19th Annual Student Research Conference
Language & Literature
Male Fear Silences Female Sexuality in Ama Ata Aidoo's Changes and Attia Hosain's Sunlight on a Broken Column
Emily J. Murdock
Dr. Hena Ahmad, Faculty Mentor
Despite the fact that they are set in different countries, Ama Ata Aidoo's Changes and Attia Hosain's Sunlight on a Broken Column share similar attitudes to female sexuality. Both novels deal with the effect colonization had on tainting and harnessing women's sexuality, the power men have over it, and the fear of losing it. This fear encourages silence, discrimination, and marriage as a "cure" for sexuality. As a result, women fall into the category of "good girl" or "bad girl," and social implications follow each of those labels, as evident through the characters Fusena and Esi from Changes and Laila and Nandi from Sunlight on a Broken Column.
Keywords: colonization, female sexuality
Topic(s):English
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 38-1
Location: VH 1320
Time: 1:15