THE ROAD AS A METAPHOR, A FULCRUM FOR THEMES DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERISATION IN ZAYNAB ALKALI'S THE VIRTUOUS WOMAN

Abstract

The concept of 'Road' as a metaphor of human sojourn on earth is a recurrent issue in African literature in relation to Africans' perception of life as a journey. This paper therefore, seeks to examine Zaynab Alkali's The Virtuous Woman, through the three female characters who are navigating the course of their lives through the dilapidating and slippery road representing the major obstacles and challenges of life women contend with in their stages of development. This study adopts the Womanist and Stiwanist strands of feminist literary theory in carrying out an in- depth analysis of the text. It is discovered that, women confront three major challenges in their long and slow journey the good, symbolically represented by the character of Nana Ai, the bad, portrayed by the character of Laila and the ugly, depicted by the character of Hajjo. The writer aptly deploys the metaphor of road and journey motif in developing the plot and thematic thrust of the text. She sounds a note of warning to young women to be determined and focused as they make choices that may make or mar their life as they grow into womanhood.