A Terrible Matriarchy is a story of an unpleasant grandmother and a girl child. The protagonist, Dielieno, the youngest in a five-child family was only five years old when she’s sent to live with her grandmother, Vibano, who wanted her to “be a good worker”. The little girl Dielieno undergoes a hard life mainly because of her grandmother’s perspective on girl child.The protagonist, Dielieno, experiences a double bind: societal expectations for women enforced by her domineering grandmother, and the emerging influences of modernization. The paper analyzes how the novel critiques the limitations placed on women under the guise of tradition, particularly the grandmother’s role in perpetuating gendered oppression. It further explores how Dielieno navigates this tension, potentially seeking agency and empowerment through embracing aspects of modernity. By examining the characters' struggles and choices, the paper aims to shed light on the challenges faced by women in a society grappling with change, while also considering the importance of cultural heritage