Descent or dissent: Patriarchy and genre in Adichie and Achebe
by Eisenberg, Eve Judith, M.A., STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BINGHAMTON, 2008, 64 pages; 1456529

Abstract:

In this thesis I examine the work of two Nigerian authors—Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Adichie—in order to explore consequences and implications of the paucity of genre delineation in African literature. I begin with a close reading of Achebe's Arrow of God, and theorize that he uses patriarchy as a descriptive metaphor for British imperial behavior in Nigeria. A corollary argument is that women's stories, to the extent that they appear at all, are profoundly figurative, and that Achebe's representation of women tends to elide women's real lived experiences in Igbo society. I go on to take up literary critics who link Achebe to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, an up-and-coming Nigerian novelist. By examining the contrasts between the ways in which these authors represent women, I work to reveal the essentializing assumptions which underlie statements linking Achebe and Adichie specifically, and criticism of African texts in general.

 
AdviserSusan Strehle
SchoolSTATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BINGHAMTON
SourceMAI/ 47-01, p. , Oct 2008
Source TypeThesis
SubjectsAfrican literature; British and Irish literature
Publication Number1456529
Adobe PDF Access the complete dissertation:
 

» Find an electronic copy at your library.
  Use the link below to access a full citation record of this graduate work:
  http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl%3furl_ver=Z39.88-2004%26res_dat=xri:pqdiss%26rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation%26rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:1456529
  If your library subscribes to the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (PQDT) database, you may be entitled to a free electronic version of this graduate work. If not, you will have the option to purchase one, and access a 24 page preview for free (if available).

About ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
With over 2.3 million records, the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (PQDT) database is the most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses in the world. It is the database of record for graduate research.

The database includes citations of graduate works ranging from the first U.S. dissertation, accepted in 1861, to those accepted as recently as last semester. Of the 2.3 million graduate works included in the database, ProQuest offers more than 1.9 million in full text formats. Of those, over 860,000 are available in PDF format. More than 60,000 dissertations and theses are added to the database each year.

If you have questions, please feel free to visit the ProQuest Web site - http://www.proquest.com - or call ProQuest Hotline Customer Support at 1-800-521-3042.