The Depiction of Women in Contemporary Femrite Short Story Anthologies
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Date
2024-04-19
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Abstract
Gender representation in female-authored literary texts has hitherto been characterised as a positive representation of women contrary to the former subjective misrepresentation and underrepresentation of women by male authors. The study sought to broaden the understanding of women's depiction in contemporary female-authored FEMRITE short story anthologies. It investigated the depiction of women's character traits, assigned roles, and gender-related themes in female-authored short story anthologies published by FEMRITE Publications Limited, Uganda. The study analysed fifteen short stories, selecting five from each of the three FEMRITE-published short story anthologies selected for the study. These were: Pumpkin Seeds and Other Gifts (2009) edited by Hellen Moffet and Violet Barungi, Summoning the Rains (2012) edited by Hilda Twongyeirwe and Ellen Banda-Aaku, and Nothing to See Here (2015) edited by Hilda Twongyeirwe). The short story anthologies used for the study consisted of short narratives compiled in the FEMRITE Annual Residency for African Women Writers. Feminism is a theory that premises itself on the importance of gender equality that develops an account, identify the causes and effects of women’s subordination and prescribes the strategies for women’s liberation. This theory was employed in the study to ascertain the representation of women and their struggles to gain equality and fair treatment from the point of view of female authors.
Gender theory, which describes gender roles, was also used in the study to examine the roles assigned to female characters and roles of female authors in the struggle to gain equality in female-authored texts. The study employed a qualitative approach based on the collection of textual material, analysis, and interpretation of the texts. Data were presented, analysed, interpreted, and discussed using a textual checklist based on the feminist and gender literary theories. The findings of this research indicate that the study achieved its purpose/objectives and successfully answered its research questions. The research recommends that works of female authors should be made available and accessible to the public since they create a positive representation of women. It further recommended that the publication of more female-authored literature be used to sensitize the population about issues of gender equality, and human rights support and writing more reviews about the FEMRITE short story anthologies that have not received much scholarly attention.