scholarly journals Identity Construction in Adichies two texts Half of a Yellow Sun, and Purple Hibiscus

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-78
Author(s):  
Ruth Issack ◽  
◽  
Seline Oketch ◽  
Antony Wasena

The study attempts to examine Identity construction in Adichies texts, Half of a Yellow Sun (2006) and Purple Hibiscus (2003). The study was guided by the reader response theory. A critical reading of the texts has revealed that, every character in both texts has been struggling in constructing his/her identity. The study involved three aspects of identity, which included self, social, and national identity. All children in texts struggle to carve out their own identities through interaction with the environment through which they pass they through. Chimamanfa Adichie is also introducing the concept of social identity, where by the elite in Half of a Yellow Sun organizes to meet in Odenigbo house and share different ideas concerning Pan Africanism, tribalism, nation, and race. Likewise in Purple Hibiscus, the family of aunty Ifeoma with father Amadi helps Jaja and Kambili to build their social identity through interaction, and engaging them into different activities. National identity is also discussed in this study by involving both children and adult characters from the texts. Everyone is looking forward on possible ways in which they can put their hands together to bring harmony and peace in their country. Keywords: Identity, Construction, Adichies texts, Half, Yellow, Sun, Purple, Hibiscus.

Author(s):  
Haruna Alkasim Kiyawa

This paper aims to explore the female readers reading experiences, views and feelings of Hausa romance novels found in most of the northern part of Nigeria. This article also examines some criticism and accusations against the readership and content of the Hausa romance genre. The study applied the Transactional Reader-Response Theory of Rosenblatt’s (1978) as guide by selecting 7 female readers within the age ranges between 22-26 years from 2 book clubs to participate in the study. The findings revealed that all the readers individually were able to reveal their varied responses, beliefs, and experiences on the value of the romance novels which challenged the assertion made by the literary critics and traditional society that the books have no relevance in their life activities which supported their arguments and personal interpretive reading stance towards the Hausa romance genre. The finding yielded four themes were emerging: (a) promoting literacy development; (b) resistance to the traditional marriage system in society; (d) enlightening females on social inequality. These findings provided empirical support for the application of the Transactional Reader-Response Theory of Rosenblatt (1978) outside classroom contexts to understand the role of African romance novels towards female social transformation.  


1995 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul R. Noble

The flaws in Fish's hermeneutics that were diagnosed in Part I (it is now argued) are consequences of his underlying epistemology. This is a version of anti-foundationalism which claims that facts are the product of interpretation; but a careful study of how this issue is handled by N. R. Hanson and Thomas Kuhn shows that Fish's epistemology is fundamentally unsound. An alternative account of the fact-interpretation relationship is then proposed, and the outline of an objectivist, readerindependent hermeneutics are sketched. This is further developed by showing how a common argument against objectivism (based on the historical situatedness of reason and knowledge) may be refuted.


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