Between Gender and Race: Black Women's Struggle and Reclamation of the Body in the Works of Toni Morrison and Alice Walker

Becky Atom, Dr. Akoijam Rebica

Abstract: The article explores the intersection of race, gender, and postcolonial identity in the works of Toni Morrison?s and Alice Walker, particularly focusing on The Bluest Eye (1970), Beloved (1987), and The Color Purple (1982). From the postcolonial feminist perspective, it will examine how the Black female body becomes an object of double oppression and resistance in the contexts of racism, patriarchy, and cultural dislocation. Building on the theories of Edward Said, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Franz Fanon, and bell hooks, the analysis demonstrates how both writers challenge Eurocentric norms and patriarchal structures by reclaiming narrative and linguistic authority. Morrison and Walker construct counter-discourses through fragmented narration, oral traditions, and female solidarity thereby transforming trauma into empowerment. It also investigates how these writers clearly express the psychological scars of colonial and patriarchal violence, and how Black women employ memory, storytelling, and community support to reconstruct identity. It also contributes to the growing discourse on postcolonial feminism, highlighting the resilience of Black womanhood as a force of cultural reclamation.

Keywords: Postcolonial Feminism, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Black Womanhood, Double Oppression, Narrative Resistance

How to Cite?: Becky Atom, Dr. Akoijam Rebica, "Between Gender and Race: Black Women's Struggle and Reclamation of the Body in the Works of Toni Morrison and Alice Walker", Volume 15 Issue 1, January 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1831-1834, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26129164619, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26129164619