African Literature and Culture - 1447 Words

African Literature and Culture: African writers’ representation of male-female relationships Analyzing male-female relationships in African literature enables a better understanding of how African writers view the gender roles including the application of religious aspects, marriage and identity, midwives and slave women, nationalism, and migration. In earlier works, the female gender was often perceived as â€Å"the Queen Mother.† Many African writers portray women in traditional roles whereas articles written in the past few decades analyze male-female relationships with a more feminist approach. This paper will analyze articles by leading African writers concerning the representation of the male-female relationship. In 1997, Jamaica†¦show more content†¦No matter the make-up of the class †¦ overwhelmingly folks want to come back as white and male. The reasons they give all confirm the race/sex hierarchy in our nation; they all simply believe they will have a better chance at success a nd at living long and well if they are white males. (Hooks 134) Most African female writers portray the male-female relationship are unequal to the female, where as male writers portray the opposite (e.g. Hook’s writing; 2004). Hooks explains the view that â€Å"wise progressive black women have understood for some time now that the most genocidal threat to black life in America, and especially to black male life, is patriarchal thinking and practice.† (Ibid) Hooks explains that â€Å"any distinction to be made between the status of black females and males†¦does not lie with a difference in the substantive nature of suffering or in the degree of life-threatening risk.† (135) An example of Hooks’ thinking is given: †¦my father never wanted Mama to work, but she understood that to ensure the educational advancement of her children she needed to bring money in. She defied him to go out and work. Working helped her self-esteem. She moved positively forward and helped us all move forward, and Dad stayed stuck, pissed that she went out to work. (136) Unlike Hooks’ peers, the inclusion of the male-female gender is an unrestrained account what life is really like for each gender, including the stereotypicalShow MoreRelatedDefinition Of African Literature879 Words   |  4 PagesAfrican literature  is defined  as  literary  works of the  African  continent.  African literature  consists of a body of work written in many languages and encompasses various genres, ranging from oral  literature  to  literature  written in colonial languages (â€Å"African Literature†). This is the dictionary definition of African literature, but African literature is far more than this. You cannot define it in two sentences because it is very complex and transcends race, culture, languages, and borders. AfricanRead MoreNew Negro Essay984 Words   |  4 PagesThe abolition of slavery in the United States presented southern African Americans with many new opportunities, including the option of relocation in search of better living conditions. 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