IMAGES OF THE AFRICAN WOMAN IN BUCHI EMECHETA S FICTIONAL WORKS '/ BY M. OKENG'O MATIANG'I A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts (Literature) in the University of Nairobi. THI8 THESI8 UAS PKBN ACCEPTED PUi, 9- ...LA TBE DF-GBPE \NI) a COPY BE K .X KD LN THB UNIX KttolTY 1.11<k j H V UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI LIBRAHY O f SlAIBOJf liebaay Ui-'T OF n/ '31 <HKAHY DECLARATION This thesis is my own original work and has not been presented for a degree in any other University. This thesis has been submitted for examination with our approval as University Supervisors. PROFESSORkZIARUNJI CHESAINA Department of Literature - University of Nairobi ■ / , i MRS WANJIKU MUKABI KABIRA Department of Literature - University of Nairobi i DEDICATION To: My Cousin Job G. Ong'ombe who sacrificed so much for my studies. His conspicuous generosity and sincere friendship will never be forgotten;Professor Francis Davis Imbuga, my great teacher and his wife Mabel. They played my father and mother and patiently put me up throughout my two year course. I have never seen a more humane couple; and lastly to my loving sisters and brother John who kept me going in the face of uncertain financial circumstances. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I am immensely indebted to a number of people and institutions for their assistance in studies. I am so thankful to the University of Nairobi for offering me a chance to pursue post­ graduate work in Literature. 1 am so grateful to my principal supervisor Professor Ciarunji Chesaina for being in the first place, understanding and tolerant. Her speed and sharp criticism enabled me to complete my work in good time. I owe my second supervisor Mrs Wanjiku Kabira deep gratitude for being motherly and understanding. Her ability to offer tenacious criticism and challenging opinions is most admirable. I thank my dad and mom, Japheth and Rosaria Matiang'i who have always lived for me. They have always struggled for my educations am equally grateful to Egerton University for offering me the position of Assistantship while I was writing my thesis. This enabled me access to extra academic facilities that strengthened my research. I cannot forget to express my deepest gratitude to Professor Chris L. Wanjala, Chairman, Department of Literature at Egerton University. He was so understanding and encouraging. His constant concern and advice saw me develop my intuitions and insights. I extend heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Gachanja Kiai of Kenyatta University's Department of Literature for offering insightful criticisms and suggestions. My friends in College like Mokoyone Andrew Rasugu, Momanyi Okioma, Justus Inyega and Reuben Nyandoro, my classmates Wako Fugich, Margaret Kitonga, Magak and Joni Nderito are a bunch of unforgettable companions. The encouraging and U;-!!V?.*WTY OF N* 'lfM i KENYATTA LIBRARY warm friendship of Edward Mirambo and Alfred Okong'o was always handy in times of despair. My nephews Enock and Jeremiah Nyakundi and my sweet nieces Moraa, Sophy Bosibori, Emmah and Ruth deserve special thanks for their love. Lastly, I thank Lucy Mageria for typing this work. TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION...................................................................................i DEDICATION.....................................................................................ii ACK NO WLE DG EME NT ....................................................iii ABSTRACT............................................................................................1 INTRODUCTION...............................................................................3 CHAPTER ONE The Writer and Her works................................................. 18 CH A PTE R TWO Emecheta's Thematic Concerns.........................................28 CHAPTER THREE Characterization.....................................................................44 CHAPTER FOUR Language use and style........................................................57 CONCLUSION....................................................................................68 B I B L I O G R A P H Y ....................................................................72 Abstract The study is a literary analysis of the images of the African woman in Buchi Emecheta's fictional works. Four texts that more exhaustively handle the issues surrounding the image and position of the African woman were selected. The first section of the study is devoted to the writer and her works. Within this section a survey is done to demonstrate that the works of fiction under study have been greatly influenced by the author's own personal life experi­ ences. An exploration of Emecheta's main thematic concerns is then done. This study discusses particularly the themes that deal with the position and personality of the African woman. The study especially looks at the themes of motherhood, the enslavement, by tradition and man, of the African woman and that of liberation and the African woman's future. The study proceeds to examine characters and characterisation in the texts under study. The central focus here is on the principle female characters because their integral position in the works is artistically purposeful. The primary female characters also help delineate particular themes that the artist wishes to portray. After an examination of the main characters, conclusions are arrived at: that Emacheta depicts the images of motherhood, the innocent African woman, a receptive and dynamic woman and lastly the educated and assertive one, best exemplified in Miss Bulewao of Double Yoke. The study does an analysis of language use and style that Buchi uses and how they assist her to achieve her intended goals. It would appear, from the study, that Emecheta uses symbolism and irony to portray the painful reality of the African woman's position. She also uses the speeches of her characters to demonstrate how gender differences also mean differences in behavioural traits. The centrality of female characters, the use of linear plot patterns and 1 the narrative method are also features of style discussed in this section. Lastly, the study comes up with conclusions about images of women in Buchi's works. We conclude that Buchi Emecheta is sensitive to the position of the African woman. We also conclude that given her background and the fact that her socio-cultural orientation informs her creativity, then her perception of the issues revolving around the plight and position of the African woman is different from a male author's. 2 INTRODUCTION Statement of the Problem The portrayal of the African woman in African Literature has been a matter of great critical interest. Some literary critics have argued that, with the exception of a few, male creative writers, who dominate African literature, have depicted the African woman negatively (Aidoo 1986, Davies 1986, Smith 1986, Busia 1986, Leslie 1987 and Chesaina 1987). The same critics single out three African male writers; Sembene Ousmane, Mongo Beti and Ngugi wa Thiongo, as the only African male writers who have attempted to portray women positively. Otherwise, in their view, African women have been pre­ sented as lesser beings; generally inferior to men,people who 'cannot think beyond the beds upon which they hide for the night' (Imbuga 1979). The depiction of the African woman has been predominantly done with stereotypes. For instance, the Sweet- mother stereotype is relatively common in African literature. This image has a negative connotation that makes the African woman look the all accepting creature of fecundity and self-sacrifice. Such utopian figure is often-conflated with mother Africa with eternal and abstract beauty (Leslie 1978:6). On the basis of this understanding, the - foremost task of this study is to investigate how Buchi Emecheta portrays the African woman in her fictional works. We will attempt to answer the question whether or not she differs from male authors in her depiction of the African woman. In a paper presented at the second African Writers' Conference Stock­ holm Sweden (1986) Buchi remarked that: For myself... Being a woman and African bom, I see things through an African woman's eyes. This assertion is a pointer to the crux of our study. In a way, Emecheta concurs with a number of views advanced by some critics in an attempt to 3 explain the dominant negative presentation of the African woman particu­ larly by male creative authors. Perhaps, as the critics have speculated, male writers only observe the woman they do not have a chance of experiencing her plight at first hand. Thus, they are insensitive to her feelings about polygamy, wife beating, wife inheritance and many other aspects of the African woman's life. That is possibly why they do not address themselves to these issues in their works (Brown 1981, Taiwo 1984, Leslie 1987). On the basis of this contention, this study will concern itself with what Emecheta, as a female writer sees'through an African woman's eyes.' For the purposes of our study, we shall zero on our focus specifically to the issues Emecheta handles that affect the African woman. After all, she said in the same forum (op.cit. 182) that: Even if you don't tell me the name of the writer. I can always tell writing done by a woman. May be she has eyes to see more, where men are too blind to see. The problem here that calls for this study's attention is What really does Emecheta as a female writer see that perhaps a male author may be 'too blind to see?' Within the scope of our study also is the question 'What does Buchi see about the African woman? Research Premises This study proceeds from the premise that a female writer's perception of issues is likely to differ from a male writer's. Elaine Showalter (1977) argues that the advent of female literature promises woman's view of life, woman's experience, in other words a new element. Make what distinctions you please in the social world. It still remains true that men and women have different experiences. Showalter gives insight into our view that Buchi Emecheta being a woman, with the chance of experiencing the African woman's life, may present an 4