Prostitution as Resistance to Human and Societal Brutalities

Abstract

A reading of modern African novels reveals that some female heroines are presented as prostitutes. Prominent among them are Firdaus in Nawal El Saadawi’s Woman at Point Zero, Mara in Amma Darko’s Beyond the Horizon, Jagua Nana and Filia in Cyprain Ekensis Jaygua Nana and People of the City respectively, Wanja in Ngugi wa Thiongo’s Petals of Blood to mention but a few. The truth is that some of these heronies take to prostitution as an easy way to escape poverty and life in the rural villages. However, others become prostitutes because they are victims of human and societal brutalities. It is against this backdrop that this paper examines the heroines in Nawal El Saadawi’s Woman at Point Zero and Amma Darkos’ Beyond the Horizon as women in their struggle against human and societal brutalities. These writers in their novels shed some light on the power of women in resistance against oppression at the hands of men and establish that women can resist these brutalities.