CULTURE AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN IN BUCHI EMECHETA’S THE JOYS OF MOTHERHOOD AND CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE’S PURPLE HIBISCUS
By
Author
Presented To
Department of English and Linguistics
ABSTRACT
Over the years, the major challenge facing the female folk is discrimination and unfair treatment in the society. This work discusses cultural practices that discriminate against women. This research work is a critical analysis of two African novels: Buchi Emecheta’s The Joy of motherhood, and Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus. For secondary sources, materials were got from the internet and library. It is discovered that several cultural practices discriminate and oppress the female folks. Such practices are identified in the selected texts for this work and critically examined. It is hoped that an awareness of such practices will eventually eradicate the social inequalities that are engendered by such practice in the African society
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
11 Purpose of Study
12 Scope and Limitation
13 Research Problems
14 Research Methodology
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
20 Introduction
21 Origin of Feminism
211 Definition of Feminism
212 Aims of Feminism
213 Types of Feminism
214 Feminists in Africa
220 Discrimination
221 Type of Discrimination
222 Discrimination against Women
230 Cultural Against Women
231 Subordination of Women
232 Female Oppression in Widowhood Practices
233 Female Genital Cutting/Female Circumcision
234 Polygamous Practices
235 Female Sacrifice
Background Information on Buchi Emecheta and a Synopsis of the Joys of
Motherhood
Chimamanda Adichie (Purple Hibiscus)
CHAPTER THREE
30 Introduction
31 Practices against Women
311 Preference of Male over Female Child
312 Polygamous Practices
312
1 Acquisition of Concubine
3122 Disrespect to Legal Wives
3123 Multiple Wives
313 Maltreatment of Wives by Husbands
3131 Wife Battering
3132 Denial of Marital Rights
3133 Dereliction of Duties
314 Marriage and Bride Price
315 Female Sacrifice
3151 Sacrifice of Life/salve Murder
3152 Sacrifice to Gods
3153 Sacrifice to Marriage
316 Widowhood Practices
3161 Marriage to Deceased's Brother
3162 Maltreatment of Widows
3163 Effect of Widowhood Practices on Families
32 Cultural Beliefs about Motherhood
321 Child Bearing (Male)
332 Ensure Peace and Order
323 Valuing Children
324 Being a Prisoner
33 Survival of Women without Men
34 Conclusion
CHAPTER FOUR
ANALYSIS OF PURPLE HIBISCUS
40 Introduction
41 Discrimination against women in Purple Hibiscus
411 Violence against women
4111 Wife Battering
4112 Wife Enslavery
4113 Wife Desertion
412 Preference of male to female child
413 Maltreatment of women by men
414 Interference in families
42 Child Upbringing
43 Effect of Parentage on Children
44 Effects of Discrimination on Women
45 Survival of women without men
46 Conclusion
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
50 Introduction
51 Summary
52 Findings
53 Conclusion
54 Recommendations
Bibliography
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Throughout history women generally have had fewer legal rights and career opportunities than men, wifehood and womanhood were considered as women's most significant professions, and they were long considered naturally weaker than men Their rights and being were taken for granted Silence became the virtue of women but with education, the silence was broken Chambers 21stcentury dictionary (2004, p 327) says:
Culture is the custom, ideas, values etc of a particular civilization, society or social group, especially at a particular time, and the appreciation of art, music, literature etc improvement and development through care and training
Reuters T (2011, p1) reports that; "Discrimination is to distinguish, single out, or make a distinction in everyday life, when faced with more than one option" For the purpose of this research, the definition of women in chambers 21st century dictionary (2004, p1631) will be used "women generally: the female sex" Wikipedia (2010) assert that; "discrimination against women is the attitude and beliefs in relation to the female gender that they are less important, such beliefs and attitudes are of social nature and do not normally carry any legal consequences"
With these definitions, we can therefore define culture and discrimination against women as the cultural practices against the female folks that support men Discrimination against women has become customs passed from generations to generations In African, many cultural practices are against women Women are beaten by husbands and are always blamed for not been able to produce children Even when it is not confirmed that they are responsible for the marital problems, they suffer for those problems Married woman could be replaced at anytime by their husbands because culture supports that men could marry many women
Female children are not always given the best upbringing; they are trained in the kitchen, instead of school Male children are brought up well because they are known to be the people who will take their family from generations to generation Therefore, with the use of Buchi Emecheta's work, The Joys of Motherhood, many discriminatory acts against woman will be analyzed; to signify the cultural practices discriminating against women Also, through the works of Chimamanda Adichie; Purple Hibiscus, discrimination against women will be identified Cultural practices discriminating against women have been on for long and needs to stop
11 PURPOSE OF STUDY
The study intends to examine culture and discrimination against women, using two carefully selected novels as primary data, Buchi Emecheta's The Joys of Motherhood and chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Purple Hibiscus Using radical Feminism to show that women should be treated equally as men and that gender differences is no excuse for discrimination This research work aim at bringing out how cultural practices affect women, the pain it brings and the survival of women
12 JUSTIFICATION
Researchers over the year have worked on how to stop gender inequality, especially discrimination against women However it is important we know that some cultural practices affect women
This study is therefore embarked on to discuss the aspects of culture discriminating against women Two aspects will be studied in this research the cultural aspect representing the old using The Joys of Motherhood and the religion aspect representing the modern period using Purple Hibiscus
It is hoped that the proper analysis of this work will ginger writers to the awareness that much needs to be done on gender inequality in the society This work will also contribute to the body of knowledge, and the society in general especially to the feminist and female folks
13 SCOPE AND LIMITATION
The researcher finds it difficult to bring out so many cultural practices discriminating against women, as a result of limited time coupled with financial constrain available for the study
As such this work will analyse culture and discrimination against women only in two selected novels The research will also limit its scope on some materials from the library, internet and the two selected novels: Buchi Emecheta and Chimamanda The Joys of Motherhood and Purple Hibiscus respectively
14 RESEARCH PROBLEMS
Women have for long been discriminated against, oppressed and not given equal rights in life and in literary works, also we cannot but obey the customs and traditions of our land, however some cultural practices affect women
Thus, this study will investigate how some cultural practices discriminate against women, what women go through because of traditional beliefs and their survival
15 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This research work intends to carry out an investigation on culture and discrimination against women, through the proper analysis of the two carefully selected novels Buchi Emecheta and Chimamande Adichie: The Joys of Motherhood and Purple Hibiscus respectively In analyzing these books radical feminism will be used Sotunsa (2008, p11) reports that:
Radical Feminism argues that, women's oppression storms from being categorized as inferior to men on the basis of gender Therefore radical Feminism aim to destroy the sex classed system
The researcher uses radical Feminism to challenge male control This work will present radical female protagonists, desperate to achieve their aim, not minding the consequences of their action Through the female characters in the two selected novels, proper analysis of how cultural practices discriminate against women will be identified
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