THE THEME OF DISILLUSIONMENT IN BUCHI EMECHETA’S SECOND CLASS CITIZEN AND AYI ARMAH’S THE BEAUTYFUL ONES ARE NOT YET BORN

ABSTRACT: This study examines the theme of disillusionment in Buchi Emecheta’s second class citizen and Ayi Armah’s the beautyful ones are not yet born. The study identifies causes of disillusionment in the two novels as; political propagandas, socio-political disillusionment, political corruption, cultural discrimination, oppression, suppression, sexual abuse and patriarchal domination. In The Beautyful Ones Are Not YetBorn, the author shows the greed and insatiableness of African politicians soon after independence. He uses characters like Joseph Koomson and Estella who use their positions to embezzle public funds and enrich themselves at the detriment of the masses. While in Second Class Citizen, the author portrays how Adah is disillusioned by her husband Francis during and after their movement to United Kingdom and even abandoned her with the children. The study therefore depicts the fact that bribery, corruption, cultural discrimination and disillusionment are the major factors affecting the Nigerian and Ghanaian society today.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   Background to the Study

Since the dawn of time, African has experienced a lot of challenges like exploitation, discrimination, disillusionment, cultural discrimination and socio political domination during after post-colonial period in the hands of the colonial masters.

In the same vein, issues like violence, corruption, negligence are some of the major issues affecting the masses in our contemporary African society. For instance, in Ayi Armah’s The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born, the author portrays corruption, political domination and exploitation as the major issues affecting the poor masses in the Ghanaian society.

On the other hand, Buchi Emecheta as one of the strongest Nigerian writers and Africa as a whole whose novels portrays how women are subordinated and oppressed because, it is a male- dominated society…in other words patriarchal society. Based on Emecheta’s assertion on how women are oppressed in a patriarchal, society critic like Simon Beauvoir contends that in a patriarchal society, men see women as very different from themselves and this make the women status to reduce to second class (7).

It is on this light the background to this study attempts to examine the theme of disillusionment in Buchi Emecheta’s Second Class Citizen and Ayi Armah’s The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born with a view of portraying to the entire African societies how its cultural practices affect the female folks and the socio political domination affecting the poor masses in the society.

For instance; in Iyayi’s Violence   the author exposed the nature of the Nigerian society in various ramifications from political to the economic exploitation of the poor and marginalized the lower social class members of the society. He sees the Nigerian society how the poor are exploited in the socio-political structure and how these poor masses pass through various social injustices and domination by the rich. For instance, Idemudia, Osaro, Patrick Mama and Papa Jimoh are characters who are exploited by Obofun and his wife Queen.

The analysis portrays a clear picture of how the masses are exploited and disillusioned in African society as seen in the two plays in this research work.

1.2       Statement of the Problem

The African novel has been a mirror of societal values and beliefs. It is on this point this research work is embarked to expose how socio cultural discrimination affects the women and corruption, exploitation and political disillusionment affect the poor masses in African societies in the novels under investigation.

 

1.3       Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this work is to identify the theme of disillusionment in Buchi Emecheta’s Second Class Citizen and Ayi Armah’s The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born.

 

1.4       Significance Of the Study

The work will be of significance to their researchers who would want to research on disillusionment in the two works. The study will also be of importance to English and literary students about the happenings in the society.

1.5       Research Methodology

The major sources of this work will be on Emecheta’s Second Class Citizen and Armah’s The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born. The secondary sources of the study will basically be on internet sources, academic journals, novels from other literary writers will be used as its secondary sources of the study for more information.

THE THEME OF DISILLUSIONMENT IN BUCHI EMECHETA’S SECOND CLASS CITIZEN AND AYI ARMAH’S THE BEAUTYFUL ONES ARE NOT YET BORN

Originally posted on April 25, 2021 @ 8:39 am