Gender Discourse in Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus and Mariama Ba’s So Long a Letter

Abstract: This research work examines the Gender Discourse in Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus and Mariama Ba’s So Long a Letter. In examining the two authors from a feminist point of view, their works focus on the issue of cultural discrimination, gender violence, patriarchy domination and the effects of polygamy and it affects the women emotionally and psychologically.  Their writings also dramatize the problems faced by women such as oppression, injustice and humiliation in the hands of their husbands as seen in the characters in the novels. In So Long a Letter for instance, Ramatoulaye’s letter to Aissatou expresses her feelings of sadness, humiliation and oppression in the hands of her husband’s unfair treatment and how he abandoned her with twelve children for another wife. Therefore, their writing portrays the above issues affecting the women and also encourages these women to take courageous steps and get themselves out of the obnoxious cultural practices.

Originally posted on February 21, 2021 @ 9:06 am