The dilemmas of womanhood and belonging in a Patriarchal Society: A Stiwanist analysis of Selected Radical Female African Novels

Abstract

This study thoroughly examined how African women writers reinterpreted and reshaped the concepts of womanhood and belonging in environments influenced by patriarchal beliefs. Based on the theoretical framework of STIWANISM (Social Transformation Including Women in Africa), the study examined two chosen texts: Woman at Point Zero (1983) by Nawal El Saadawi and The Girl with the Louding Voice (2020) by Abi Daré. These novels were analysed using Stiwanism theory and revealed the psychological and socio-economic effects of systemic gender-based oppression. This study showed how patriarchal systems operated to marginalise and silence women through institutions such as society, family, religion, and government, while also enforcing strict gender roles that limited their womanliness. The selected texts highlighted African women's overlapping challenges in their search for identity, purpose, and belonging through the protagonists’ transitions from voicelessness to empowerment. Woman at Point Zero (1983) illustrated a bold rejection of patriarchal authority by refusing to conform, while The Girl with the Louding Voice (2020) exemplified the empowering influence of education and vocal self-expression in defeating patriarchal oppression. The study confirmed that the goals and objectives were effectively achieved. It was determined that educational access, financial autonomy, and regaining voice were vital tools for breaking patriarchal standards and fostering a renewed sense of belonging for African women in their communities and elsewhere.