Leaving the problem unsolved, it then continued with a flashback, gradually portraying the repressive environment of Kambili’s household. The story began with a direct conflict, brother Jaja rebelling their extremely devout Catholic Papa Eugene by not going to church. Through Kambali’s young eyes, readers witnessed how individuals, especially Papa Eugene, were torn to extreme poles by the internalized socialization of gender performativity. The breakdown of masculinity, a Gothic trait, resonated throughout the plot thread. The novel thus could be read as a post-colonial Gothic work and a recollection of feminist power. This power dynamic of storytelling appeared in her first novel Purple Hibiscus further at a gender level, a reversal of male’s narration over female. Story has power, and the issue of story is an issue of power (Adichie). In her Ted Speech 2009, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie proposed the concept of “single story”, of how stereotypical perception of Africa impeded people from forming an impartial narration of the continent.
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