The Portrayal of Women in Selected Novels of Peter Abrahams and Ayi Kwei Armah
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Date
2007-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The study is aimed at finding out the portrayal of women as illustrated in four selected novels. It tries to show the portrayal of women as strong and influential in the described society. It also shows that the feminist theories designed by western societies do not necessarily apply to the African societies. I have selected two African writers: Peter Abrahams from South Africa and Ayi Kwei Armah from Ghana, and two novels of each writer that I found portray women’s role in both traditional and modern societies. In the analysis, I have found out that the portrayal of women in African societies is quite different from that of western society. African societies as portrayed in the selected novels acknowledge the role of women in their respective societies. I have also found from the literature review that the integration of gender study in African societies has not achieved the desired result. The society reflects upon the gender studies as a move towards rejection of their culture and identity. Based on the analysis, I have made I have found that African men acknowledge the potential of women. The portrayals of women in the selected works indicate that women in the described societies are given a significant part. I have found that the introduction of foreign theories in a society can have a disastrous effect. In order to move towards development developing nations need to equally involve both women and men.
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Novels of Peter Abrahams and Ayi Kwei Armah