Culture and Discrimination against Women in Buchi Emecheta The Joys Of Motherhood
Abstract
This study explores culture and discrimination against women in Buchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood. The study has shown that over the years, the major challenges facing the female folks are discrimination and unfair treatment in the society. It is also discovered that several cultural practices discriminates and oppresses the female folks.
Such practices are identified in the selected text for this research work and critically examined. The researcher uses 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 .
Therefore, it is hoped that an awareness of such practices will eventually be eradicates, the social inequalities that are engendered by such practices in African Society. Finally, the study recommends that the study of literature should be made compulsory to secondary school scholars because literature gives the learners insight into realities of life and helps improve the moral etiquette of the students against corrupt practices and other social ills and vices.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Throughout history, women generally have had fewer legal rights and career opportunities than men have. Wifehood and womanhood were considered as women’s most significant professions, and they are long considered naturally weaker than men are. Their rights and being are taken for granted. Silence becomes the virtue of women but with education, the silence is broken. Chambers 21st. century dictionary says:
Culture is the custom, ideas, values of a particular civilization, society or social group, especially at a particular time, and the appreciation of art, music, literature, improvement and development through care and training. (P.327)
Reuters .T. 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 is used “women generally: the female sex.” (1631) Wikipedia 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 being able to produce children.
Culture and Discrimination against Women in Buchi Emecheta The Joys Of Motherhood
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 work, discrimination against women will be identified. Cultural practices discriminating against women have been on for long and needs to stop.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The level of injustice and negative portrayal of female discrimination in the African society and African literary work have lead to a clash between male and female writers
There is also a problem of literary representation of female characters as “second class citizens” who are mostly being denied of their individual and naturally rights.
Equally, in African literary work, female characters are mostly victims of discrimination as an appendage to male characters. Therefore, this research work seeks to investigate the manner in which female children are discriminated in African society as a result of culture.
1.3 Purpose of Study
The study intends to examine culture and discrimination against women, using carefully selected novel as primary data, Buchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood. 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.
1.4 Significance of the Study
This study is significant in the following ways;
- it reveals some cultural practices that affect the women
- the study reveals the root cause of this cultural practices
iii. the study also helps to correct the negative portrayal of women as second class citizen in African literature .
- Equally, this work helps to bring libration to women in African societies.
- it will also helps to boost love and unity among men and women and possibly put an end to the clash between men and women
1.5 Research Methodology
This research work intends to carry out an investigation on culture and discrimination against women, through the proper analysis in two carefully selected novels Buchi Emecheta: The Joys of Motherhood. In analyzing these books, radical feminism will be used.
Finally, the researcher will use the two novels as primary source of information, while sources like internet will be used for more collection of data.
1.6 Objectives of the Study
- The objective of this research work is to specifically ascertain why women are being discriminated in African society using Buchi Emecheta: The Joys of Motherhood
- To examine and investigate how culture affects women in African fiction.
iii. To also examine the effect of culture and discrimination against women.
1.7 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 analyze 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: The Joys of Motherhood.
1.8 Bio-Data of Buchi Emecheta
Buchi Emecheta, the author of The Joys of Motherhood, was born in 1944 of Ibuza parentage but brought up in Lagos. In 1982 she became a graduate of sociology from the London University before coming to University of Calabar, where she was appointed a senior research fellow in the department of English and literary studies. Buchi won the 1978 Rock Campbell award. Her novels have so much impact that she was described by Sunday times journalist as ’a natural born water’ when she published Second-class Citizen.
Work Cited
Reuters .T. Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus and the Issue of Feminism African Novel, Nigeria: Federal University Oye- Ekiti,Journal of Literature and Art Studies, June 2015.
Mairi Robinson, George W. Davidson, Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, Chambers, 1999
Culture and Discrimination against Women in Buchi Emecheta The Joys Of Motherhood
Culture and Discrimination against Women in Buchi Emecheta The Joys Of Motherhood
Culture and Discrimination against Women in Buchi Emecheta The Joys Of Motherhood
Culture and Discrimination against Women in Buchi Emecheta The Joys Of Motherhood
Culture and Discrimination against Women in Buchi Emecheta The Joys Of Motherhood
Culture and Discrimination against Women in Buchi Emecheta The Joys Of Motherhood
Culture and Discrimination against Women in Buchi Emecheta The Joys Of Motherhood
Culture and Discrimination against Women in Buchi Emecheta The Joys Of Motherhood
Culture and Discrimination against Women in Buchi Emecheta The Joys Of Motherhood
Culture and Discrimination against Women in Buchi Emecheta The Joys Of Motherhood
Culture and Discrimination against Women in Buchi Emecheta The Joys Of Motherhood
Culture and Discrimination against Women in Buchi Emecheta The Joys Of Motherhood
Culture and Discrimination against Women in Buchi Emecheta The Joys Of Motherhood
Culture and Discrimination against Women in Buchi Emecheta The Joys Of Motherhood
Culture and Discrimination against Women in Buchi Emecheta The Joys Of Motherhood
Culture and Discrimination against Women in Buchi Emecheta The Joys Of Motherhood
Culture and Discrimination against Women in Buchi Emecheta The Joys Of Motherhood
Culture and Discrimination against Women in Buchi Emecheta The Joys Of Motherhood
