ABSTRACT
This paper examines the different subjugating conditions that
women are confronted with daily. These include domestic violence, sexual
abuse, Female Genital Mutilation, child-brides, bride-burning,
discrimination in religious institutions and work place and other
harmful cultural practices that inhibit the personal development of
women in the society. Nawal El Sadaawi‟s portraiture of this grim
reality in Woman at Point Zero brings to fore the various phases of
injustices and abuse that women grapple with in phallocentric societies.
Set in Egypt, the novelist reveals the deep rooted cultural and
religious beliefs which are actually barriers to the self actualization
of the female. The story, a true life account of a woman awaiting
execution on death row, corroboratesNgugi‟s assertion that “Literature
does not grow or develop in a vacuum; it is given impetus, shape,
direction and even area of concern by social and economic forces in a
particular society” (XV). The various stages of a woman‟s life and the
peculiar type of oppression of each stage as portrayed in the novel
forms the subject of the next discussion.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Female oppression is a problem that still exists in present day
society. The fact that we live in a modern world with monumental
technological advancement has not changed the grim reality that women
are discriminated against and suppressed because of the patriarchal
molded structures. The cultural beliefs, traditions and religions of
most societies give more attention to patriarchy thereby ensuring the
continuation of the domination and repression of women. Any attempt by
women to protest against the injustices and discrimination meted by the
men folk is tantamount to challenging age long tradition and culture
which is perceived to be a sacrilege. Therefore she is made to accept
her subordinate and second class position hence leading to the violation
of her human right. “To be a woman is a natural infirmity and every
woman gets used to it. To be a man is an illusion, an act of violence
that requires no justification(Henrietta and Nwodo, 1982) Hence women
are therefore viewed as the passive sacrificial lamb, always ready to be
sacrificed on the altar of man’s social, economic and political spheres
of the society by making meaningful contribution to its development. In
spite of these, a woman, especially in Africa, is only respected and
regarded as fulfilled when she performs her traditional duties as a
housewife, mother, homemaker and caregiver who is meant to be seen and
not heard. Any other role contrary to these stereotypical roles is
regarded as an affront to male authority and ego which results in
violence, oppression and violation of women right. Based on this set
back in this research focus on violation of the right of women in
African novel. An examination of the case study of faceless Amma Darko
and women at point zero novel.
Statement of the problem
In Africa, procreation is the most common expectation governing
marriage. A woman‘s ability to secure her marriage rests on her ability
to give birth. The primacy of womanhood to African women has been
elucidated by Oduyoye thus:
“Womanhood is a highly valued role open only to women but desired
by both men and women as well as the society as a whole; it is the
channel by which men reproduce themselves and continue the family name
and it is the channel by which women actualize their psycho-religious
need to be the source of life. Often, procreation is described as if
women are simply ―Objects of genetic and social transmission”.
Oduyoye‘s analysis of the primacy of motherhood to African women
reveals some attempt at a comparative analysis as per the importance of
childbirth to men and women. Whereas for men procreation constitutes a
duty call since it is the channel by which men continue with the family
name, for women, childbirth goes beyond ensuring survival of the human
race. Women see in it their ability to procreate, their very essence—it
is fulfilling since the birth of a child supposedly fills a vacuum in a
woman‘s life. It does not bring only physical joy to the woman; it
assures her that her ability to procreate makes her acceptable before
God and man. Ann Oakley has argued that being a mother is held out as
the primary feminine goal. She writes:
“Women hood settles women down and provides a focus for feelings
of feminine responsibility. It is fulfilling – both of the social
expectation and of the personal desire – though its capacity to satisfy
the latter is not so great in reality as in anticipation (when babies
are clothed in a mystique that red and squalling infants do not have).More
than this, the very sentimentalization of womenhood is a problem for
women in becoming and being mothers, since it poses the insoluble
dilemma of tracing perfection in imperfect circumstances(Oakley,
Ann,198:86)
As an important marker of female identity, womanhood to most Africans
and especially most African women is considered the major role of the
female. According to Sarpong, womanhood ―is the principal if not
ultimate end of marriage.( Sarpong, 1974:69
According to John Gills (1996:174) womanhood is the sovereign means
of female identity formation. Gills (1996:174) asserts, giving birth
ceased to be something that happens to a woman and became the ultimate
source of adult female identity formation( Gills 1996:174).
Gills‘s assertion points to a rather disturbing generalization which
considers procreation as a duty for every woman. The woman who refuses
to procreate or who, for one biological reason or the other, cannot
procreate automatically comes under severe criticism for interrupting
nature‘s original plan. Sarpong (1974:69) says:
“The greatest calamity to befall an African woman is to be barren.The
idea that women occupy important spaces in society cannot be
overemphasized. According to Naana Horne, ―Matrilineal kinship
recognizes woman as the very source of intergenerational connectedness.
Indeed, Darko‘s descent from a matrilineage explains partly the space
she gives to motherhood in her novels. The attendant challenges mothers
face in the political and the socio-economic domains of the woman
nurturing the matrilineal kinship system of the Akans(in Ghana) .
Furthermore, problems such as economic hardships, patriarchal and
cultural demands, woman violation by men, domestic violence against, as
well as the irresponsible behaviour of some men have rendered many
women voiceless in Africa to the extent that women who are mothers
cannot mentor their children, especially not their daughters, to become
mothers or to make their views heard in public. Womanhood, in Africa, is
fraught with a myriad of problems and these problems have made
motherhood a paradox—that which brings joy and reward whilst at the same
time reducing the woman/mother to the level of an object conditioned to
suffer shame and abuse. The received view that all mothers have
automatic love for their children has been radically interrogated by
world changing situations as well as African women writers. It is based
on this problems that this study examines the violation of the right of
women in Africa novel.
Objective of the study
The main objective of the study is to ascertain how African novels
such as faceless and women at point zero portrayed the violation of
women right in African novel. Specific objective is to examine:
1. How the violation of right of women is being highlighted in faceless Amma Dark Novel.
2. How the violation of right of women is being highlighted in women at point zero Novel.
3. To compares and contrast the way the Africa novel such as
faceless and women at point zero highlighted violation of human right.
Research Question
The following research question will guide the study as follows:
1. How does violation of human right highlighted in faceless Amma Dark Novel?
2. How does violation of human right highlighted in women at point zero Novel?
3. What comparison and contrast exist between faceless Amma Darko
highlight of violation of the right of women in African and that of
women at point zero?
Significance of the study
The study will be of benefit to all citizens of Africans countries in
that it will enable them see the need of protecting and advocating for
the freedom of women oppression as regard violation of their right. It
will enable the male counterpart to fully understand some of the crucial
role which woman play in homes and society at large. Therefore,
enabling the male to see the need of respecting and honour the women in
the society.