Breaking patriarchal chains in Nwapa’s women are different and one is enough
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Date
2021
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Publisher
Springer, Cham.
Abstract
Patriarchy system has been a long debate in African research community. Many researchers have been portraying patriarchy as a hindrance to women empowerment and thus development. However, the means on how can this system be broken has not been given much attention. Therefore, this paper is intending to uncover the said gap by showing how Nwapa’s Women are Different and One is Enough is breaking patriarchal chains. The study which gave rise to this paper employed largely qualitative approach that relied on textual interpretation and analysis. The books under review were purposively selected from Nwapa’s works. It was found that the means by which patriarchy chains can be broken include changing the mindset or perception of the community about women, breaking traditional chains fettering women, unleashing different potentials of women and alternative lifestyles of women. It is therefore concluded that it is difficult to change the community’s perception however, when different capabilities and potentials of women are discovered the mind set can be changed. It was further concluded that women resort to alternative lifestyles such a single parenthood when the traditional marriage which fosters patriarchy including oppression of women does not work. It is recommended that another study to be done closely to examine Nwapa and other writings for the mechanism of breaking patriarchy chains not only in Nigerian community but Africa as whole. Its contribution to knowledge is that African feminist literary scholarship can stand as a weapon in emancipating women from various chains particularly male domination. This broadens the better understanding of women empowerment not from other disciplines but from literature point of view. This empowerment which is manifested in the form of resort to alternative lifestyles uncovers different potentials of women’s capabilities such courage, enterprise and initiative spirits.
Description
Abstract. Full text article available at. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-68836-3_45
Keywords
Patriarchy chains, Women are Different, One is Enough, Patriarchy system, Breaking Patriarchal, Patriarchy, Nwapa, women empowerment
Citation
Thomas, H., Mujwahuzi, L.S. (2021). Breaking Patriarchal Chains in Nwapa’s Women Are Different and One Is Enough. In: Mojekwu, J.N., Thwala, W., Aigbavboa, C., Atepor, L., Sackey, S. (eds) Sustainable Education and Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-68836-3_45