Rediscovering African Cultural Identity: A Postcolonial and Structural Narratological Analysis of Achebe's Things Fall Apart and Emecheta's The Slave Girl
Abstract: This article critically examines the representation of African cultural identity in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart and Buchi Emecheta?s The slave Girl. Drawing on postcolonial theory and structural narratology, the study highlights how these texts portray African traditions, belief systems, language, spiritual practices, and social structures as central components of indigenous identity. Through close textual analysis, the paper explores the resilience of cultural norms in the face of colonial disruption and underscores the role of literature in cultural preservation. The findings reveal that both authors restore dignity to African epistemologies and advocates for cultural continuity across generation as seen in the Igbo tradition in the two novels.
Keywords: African cultural identity, postcolonial literature, Igbo traditions, Chinua Achebe, Buchi Emecheta
How to Cite?: Dr. Ali Degboehlin, "Rediscovering African Cultural Identity: A Postcolonial and Structural Narratological Analysis of Achebe's Things Fall Apart and Emecheta's The Slave Girl", Volume 15 Issue 1, January 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1405-1410, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26118015523, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26118015523