Overcoming Women Oppression: A Communal Approach in Ann Iwuagwu's Arrow of Destiny and the Beautiful Road to Sodom

Abstract

This article explores possible ways of ending women oppression as depicted by Ann Iwuagwu in Arrow of Destiny and The Beautiful Road to Sodom. Drawing on the womanist literary theory in the analysis of both novels, the article takes the view that women alone cannot fight and win the battle against women oppression, the entire society has to be involved. The fight must therefore involve women at the individual and collective levels. The fight must also be supported by men if any meaningful progress and success will be achieved. This will involve men coming out their chauvinistic stereotypes and attitudes which take root in patriarchy as the dominant culture in the society. The article therefore concludes that for women to be free from oppression, women must fight at the individual level to achieve self-actualisation and be self-sufficient, women must support one another in the fight against women oppression in order to achieve collective freedom and stop oppressing one another, and men must also come out to be supportive of women in ways that allow women to freely express themselves and pursue personal achievements. Herein lie the communal approach which this article suggests to be a potent option for overcoming women oppression.