The treatment of the theme of women's identity and self-definition in the fictional works of Mariama ba, bessie head and buchi emecheta
Abstract
The present study is an analysis of how three major African female
writers deal with the theme of identity and self-definition. Proceeding
from an African feminist literary criticism's framework, the work
focuses on how the writers navigate the contours of African culture,
religion and social prejudices to bring out concerns of African women.
The work primarily analyses the portrayal of the main female
characters in the fictional writings of the writers under study. It then
proceeds to explore the various impediments to the women's clear
identity and a self designed definition. A close reading of the fictional
works of these writers reveals that identity and self-definition IS a
central theme common in the three writers' works. The study also
,arrives at the conclusion that the African female writers put at the top
of their creative objective, the issue of women's identity and
self-definition. Through an analysis of the main female characters, the
study also demonstrates that most of them die deeply committed to
mediating their identity and self-definition in the face of the militating
cultures of Africa, Islam and the myths that have sustained them for
years.
The study ends with suggestions on other possible issues that should
be studied in furtherance of the present understanding of African
women's quest for a better identity and self-definition
Citation
Ph.D Thesis 1999Sponsorhip
University of NairobiPublisher
Depatment of Linguistics, University of Nairobi
Description
Ph.D Thesis