Women’s Quest for Independence in Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun

Abstract

This research work has investigated into the endeavors of the protagonists especially Olanna and Kainene to release them from the traditional social framework imposed upon them as depicted in Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun. Although the women with education degrees and affluent family background endeavor to lead independent lives without subordinating to men, most of them fail to retain their idealized status in African society that is predominantly patriarchal. The Nigerian society as depicted in the novel does not accept women’s leadership as exemplified in the case of Kainene who runs her father’s business. Both Olanna and Kainene are competent and highly educated. However, they cannot establish their identity as independent individuals. They are forced to abide by the principles of patriarchy that women can only be subordinates to men. The objective of the study has been to investigate the causes of the conflict between modern values embodied by Olanna and Kainene and traditional norms and values of rural Nige-ria represented by Odenigbo’s mother. This conflict is similar to the conflict that caused the Bia-fran war and that ultimately pushed the nation to disintegration. The year the novel was pub-lished in 2006 was the year of violence among different ethnic groups for political powers. Be-sides, the problems of the human rights were not resolved that year. Adichie created the novel to reflect on the ongoing political turmoil of Nigeria as well. The conflict between them implies the possibility of transformation by adapting to the circumstances created in the aftermath of the Biafran war. The war has become a productive opportunity for women like Olanna and Kainene to express their prudence and boldness in social affairs. Their public exposure symbolizes the pos-sibility of tremendous growth and development on the part of women in Nigeria as portrayed in the text. The study has employed Womanism as a theoretical tool to analyze the text. Womanism, a branch of African feminisms advocates for rights of women and care for men. It seeks to have a world of equality and independence regardless of gender discriminations. By using the concept of Chikwenye Ogunyemi, the research has explored the boldness and intelligence attained through education and financial independence by the women of the current generation are the weapons to combat the male-domination.