A Critical-Stylistic Study Of Mind Style And Characterisation In Buchi Emecheta’s "The Joys Of Motherhood"

Abstract

Although much research has gone into Buchi Emecheta’s literary art, hardly has any statements being made about the situation of mind style in her works. This study, however, considers the critical –stylistic value of mind style in the characterisation of Nnu Ego in Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood. It reveals the author’s deployment of emotive lexis, figurative language, and conversation to depict Nnu Ego’s world of naiveties, selfcontradictions, failures, and frustrations, all adding up to the character’s odd conceptualisation of reality. I claim that Nnu Ego’s portrayal, has, additionally, been used to interrogate feminist, colonial, and classist issues, albeit on a relatively small scale.

Keywords: mind style, stylistics, lexicalisation, feminism, colonialism, Buchi
Emecheta