Writing Nature From the Feminine: An Ecofeminist Analysis of the Gardens in Tsitsi Dangarembga’sThe Book of Not
Year: 2016
Type: article
Abstract: SummaryThis article will examine the connectedness between black women and the different types of gardens in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s The Book of Not. It also argues that an analysis of Maiguru’s garden, the Harare gardens, the Sacred Heart gardens and the gardens of domesticity from an ecofeminist perspective, allows nuanced observations of the interconnectivity between black women in the narrative, the racial colonial setting and nature. By linking feminist and environmental ideas, this article is part of the surging debate concerning the connection between literary works and natural resources in literature written by black female authors in Africa. It draws on Dangarembga’s narrative in order to open debates about the connections between the oppression of women and nature. This gives an opportunity to discuss the overlooked relationship between women, war violence and environmental degradation in The Book of Not. Premised on this argument, I will utilise the garden landscapes metaphorically to understand and explore the connections of women and nature and to deconstruct the nature/culture dichotomy. It is also premised on the notion that continuity of social, religious and economic aspects of life can be sustained by living in harmony with the environment itself. Thus it draws upon sources from environmentalist criticism and literary studies to investigate the ways in which The Book of Not characterises the natural world and the relationship between women and nature, and how this relationship might influence readers’ attitudes toward the environment.
Source: Journal of Literary Studies
Author: Juliet Pasi
Institution: Namibia University of Science and Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Literature and Literary Theory
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Gender equality
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $388
OpenAlex ID: W2565890602