It’s been said that Buchi Emecheta’s The Brideprice, Mariama Ba’s So Long a Letter, and Maya Angelou’s All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes are stories of “betrayal, self-definition and hope.” Do you agree? What is your opinion of Emecheta, Ba, and Angelou’s presentation of African womanhood in comparison/contrast with the ideals of womanhood established in Kenyatta’s Facing Mt. Kenya, Amadiume’s text on “African Matriarchy,” the ancient Nile Valley tradition, and/or Fela Kuti’s lyrics in “Lady.” Do the cultures that Emecheta, Ba, and Angelou’s texts describe appear as confining societies for women? Analyze how the women in their texts manage to navigate the confines of their culture to become “successful.” How is marriage portioned in the modern Black women’s definition of “success.” (7-9 paragraphs/5 page maximum/provide MLA quotes and documentation from above texts examined [Emecheta, Ba, Angelou, and at least one other text]).
