Gender and Postcolonialism in Buchi Emecheta’s Novels

Abstract

This research paper explores the interrelationship between gender and postcolonialism in the works of Buchi Emecheta, one of the most significant African women writers of the twentieth century. It examines how her novels articulate the lived experiences of African women who are caught between the conflicting forces of tradition, colonial legacy, and patriarchal domination. Emecheta's fiction offers a feminist critique of both colonialism and indigenous patriarchy, making her works crucial for understanding the intersectional oppression faced by women in postcolonial Africa. Focusing on novels like The Joys of Motherhood, Second-Class Citizen, The Bride Price, and The Slave Girl, this study analyzes how gendered identities are shaped, resisted, and transformed under postcolonial conditions. The paper employs a postcolonial feminist framework and considers themes such as migration, motherhood, education, female agency, and socio-political transformation. Ultimately, it argues that Emecheta’s writing represents an emancipatory discourse that envisions a more inclusive and equitable postcolonial society.

Keywords- Buchi Emecheta, Postcolonialism, Gender, Feminism, African Literature, Motherhood, Patriarchy, Identity, Migration, Resistance