Rethinking the Mother–Daughter Plot: Female Polyphony in Najat El Hachmi's Migration Trilogy.

This article examines the representations of motherhood in the fictional works of Najat El Hachmi, a Catalan-Amazigh writer, through a contrapuntal reading inspired by Edward Said’s method that uncovers silenced female voices within her texts. Focusing on El Hachmi’s migration trilogy—*L'últim patriarca* (The Last Patriarch), *La filla estrangera* (The Foreign Daughter), and *Mare de llet i mel* (Mother of Milk and Honey)—the analysis highlights how linguistic and narrative polyphony complicate traditional mother–daughter and father–daughter plots, giving voice to migrant mothers often marginalized in Western discourse. The novels explore themes of patriarchy, language conflict, and female agency, portraying motherhood as a complex, relational, and plural experience that intersects with cultural, linguistic, and generational tensions. By restoring maternal voices and emphasizing female bonds, El Hachmi’s work challenges stereotypes of migrant mothers and expands understandings of mothering in multicultural societies.