This thesis examined the representation of feminine identity in Pearl Cleage's What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day through a postcolonial-feminist lens. The analysis drew from the perspectives of Edward Said, Homi K. Bhabha, and bell hooks, who have provided valuable theoretical frameworks to understand the intersections of postcolonialism, feminism, and identity in literature. The present study explored how Cleage's work reflected the experiences of black women, examining the ways in which the characters would navigate postcolonial and feminist considerations while negotiating their individual identities. By employing Said's notion of Orientalism, Bhabha's ideas of cultural hybridity, mimicry, ambivalence, and the third space, along with hooks's concept of intersectionality, this thesis illuminated the complex relationships between race, gender, and power within the text. This thesis uncovered the dynamics of power, resistance, and agency that shaped Ava's journey towards self-empowerment, liberation, and the reclamation of her own narrative. Finally, the findings of this research led to a deeper understanding of how literary representations of feminine identity could provide insights into the diverse experiences of marginalized individuals and the complex dynamics of postcolonial and feminist struggles.
