Within any system of oppression, the oppressed, once they realize that their treatment is a type of oppression, often have the impulse to resist. This resistance, sometimes exceptionally dangerous, often opposed by popular opinion and those who have not recognized their oppression, can take different forms. Few can deny that writing remains one of the most influential forms of resistance, words capable of breaking down dividing barriers, a form of education that reaches the masses. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Within several illustrious African texts such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Purple Hibiscus and Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, women display exceptional skill and ingenuity to go against traditional gender roles and circumvent systems of oppression established through patriarchal norms. This avoidance occurs not only within the actual text, exhibited by strong characters such as Aunty Ifeoma in Purple Hibiscus and Ezinma in Things Fall Apart, but also within the techniques that the authors use to tell their narratives, lending much attention to narrative and characterization. the discussion of subversion and female strength, particularly in the context of African literature and culture, proves exceptionally timely, especially amidst American perceptions and misunderstandings relating to African culture. While there is no denying that violence against women and a deeply entrenched patriarchal structure exist in some African societies, we rarely consider the ingenuity of female gender in circumnavigating these structures and rebelling when deemed necessary and appropriate. Some critics have praised strong women as they gain greater agency and power. climb the ranks in many different professional fields, while others struggle to deal with these changes, particularly regarding family responsibilities delegated between the sexes. Professor Oseni Taiwo Afisi praises traditional African culture for its strong reliance on the principle of equality – compartmentalization of tasks based on the strengths of each gender without hierarchy – while also demonizing women, labeled as empowered in his article “Power and Womanhood in Africa: An Introductory Evaluation”. She argues that these women, by choosing to distance themselves from what they see as familial obligations to pursue careers outside the domestic sphere, endanger morality. He attributes the gaps in morality, seen through "cultism in our schools, corruption in all fields of our lives, and election fraud in our political system" to the lack of a strong family structure with the woman fulfilling domestic responsibilities (Afisi 236). While Afisi praises the magic of femininity, she seems to somewhat romanticize the role of women within traditional African society for her own intellectual and argumentative gain. He takes pains to praise women who have become political leaders such as Africa's first female president, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, and economic leaders such as "chief executives of banks, insurance and even directors of public companies in general", but criticizes these women for they do not adequately fulfill their roles as wives and mothers. Perhaps his most problematic argument stems from the concept that equality had been achieved in Africa before colonial powers influenced the nation. She argues that due to colonialism, women were placed on a lower rung to doplaced on capitalism, globalization, the need for power, superiority and the “compartmentalization of roles and responsibilities with different values ​​associated with them” (Afisi 234). She insists that women now occupy passive roles due to colonization: uneducated girls due to the implication that they will become young brides, domestic violence that is rampant, and women who have little, very little, parenting rights over their children . While colonial powers certainly played a role in promoting this gender gap, as we see in works like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Purple Hibiscus with Eugene and Beatrice's relationship, it existed before colonial powers emerged. The beginning of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart takes place before colonial intervention, showing an Igbo society before European influence, then during its introduction. In this piece there is still oppression and violence against women, specifically tied to a type of toxic masculinity represented by the main character Okonkwo. The preference of masculinity over femininity within this society is not only seen through Okonkwo's violence against his wives, but also through the use of feminine as an insult and the assignment of gender to particular crops. Yams are often described as a male crop within the text, signifying not only their friendliness and the strength needed to harvest the vegetable, but also the economic importance of the vegetable to society. Legumes are described as feminine because they are supplementary, easy to harvest, and economically insignificant compared to yams. Afisi also makes an effort to defend perhaps one of the most harmful aspects of the patriarchal family structure in African culture – polygamy – insisting that polygamy remains the best structure for “achieving social and economic stability of the family” within a culture in which on average more females than males are born (Afisi 231). She uses a quote from B. Dobson to support her argument that women “could otherwise never enjoy the status and benefits that accompany becoming mothers, bearers of children” (Afisi 232). The problem stems from the lack of choice within this arrangement. While some women would benefit from greater economic stability and wealth in exchange for raising children, other women would perhaps take a different path if given the opportunity. Women, within this idealistic traditional society presented by Afisi, still do not have equal rights because they do not have the same amount of choices as men and are still pigeonholed into a specific path instead of having the opportunity to explore different paths. With attitudes such as Afisi's promotion of a return to traditional values, despite the fact that several times in her article she identifies some of these values ​​as oppressive towards the female sex, we can begin to understand how important women who write are on women (as well as on men writing well-developed female characters) has become in these modern times. Without catalogs of lived experiences, the complexities of femininity can be lost, especially for a modern reader seeking to understand every aspect of the narrative in its entirety. Writers like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Chinua Achebe both gave voice to African women who might not have told their stories otherwise. Although Achebe's “Things Fall Apart” centers on a male narrator, he provides rich characterization to the female characters, refusing to succumb to stereotypes. She also provided a platform for women writers to exercise their voices in her anthology ofstories. Adichie, an Igbo Catholic feminist writer, offers a unique perspective particularly through her piece “Purple Hibiscus” which follows the maturation of Kambili, its soft-spoken narrator. Aunt Ifeoma, Eugene's widowed sister, represents a key obstacle to Beatrice's submission and accession to status. quo. While Beatrice embodies the peacemaker within the family – a woman who picks up the remnants of the messes her husband makes – Ifeoma pays little attention to the fact that she ruffles her brother's sensitive feathers, especially in regards to the way she addresses him. During the family's stay in Abba, Ifeoma points out that “everyone in Abba will only tell Eugene what he wants to hear. Don't our people have common sense? Will you pinch the finger of the hand that feeds you?" (Adichie 96)Ifeoma, despite the freedom gained in sad circumstances, has gained freedom in the way she lives her life. No one controls how loud she can laugh, or how often she can smiling broadly with gaping teeth. Ifeoma insists to Beatrice that sometimes “life begins when marriage ends,” proving that she has indeed gained a new lease on life, contradicting Afisi's previously stated argument that polygamy benefits women, because an unmarried woman cannot enjoy status, benefits or cultural respect (Adichie 75) teaches at the university and, while admitting that her life is not easy, insists that she remains genuinely happy in hers. life choices. She refuses to ask her brother for help because, being an intelligent and educated woman, she understands that dependence on her brother to provide for her deprives her of her autonomy. He understands that within this structure of control that Eugene has established, and society has enforced, he gives up some freedoms simply by admitting that he could use his assistance financially or otherwise. While Eugene remains the symbolic figure of patriarchy within the family, patriarchy also exists in other forms, exhibited through “Roman Catholic Church, Education, and State” (Stobie 421). Adichie argues that toxic masculinity and unchecked patriarchal power lead to political corruption, unlike Afisi who argues that political corruption can be attributed to women who have tried too hard, trying to adhere to their cultural responsibilities as mother and wife while pursuing their ambitions. The other main elderly male character, Papa-Nnukwu, earns the reader's admiration within the text. Despite his casual sexism, stating that once he dies his spirit will intercede for Ifeoma to find her a good man to take care of her and the children, he remains a sympathetic character thanks to his good nature, generosity towards Kambili and Jaja and willingness to forgive his tyrannical son who rejected him for his traditionalism which he labels as paganism (Adichie 83). Adichie does not deny that there are flaws in this type of traditionalism, but she seems to favor it over the fanatical Catholicism displayed in Eugene's character. He seeks to contradict Afisi's earlier point that sexism in African culture is a new phenomenon by juxtaposing these men within the same piece, demonstrating that both modern, postcolonial, democratic, Catholic culture and traditional, pagan, Igbo culture they are sexist in terms one way or another. There is also something to be said about how Ifeoma interacts with her elderly father. While remaining respectful towards him, she subverts his casual sexism with little sarcasms and truths about his life. When told that he would help her find a good man to care for her after death, she respondsthat her wit would hasten her “promotion to senior lecturer,” showing that she does not expect a man to provide for her, and knows what it means to better provide for herself (Adichie 83). At the beginning of that scene, she also contradicts her father when he says that in education, because she is a woman, she doesn't count. This particular section remains important and outlines the innate sexism that still exists. Despite Ifeoma and Eugene receiving the exact same education through missionary schools, Eugene has found power through the male-dominated Catholic church, while Ifeoma cannot receive a promotion at university to help her care for her children. Ifeoma responds to his casual sexism in a light-hearted and teasing manner, without harshly criticizing her father. Another element to consider when talking about female subversion is Adichie herself. The piece unfolds slowly like the unfolding of a hibiscus in a garden, only with time the flower becomes not more beautiful but more violent, over time revealing complexities and contradictions within Eugene's character. There are subtle, subtle hints at the beginning about Eugene's violent impulses: it's not written in a way that automatically casts him as the villain. The novel's opening scene shows Eugene throwing the church missal and smashing Beatrice's ballerina figurines into pieces in reaction to Jaja's mob actions. Love sips demonstrating that Kambili has developed an understanding of love as painful and earned. Then, Adichie slowly escalates the violence, leaving hints of bruises on Beatrice and explaining how she miscarried, a repercussion for Eugene's merciless beatings. Eventually, Adichie reveals the extent of Eugene's abuse, showing all her physical violence when she whips her family when Kambili breaks the Eucharistic fast and forces Kambili and Jaja to dip their feet in boiling water as punishment for visiting their grandfather. Slowly revealing this extraordinary violence is one way Adichie makes the piece more believable, as a portrait of a family falling apart. By not immediately assigning Eugene as the villain, he allows the reader to come to their own conclusions about the character. This slow progression makes the ending feel within reach rather than far-fetched. Adichie also uses a young and naive narrator at the height of her naivety. She does not shape the narrator according to her own beliefs, but instead uses him as a blank slate for the ideas around her. Perhaps Adichie uses both of these techniques, the slow unfolding of violence and the naïve narrator, to place an objective lens on the story and to protect herself from heavy criticism. When faced with the accusation that her novel was read as feminist, she did not shy away from the content she chose to write, but instead proudly supported her novel, not rejecting the label feminist. While she receives a lot of criticism for this decision from men and women, she does not waver in her beliefs, which helps color her narrative in a new way. Similarly, in Things Fall Apart, Achebe had a huge responsibility in how he chose to tell the narrative by including a female voice that felt authentic. It includes two particularly subversive female characters within the piece: one of Okonkwo's wives, Ekwefi, and his only daughter Ezinma. While the plot with Ezinma reinforces the preference of males within society, Okonkwo sees many positive traits within Ezinma that could be put to better use if she were born male instead, it also presents the reader with a paradox of sorts. Why waste these precious skills, wit and intellect? Why condemn Ezinma to a life as a third wife when her skills go far beyond taking.