Patriarchy, Women and HIV/AIDS in Mapalala’s "passed Like a Shadow"

Abstract

Although HIV/AIDS affects both men and women, the infection rate amongst women over the years outstrips the number of men contracting this disease. The gravity of the situation has prompted many African writers to use the ready-made materials on HIV/AIDS in their society to create works of art. The purpose of this paper is to examine Bernard Mapalala’s short story “Passed like a Shadow” in relation to the HIV/AIDS scourge, focusing on how the story represents the women’s vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. The paper argues that the story identifies patriarchy and its attendant problems as the primary contributing factor to the rapid spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic amongst women.