Abstract: This research examined the Socio-Cultural Discrimination in Buchi Emecheta’s the Joys of Motherhood and Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus. Buchi Emecheta is one of the most important female writers to emerge from Nigeria. She is distinguished for her vivid description of female subordination and conflicting cultural values in modern Africa. In Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood Nnu Ego, the protagonist, has to suffer as a wife both in the tribal environment in which she was born and the urban community in which she is compelled to live the rest of her life. Nnu Ego has to suffer because these two environments have different cultures. She falls a victim of the tension of the collision of these two conflicting cultures. This collision occurs between the institutions of the traditional Ibo society and the institution of Western Europe.
Socio-Cultural Discrimination in Buchi Emecheta’s the Joys of Motherhood and Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Socio-cultural discrimination and practices are the distinctive, spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features that characterize a society or a social group. There have been a lot of researches conducted on the issue of socio-cultural discrimination, suppression, deprivation, humiliation, disillusionment and gender bias in the writings of Buchi Emecheta and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie works. Their works calls for the attention of African cultural practices that discriminate the female folks and favours the male folks. Similarly, they wrote novels about the suffering, oppression and struggle of African women in a contemporary African society and seek for the attention of women in the traditional African settings.
The above instance is seen in Sam Adewoye’s The Role of Women in Traditional Literature. He says: women are not given their due recognition. “Pre-literate women suffered the strike of tragedy as literate men do not want to accord them their due recognition” (12). Women are said to be set of people who seek freedom and liberation from the unfortunate situation in which they find themselves.
The extract above by Adewoye buttresses how women lacks social recognition and cultural rights in African society. Emecheta and Adichie’s works kick against socio-cultural discrimination, polygamy and its objectification of women as sex objects and personal properties own by men. They further explore the role of contemporary African women concerning their right in the society.
To Emecheta and Adichie, women need recognition and participation on societal activities as their male counterparts. They want equal right as men politically, occupationally, socially and educationally. They do not want to suffer of discrimination, segregation and victimization from the masculine gender but emancipation and cultural right.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Buchi Emecheta and Ngozi Adicie have been recognized through their works which make them prominent African feminist writers. They use their works to show what African women face in modern Nigeria society and give reasons why they should be treated equally.
Their works therefore promote equality for men and women in political, economic, educational, traditional and social spheres.
1.3 The Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study seeks to examine socio-cultural discrimination in Buchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood and Chimamanda Adicie’s Purple Hibiscus.
1.4 Significance of the Study
The study will be significant to Nigerian women to enable their rights being given a fair hearing in the society. The study will also enlighten broad knowledge of the history of women domination in Africa in the life students of English and literature as well as the lovers of literature.
The findings of this study will equally make some men in the society who beats and discriminate their female children and favour the male ones for the betterment of the society.
Socio-Cultural Discrimination in Buchi Emecheta’s the Joys of Motherhood and Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus
1.5 Objectives of the study
The objectives of this study are to:
- examine socio-cultural discrimination in Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood and Adicie’s Purple Hibiscus
- analyse the causes of socio-cultural discrimination in African society and how it affects the women psychologically.
- seek for equality and treatment of both sexes in the society and look for solutions to the above mention challenges.
1.6 Research Methodology
This study will make use of Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood and Adicie’s Purple Hibiscus as its main sources. While the secondary sources will be on materials from library, African feminist novels academic journals and internet works.
1.7 Scope and delimitation of the Study
The scope of this study is delimited to the works of Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood and Adicie’s Purple Hibiscus.
