Social Criticism in Chimamanda Adichie’s The Thing Around Your Neck and E. C. Osondu’s Voice of America

ABSTRACT 

Criticism deals with the interpretation of literary texts. The major concern of this thesis is to criticize three aspects of the society in the short stories of Chimamanda Adichie and E. C. Osondu. These include family, marriage and leadership. Seven selected stories in each collection have been examined that are relevant to the interpretation and analysis of the objective  of  study.  To  criticize  these  three  aspects,  this  thesis  examines  Nigerian characters  in  the  texts  at  home  and  in  the  diaspora  penetrating  into  the  problems  of immigrants.  Chapter  I  supplies  the  background  of  criticism  and  theoretical  framework against  which  Adichie’s  and  Osondu’s  short  stories  are  pitched.  Chapter  II  presents  a literature review  on  both  writers  and  social  criticism  as  the  underlying  concern  of  this thesis.  Chapter  III  and  IV  dwell  on  the  analysis,  interpretation  of  the  three  aspects  of society  using  various  themes    such  as  Nigerian  characters in  the  Diaspora,  family  and Religions crises, problem of leadership, wrong marriage system, imitation in the two texts. Chapter V is the conclusion of the study and recommendation for further studies.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 1.0  INTRODUCTION 

1.1  Background of the Study

 1.2  Biography of Chimamanda Adichie 

1.3  Biography of E. C. Osondu 

1.4  Purpose of Study

 1.5  Scope of Study 

1.6  Theoretical Framework 

1.7  Relevant Concepts in Post-colonial Theory  

2.0  LITERATURE REVIEW

 2.1  Chimamanda Adichie’s The Thing Around Your Neck 

2.2  E. C. Osondu’s Voice of America 

 3.0  SOCIAL  CRITICISM  IN  CHIMAMANDA  ADICHIE’S  THE  THING AROUND YOUR NECK

 3.1  Nigerian characters in the Diaspora 

3.2  Family and Religious Crises 

3.3  Problem of Leadership 3.4  Wrong Marriage System  

4.0  SOCIAL CRITICISM IN E. C. OSONDU’S VOICE OF AMERICA 

4.1  Imitation  

 x 4.2  Wrong Marriage System 

4.3  Family Crisis

 4.4  Problem of Leadership   

5.0  CONCLUSION

  5.1  Summary and Conclusion

 5.2  Recommendation   Works Cited