The Place of the Woman in the African Novel: A Study of Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo’s House of Symbols

Abstract

A recent United Nations Study of women’s position showed that women do two third of all the work within and outside the home.  They receive ten percent of all the money earned on earth, and they possess less than a hundredth of all the wealth in the world.  African women are not an exception to humiliation, oppression, discrimination and enslavement experienced by women across the world.  In Africa, illiteracy is four times    prevalent among women than men.  In light of all these, this paper has critically examined the various negative stereotypical perceptions of African male authors and looking at the counter-hegemony discourse made by African female authors. It makes a critical study of  Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo’s House of Symbols in showing the trials and triumph of the female sex in African Society in the patriarchical/religion oppressive  and the struggle for selfhood despite all limitations by creating a niche for the women in socio-economic development within the African Society

Keywords: African,  women,patriarchial,struggle for selfhood