Women and War in Chimammanda Adiche Half of a Yellow Sun and Adimora Ezigbo Roses and Bullets
Women and War in Chimammanda Adiche Half of a Yellow Sun and Adimora Ezigbo Roses and Bullets
ABSTRACT
The bloody Civil War of 1967–1970 has remained one of defining historical moments in the annals of the nation and concomitantly, the most topical issue in Nigerian literature both from the fictional and non-fictional perspectives. Over fifty years after the war, the Nigerian fiction and non-fiction on war continued to depict, from its multi-faceted dimensions, the violence, and pains of the war years.
Much has been said and written about the war and its tragic impact, yet, so much more largely remained unsaid especially on the role of women and the impact of the war on the female gender in the over thirty months of hostility. The role women played in the turbulent period of Nigerian -Biafra civil war and the effect of the war on women are always down-played, thus, reinforcing the idea that women are silent sufferers during wars.
The study adopted a textual analysis of the two literary texts to investigate the role of women during the war as gleaned from purely fictional accounts of the civil war. The two post-war fictional narratives are Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun and Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo’s, Roses and Bullets. With the Caruthian trauma as its theoretical anchor, the study examined several female characters recreated in the novels through which the writers, unconsciously, make serious cases and contentions for the female folk and their participation in the war.
This is in counter-reaction to popular notions of the war which mainly thrive and popularize the masculine side of the narrative. The study concluded on how Adichie and Ezeigbo evolved womanist consciousness to portray the gruesome and traumatic experiences of women during the civil war using the major characters and how they were able to stand on their feet to survive the war which leads to their being seen as unsung heroines.
Women and War in Chimammanda Adiche Half of a Yellow Sun and Adimora Ezigbo Roses and Bullets
CHAPTER ONEs
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
War is a state of hostility, conflict, or antagonism; a struggle or competition between opposing forces, people, or nations for a particular end. This research is predicated on war, with particular reference to the Nigerian Civil War also known as Nigeria-Biafra Civil War. There is no other experience or dreadful event which depicted violence and pains in Nigeria than the Nigerian Civil war.
The Nigerian Civil War which took place between 1967 – 1970 left several indelible marks on the annals of the nation and raised several questions on our viability as one sovereign entity. The events of the period of the Nigerian Civil War have been copiously documented by Nigerian and non- Nigerian writers employing the modes of fiction and non-fiction.
According to Chinyere Nwahunanya, “at some point in Nigeria’s literary history, the Nigerian civil war was the subject matter of popular choice…” (xiii). For Kole Omotoso, “The Nigerian civil war is the most important theme in post-independence Nigerian writing” (The Guardian 12). The Dominance of the civil war theme in post-war Nigerian literature perhaps finds an explanation in Lucien Goldman‟s assertion that: “periods of crises are particularly favourable to the birth of great works of art and of literature, because of the multiplicity of problems and experiences that they bring to men and of the widening of affective and intellectual horizons that they provoke” (50).
War is a contest between nations, states or parties. It is often an action that emerges from a perceived wrong. War in postcolonial Africa cuts across geographical boundaries and it is often triggered by myriads of personal and social experiences. It is a well-known fact that the African continent has a peculiar history and experience. War in several nations of post-independent Africa is also as a result of the competition among the various ethnic groups and the rude manner Africa’s political leaders have completely disregarded the sacredness that traditional African societies have for their institutions.
Adedeji (2008) has pointed out that at the beginning of the 21st century, there were 18 countries facing armed rebellion while 11 were facing severe political crisis. He added that 19 countries were enjoying more or less various states of stable political condition. During the four decades between the 1960s and the 1990s, there were about 80 violent changes in government in the then 48 sub-Saharan African countries. During the same period, Adedeji also notes most of these countries had experienced different types of civil strife, conflicts and wars.
Suffice it to say that several Post-colonial African societies were plagued with conflict as a result of severe external colonial manipulation and differential support of internal groups and minorities by the erstwhile super powers. It is also noteworthy that the indifference of the colonizers to the various civil strives in their former colonized nations lead to genocides which we have witnessed in African countries.
This is why Kinlock and Mohan suggest that “The colonial heritage has been particularly murderous in its impact on the minorities” (2005: 24). Moreover, when external control and manipulation is visible in a post-colonial state, the negative consequences often involve “pluralistic rivalries; instability, attempted secession and civil war” (Kinloch, 2005: 23).
Thus, while drawing on the reasons for wars in Post-independent Africa, one must recognize the influence of colonialism against the backdrop of the various crises which have riddled the continent. If not, what explanations can one give the limb chopping horrors of Sierra Leone and the debacle regime of Juvenal Habayarimana of Rwanda? The atrocities committed in these nations make it clear that in war, all sorts of inevitability and political apostacies could happen.
Angola, too, had a protracted civil war which was triggered by ethnic rivalries, cold war politics and the activities of greedy compatriots who traded diamonds with the whites in exchange of money and arms. At this juncture, one will agree with Nwankwo (2008) that “global market forces and ethnic interests, mostly driven by greed” (10) has been the reason for the structure of the political leadership in post-independent African countries.
Invariably, one begins to make a sense of the eruption of war in Angola, Uganda and Zimbabwe. In addition, when there is war, there is conflicting interest between “national structures and spaces…so, power bases need to be revisited comprehensively in order to establish the root cause of national crises.”(9- 10).
Women and War in Chimammanda Adiche Half of a Yellow Sun and Adimora Ezigbo Roses and Bullets
Nigeria is not exempted from the tragedy of war which has besieged the continent. After partitioning Africa, Britain was allotted two separate territories— the South and North respectively which they ruled with different administrators. However, in 1914, the two protectorates were merged into a single entity named Nigeria. Despite this, the colonial administration did not institute a single administrative system for the entire nation. The Southern protectorate encouraged western civilization while the North continued to practice Islam. Subsequently, indirect rule was established in the North for administrative purpose.
Britain encouraged this system of administration until the nation attained independence in 1960. At independence, a federation was formed with the North having more population than the Western and Eastern regions merged together. This arrangement obviously became a source of contention among the different tribes. While analyzing the theme of war across geographical boundaries in Africa, Nwankwo (2008) points out that “war is Africa‟s muted index…The index could guide the insightful reader towards the foundations of Africa‟s numerous perennial or still unfolding tragedies.”(13)
The multi-ethnic diversity of African societies and newly developing African politics, translated into protracted hostility among individuals who were once neighbours. Consequently, the assemblage of different entities bounded into conglomerates gave rise to volatile actions as a result of different ideological perspectives.
More so, several literary works have emerged in defense and counter defense of the issues and realities of the Nigerian Civil war. The story has been told and retold by various writers through an andocentric lens that focuses mainly on men. The role women played in that turbulent period of war and the effects of the war on women was either left out or downplayed thus reinforcing the myth that women are silent sufferers during the war. Laura Sjoberg asserts that “war has gendered causes, gendered practices and’ gendered consequences. It is also lived and experienced in gendered ways” (252).
This stance is affirmed by Adiche in an interview with Kimber where she said that she wanted to write the story of war and love in Half of a Yellow Sun because she grew up in the shadow of Biafra. She declares that she wanted to engage history so as to animate the discourse of Biafra which is hardly a public epic in Nigeria. Furthermore, the Nigerian civil war is believed to have had its toll on women because the earlier male-dominated the literary landscape gave only fleeting attention to female representation in war narratives. Cara Hoffman quoted in Kaylon Williams argues that:
“war narratives in prose, poetry, and film have always been and continues to be dominated by male voices” (23). From the Greek classics to modern story collections, Hoffman observes that these tales focus exclusively on the male experience of battle, and of return. The stories of women at war on the other hand are nearly absent from our culture”. In war narratives in Africa, both oral and literary representations, one can easily make the same assertion.
Women and War in Chimammanda Adiche Half of a Yellow Sun and Adimora Ezigbo Roses and Bullets
Women are not projected as active and resourceful characters; rather they are objectified and presented as sex objects only good for men‟s sexual satisfaction and amorous pleasures amidst the violence and madness of the war. In contrast to this stand point, female writers such as Oladele Taiwo counters this popular notion on women and their involvement in the war, and argues that “the women were made to experience the bestialities of war” (123).
These female writers have also rejected the stereotypical representation of‟ women as weak, fragile, intelligent and solely depend on men for their personal needs and survival. Maybe, this is a direct consequence of the shift in the focus of women from being just readers to becoming writers as Elaine Showalter opines that with women entering the literary space, more attention is now being given to women experiences.
In line with the above, this paper focuses on interactions of women with war, the inherent trauma, victimization and their adaptability strategies in order to survive the war and ultimately presenting them as unsung heroines of the war. It is however on this backdrop that this research seeks to examine women and war in Chimammanda Adiche’s Half of a Yellow Sun and Adimora Ezigbo’s Roses and Bullets.
Women and War in Chimammanda Adiche Half of a Yellow Sun and Adimora Ezigbo Roses and Bullets
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The roles and traumatic experiences of women in Adimora Ezeigbo’s Roses and Bullets and Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun. The two novel under discuss dealt with one of the most sensitive part of Nigeria’s ugly past. “The Nigerian civil war” which many Nigerians would prefer to forget. The war had its toll on women but the earlier male dominated literary landscape gave only flirting attention to female representation in war narratives.
The writers contend that if men fought a war with canons and guns, women similarly fought against the trauma and victimization, forces of air raids, hunger, diseases, physical and moral rape hence their suffering and roles should not be overlooked or undermined. Affirming this, Ifeyinwa Ogbuzi supports that “the various ways the ensuing upheavals of war precipitated by men impacted on the women, disjointing and fragmenting their lives, and ultimately causing them not to live meaningful and fulfilled live” (22).
To this end, these female writers are bent on countering and rewriting the narratives on the female gender, their place, role and involvement during the war which demands as much overly attention as the male folk receives in the war narratives.
Again, these female writers do not only seek to rewrite the narrative and elicit deserving attention to the women but seek to elevate the female folk to the spotlight and pedestal history has continued to deny them as active and conscious participants in the war who are worthy of sharing every spoils and critical attention long overdue and deserving to their gallantry, survival instinct, and heroism.
Women and War in Chimammanda Adiche Half of a Yellow Sun and Adimora Ezigbo Roses and Bullets
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study was to examine women and war in Chimammanda Adiche’s Half of a Yellow Sun and Adimora Ezigbo’s Roses and Bullets. Specifically, the study will also;
- assess the effects of war on women and Nigerian society at large
- examine the level of trauma that woman went through as a result of war in the selected texts under study
- the study will also examine the various forms of oppression and inhumane treatment melted on woman
1.4 Significance of the Study
The research work on the Women and War in Chimammanda Adiche’s Half of a Yellow Sun and Adimora Ezigbo’s Roses and Bullets, brings to sunlight of the Casualties, and the degrading effects of the Nigerian civil War, which took place on 6th July, 1967.
The research work creates awareness to the public of the general effects of war in any modern society, as well as the societal disenfranchisement.
The research work also exposes the ill-policies of administration of the colonial masters.
The work will serve as a reference manual for future researchers on the related topic.
Finally, the work will serve as a didactic piece to advise the political class to desist from formulating obnoxious policies which would trigger off ethnic segments, and animosity among citizens of our dear country Nigeria.
1.5 Methodology
The methodology for this research work is a qualitative research which relies on the analysis of some extrapolation of the primary texts. The research will also avail itself of some critical works. Magazines and other periodical drawn from the library. This research will also exploit the internet space for some online materials related to the subject of the research.
Women and War in Chimammanda Adiche Half of a Yellow Sun and Adimora Ezigbo Roses and Bullets
1.6 Scope of the Study
This scope of this study is limited to women and war in Chimammanda Adiche’s Half of a Yellow Sun and Adimora Ezigbo’s Roses and Bullets. This is to enable the researcher complete the work within the stipulated time. Therefore, all conclusions are based on textual analysis of the selected texts.
1.7 Theoretical Framework
The theoretical model adopted as theoretical frameworks for this study is the Caruthian trauma theory. This theory is applied in the analysis of the conditions of African women and men during crises such as war, earthquake, flood etc , as well as the effects of such experiences on their psyche and formation of ‘self’. Trauma theory emerged in the 1990s to address the effects of certain world phenomenon such as wars, drought, etc on man examines the psychic condition of victims of overwhelmed incidents.
Prominent proponents of the theory are Cathy Caruth, Shoshana Felman, Geoffrey Hartman, and etcetera. Studies on trauma began with Sigmund Freud’s studies on hysteria which is published in collaboration with Josef Breuer in Studies in Hysteria. Freud later engaged in studies on the post-traumatic effects of the First World War and the Holocaust on the survivors as graphically captured in his Beyond the Pleasure Principle (1920).
His complete discussion on trauma is lucidly captured in his later works and mostly in what would later be known as Moses and Monotheism. In line with this, Ann Kaplan opines that “Trauma studies originated in the context of research about the Holocaust” (1).
Women and War in Chimammanda Adiche Half of a Yellow Sun and Adimora Ezigbo Roses and Bullets
In recent years, physicians, psychiatrists and critics have become most concerned with effects of other natural catastrophic experiences as well as all forms of violence even as Kaplan adds that, “…trauma theory quickly extended beyond Holocaust studies in the humanities, especially in the wake of increasing revelations about women abuse in the 1990s” (33). This necessitates Caruth’s assertion that:
As a consequence of the increasing occurrence of such perplexing war experiences and other catastrophic responses during the last twenty years, physicians and psychiatrists have begin to reshape their thinking about physical and mental experience, including most recently the responses to a wide variety of other experiences, such as rape, child abuse, auto and industrial accidents …that are now understood in terms of the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (11).
According to Michelle Balaev, “the evolution of trauma in literary criticism might best be understood in terms of the changing psychological definition of trauma…” (2). He argues that the history of trauma as a concept is filled with contradictory theories, thereby leaving psychologists and literary scholars at liberty to adopt different definitions of trauma and its effects (Michelle Balaev, 2 ).
The literary strand of the trauma theory was developed in the 19th century. Ann Kaplan traces the origin of trauma to research on the Holocaust (1). However, interest in trauma theory went beyond the Holocaust, especially given the increasing awareness of the sexual abuse of young women in the bourgeois family as was common in the nineteenth century (Kaplan 27-28, 33). In the1990s, a number of scholars began examination of the concept of trauma and its significance in literature.
As observed by Nasrullah Mambrol, prominent among them include Cathy Caruth, Shoshana Felman and Geoffrey Hartman, among others (n.p). This examination brought about the first wave of the critical model which has become a prominent discursive strategy. With its significant popularity, it has attracted the attention of both psychologists and literary critics with the publication of Cathy Caruth’s Unclaimed Experience: Trauma, Narrative and History (1996) (Michelle Balaev, 1).
Women and War in Chimammanda Adiche Half of a Yellow Sun and Adimora Ezigbo Roses and Bullets
In this important book, Caruth takes a critical investigation into Freud’s discussions on trauma and memory, and gives a post-structuralist analysis of Freud’s studies on dreams, with a view to bringing to light, the concept of trauma as an unrepresentable event that reveals the inherent contradiction within language and experience. She draws attention to the severe suffering and, in a subtle way, points out the fact that traumatic experience inevitably damages the psyche (Mambrol, 3).
Central to this critical model is the fact that traumatic experience creates speechless fright, a latent period of dissociation where the meaning and linguistic immediacy are fractured. However, this view has been challenged by the pluralistic approach to literary trauma which states that the ‘unspeakability’ of trauma which is central to the traditional Caruthian model, is actually one of the many responses to traumatic events and incidents.
Nevertheless, the Caruthian approach is adopted for this study because it helps in the examination of traumas caused by external stressors to individual persons. The realities of war, therefore, shall constitute the external stressors which forms part of the concerns of this study.
