ABSTRACT: This research work examines Discriminatory Culture against Women in Buchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood and Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus. In view of the two selected novels, the study revealed that African Cultural practices discriminates the female folk and favour of their male counterparts. The study further reveals that the practices affect the female psychological and emotionally as seen in the two selected novels under investigation. Chimamanda Adichie and Buchi Emecheta are on the notion that Africa society should reconstruct various practices like operation that patriarchal domination and self-discrimination that affect the women life span. Based on the findings, the study makes the following recommendations, there should be equal treatment between the male and female children in every household and men should also appreciate their wives effort rather than dominating and causing emotional trauma.
Discriminatory Culture against Women in Buchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood and Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
Feminism is a world wide ideological and political movement that agitates power related between men and women. It is a social movement that is concerned with societal inequality over male domination and the eradication of some cultural discrimination that affect women in African society.
Men and women should enjoy equal rights and women’s decision should be respected (64).
According to Buchi Emecheta, African cultural practices affect women negatively and make women inferior to men. She further posits that:
A woman can work and earn money to care for herself. For African’s culture discriminate women. A rise woman saved all her money for her children’s education (108).
All feminists use literature to explain the injustices done against women and the importance of female existence in the society. All the unjust treatment to woman and discrimination against women in African cultural practices.
According to Chambers dictionary,
“Discrimination of an unjust treatment given to women, people or groups” (34).
Discrimination is a prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category and also actual behaviour toward members of another group.
According to Filene, proposes that:
A woman who shots and coil her husband would be accused of homicide but the shooting of a wife by a husband could be termed a passion shooting often women prostitutes were prosecuted although their male customers were allowed to go free (194).
Considering the above discussion in this research work, it is clear that women are to tuned, most especially through many cultural or traditional practices that are oppressive to women. This brings to us these traditions that discriminate against woman.
According to Lewis:
African cultural practices have been weapons for enforcing women’s obedience. Culture has been seen as an edifice of unchanging institution, traditions and beliefs as well as identities which affect women (107).
Culture blames women who don’t bear children especially male children; they are beaten and accused of witchcraft, Buchi Emecheta posit:
“I pity your idea Amatikwu almost beat you to death because you did not bear him a son. Women are also treated as less important as they can be replaced at any time like new clothes and shoes without quarries” (49).
From the above assertion, women had always suffered or had been adversely affected whenever their husbands betrayed them to marry another woman.
In the old African days, women resolved to “Juju”, black medicine to eliminate each other from their husband’s home, leaving out their men who were the main cause of polygamy. Women fought and still fight against polygamy because it hurts their bride and above all, betrayed the trust which they had in their men. A woman in her right sense will never want another woman to be her husband’s other woman no matter what. Therefore, feminism strongly speaks and advocates women’s independence and freedom.
1.2 Statement of the problem
Culturally, the female folks are known to be less important in making laws, training children, speaking their minds, females are always very silent, man are the ones who have the right to make laws which women must obey even in family meetings. It is also discovered that, mothers do not have a say over her child husband’s house due to male domination in the family. This assertion can be seen when a father beats the children, yet the mother cannot do anything. In the same way, female children traditionally, one not recognized; they are seen as asserts through which they send the male children to school, while females are not always sent to school.
1.3 Purpose of the study
The main thrust of this research work is to critically examine discriminatory culture against women in Buchi Emecheta’s The Joy of Motherhood and Chimamanda Ngugi Adicie’s Purple Hibiscus. The study will also examine the injustice that is perpetrated against women and the importance of female existence in the society.
Discriminatory Culture against Women in Buchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood and Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus
1.4 Significance of the study
This research work will be of immense significance to English and literature students’ world wide. The study shall also be significant to other researchers who may like to examine the African culture which discriminate female folks and inequality written.
1.5 Research Methodology
The research will focus primarily on Emecheta’s The Joy of Motherhood and Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus as its main source while other like library, internet, and other works of feminists writers will be added as it secondary sources. Therefore, it is library research method.
1.6 Scope and Limitation of the study
The scope and limitations of this work will be limited to Buchi Emecheta’s The Joy of Motherhood and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus.
