’s discourse structures,  mythological elements, and socio-cultural elements through the lens of Fairclough’s (1995)  Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). Using a qualitative analysis, this study closely examines the interplay of different voices, perspectives, and cultural contexts to highlight how “#Spring Love #Pichal Pairi” reinterprets and integrates with traditional mythological narratives in our folktales. Through a detailed CDA analysis, this research highlights how the text challenges and redefines conventional interpretations of mythology, ultimately contributing to broader societal, cultural and political discourses in Pakistani Speculative Fiction.