Gender Issues in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus and Nawal El Saadavis Woman at Point Zero
Chapter One
Aim and objectives of study
The aim of this study is to describe the existence of gender issues in the Nigerian novel and its depiction in Nawal el Saadawi’s woman at point zero and Chimamanda Adichie‘s purple hibiscus. This research is premised on the fact that literature is a chronicler of society through which societal issues are analysed with a view to making the society better.
The specific objectives are to:
- Describe the texts selected for this study by the thematic preoccupation and character delineation show culture and tradition as strong factors in sex differentiation and the creation of gender identities.
- Examine in a social context the constructed roles and identities contribute to social cruelty in patriarchal societies.
- Explain how dialectics of gender issues can be better understood when approached from the theoretical perspectives of Max Weber‘s Power and Radical Feminist theories.
- Examine feminist exploration of the bildungsroman in purple hibiscus and female mutilation in woman at point zero.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Theoretical Framework
The aim of this study has been carried out using a multi-theoretical dimension related to structural violence. Max Weber‘s first theory of power was used by means of the structure of traditional authority and the Radical feminist theory. Although feminists have often used a variety of terms to refer to this kind of relation, including ‗oppression‘, patriarchy‘, and subjection‘ etc, the common thread in these analyses is an understanding of power not only as power-over, but as a specific kind of power-over relation, namely, one that is unjust or illegitimate. Therefore, this thesis takes on a postmodern approach to knowledge where focus lies within the context that Radical Feminism as Theoretical Framework
Many theories have been developed concerning gender inequality but this thesis is concerned with the theory of the radical feminists. Hydén & Månssojn (2007, p. 267) explains that the radical feminist theory is based on an analyses of society’s power structure. The theory argues that the existing power in place is a polarised patriarchy which means that women get subordinated because societal‘s structure is patriarchal. Furthermore, the authors explain that men’s oppression of women is the primary form of oppression. According to Valerie Bryson (1999), radical feminists see women as ‗an oppressed group who had to struggle for their own liberation against the oppressors; that is against men‘. Pamela Abbott, Claire Wallace and Melissa Tyler (2005) argue that radical feminism is ‗concerned with women rights rather than gender inequality‘. That is why radical feminists wish to challenge the prevailing gender power structure and overturn it, the authors conclude.
The Emergence of the Theory
There are many theories on feminism which try to explain the woman experience and how women can overcome the problems they face in society. Some of these theories include; social and Marxist feminism which see capitalism rather than patriarchy as the source of women‘s oppression and capitalists as the main beneficiaries. Although they agree that women suffer exploitation, but this exploitation is attributed to lack of ownership to the means of production and economic dependence. They believe that women‘s unpaid work as housewives and mothers are some of the ways women are exploited. They see the inferior position of women as linked to class based capitalistic system and family structure within the system. They want to see a society where the means of production will be communally owned.
Another type of feminism is Liberal Feminism which takes a liberal stance on the gender issue. First, it posits that all people are created equal and that culture and attitudes of individuals are responsible for promoting gender conflict and nobody benefits from making one gender subordinate to the other. Rather there should be the creation of equal opportunities to both male and females in all spheres of life. It sees education as a means of change. Critics view liberal feminism as failing to properly situate problems of exploitation of women into structural sources of inequality. The radical feminist theory which is the analytical framework for this thesis, posits that women‘s oppression is the fundamental oppression at the root of all other societal problems. It sees sexism as the core of patriarchy especially in the family and it focuses on violence against women in form of rape, sexual harassment, incest, domestic violence etc.
CHAPTER THREE
Woman at Point Zero
Woman at Point Zero is a novel written by Nawal El Saadawi who is often called the mother of Arab Feminism. This novel is based on the true event where the writer meets Firdaus, the protagonist of this novel in a jail in Egypt. The writer got very much attracted towards Firdaus as she was the only person she has ever met in her life who wanted to die. She didn’t even appeal for life time imprisonment instead of the death sentence. She was a very quiet girl who just had one wish to die. The writer got so enchanted to know her story, but Firdaus refused to meet her like she refused to meet others. But the writer never gave upthe wish to meet her and finally she got the chance as Firdaus agreed to meet her. Firdaus’slife was full of struggle and sufferings caused to her by the males in her life. This made her hate men so much that she just wanted to die to free herself from this society which is patriarchal. “But with each of men I ever knew, I always overcome by a strong desire to lift my arm high up over my head and bring my hand smashing down on his face”(112). Firdaus narrated her story to the writer by putting light on various aspects of life prevalent in the society which dominates women at every step.
CHAPTER FOUR
The Reconstruction of childhood Personae in Purple Hibiscus
‘And the first step… is always what matters most, particularly when we are dealing with the young and tender. This is the time when they are taking shape and when any impression we choose to make leaves a permanent mark’ (Plato (428-348BC: cited in Clarke and Clarke, 2000, p 11).
The term, childhood‘is generally recognized as a socially constructed phenomenon. The construction of childhood identity is thus dependent on culturally determined behavior of a given society. Therefore, it is inevitable that the socialization of the girl-child will be marked by the existence of distinct gender roles. This is because the role which is often seen as ideal for the girl ,is a being whose purpose is derived from the existence of another, whether husband, father or extended family and whose locus is the home or household. Often, this is done with the objective of turning the girl into a good wife/ mother as the hallmark of a successful woman. Consequently, she becomes unassertive, dependent, controlled and subservient to the male.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
Summary
This study was conducted to describe the existence of gender issues in the Nigerian novel and its depiction in Nawal el Saadawi’s woman at point zero and Chimamanda Adichie‘s purple hibiscus and also explain how dialectics of gender issues can be better understood when approached from the theoretical perspectives of Max Weber‘s Power and Radical Feminist theories. Weber believes people may be willing to accept inferiority when the person concerned believes in achieving his/her goal. Thus, the power does not arise by a superior force crushing an inferior force, but by people choosing to become subject of the power. Radical feminists see women as an oppressed group who had to struggle for their own liberation against the oppressors; that is against men. Pamela Abbott, Claire Wallace and Melissa Tyler (2005) argue that radical feminism is concerned with women rights rather than gender inequality‘. That is why radical feminists wish to challenge the prevailing gender power structure and overturn it, the authors conclude.
Conclusion
Based on finding of the study, it could be concluded that women across the globe face the discrimination based on gender which not only leaves a physical scar on their bodies but a mental scar as well which is hard to erase. Women haverealised their importance and they have been fighting for their rights from long back and it is still prevalent as it has not been achieved yet. The discrimination against women is an old story now and it differs from country to country. Emma Watson, a well-known English actress in her UN speech initiated a new step by launching a campaign known as He or She campaign as according to her it is important to include men for the fight of women emancipation. This wave of feminism is prevalent across the world including the Third World countries as well. Nawal El Saadawi in her book Woman at Point Zero beautifully portrays the condition of Egyptian women particularly Firdaus who is the main protagonist of the novel.
This novel is based on a true event where Nawal met Firdaus in a jail who was a criminal and was soon to be hanged for the murder which she has committed. The interesting thing was that Firdaus was not appealing for life time imprisonment instead of death penalty and demanded death. Nawal got very curious to know about her life and finally Firdausnarrated her whole life story which was full of sufferings and struggle done to her by the men in her life and the society. Actually Firdaus was tired of this male dominated society and death was the only source of emancipation for her.
The study also shows that Adichie and her female characters are progressive voices advocating for change in the way society treats women and the marginalized. As a writer, Adichie is a contemporary voice from a growing body of women writers who require serious consideration as the African society grapples with gender, violence, religious bigotry, tribalism and other social inequalities. Her works challenge the already established structures of the repressive male order at both domestic and national levels.
It has been established that since the post-colonial era in Nigeria, various voices of women expressing their concerns about the subjugation of women and other issues affecting the growth of the Nigerian female have been heard. Nonetheless, issues like gender–based violence, religious extremism, domestic abuse and violence are seldomly introduced in post-colonial literature in the works of first generation female writers, unlike the writings of the new generation of women writers like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Through her writings, it is established that patriarchy is an ideology that seeks to show that a woman‘s main purpose in life was to be a mother and a wife and this categorization affects different women regardless their educational status.
References
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