Culture and Social Change in “The Joys of Motherhood” by Buchi Emecheta
“The Joys of Motherhood” by Buchi Emecheta presents the audience with the cultural and social history of the third world women and their struggles through Nnu Ego, a hardworking and optimistic woman. Emecheta manages to blend the intricacies of colonization together with the patriarchal society and how they affected the role and place of women. Nnu Ego was determined to save her children from the erosion of village life, and the breakdown of conventional norms and traditions, the infiltration of urban life, and the devastations of the Second World War under colonial rule. This paper will evaluate this story in the context of culture and social change that characterized Emecheta’s “The Joys of Motherhood.”
Traditionally, Igbo women were tasked with giving birth and accomplishing home chores. The aspect of submissiveness clearly indicates that the African woman was ready to obey the conventions of her society. Nnu Ego admits that being pregnant was the greatest joy of her life (Emecheta 50). Unlike the rural life where communal living was approved, the urban setting presents a broken life that does not support the sense of togetherness. As colonialism takes over, high levels of poverty set in. Nnu Ego’s participation in social events was hampered by poverty, until she cannot even attend mass on Sunday.
Emecheta presents women as remaining submissive to their husbands, but a new cultural change is evidenced. Although women were supposed to submit to men, some of Nnu Ego’s actions clearly portray the breakdown of conventional norms and traditions. The fact that she viewed her second husband as lazy makes her superior than him. She categorically tells him that his brothers could have thrown him out had he dared to come to his father’s compound (49). Traditionally, Nnaife is viewed as the head of the house, the husband, and the father to Nnu’s children, but due to the capitalistic and colonial atmosphere surrounding Nigeria, he is forced to compromise. Due to cultural and social changes, he is merely viewed as the head of the house but the family is held and supported through Nnu Ego’s efforts.
Although Nnu Ego lives in the urban setting, she fails to embrace the change that comes with the colonial rule. She constantly reminds her twin daughters that they should not misbehave because a girl’s misdemeanor might taint the reputation of the whole family. As a mother, she was supposed to make sure that her girls remain upright until marriage. The change from rural life to urban settings does little to ameliorate girl child’s plight for education. While advising her daughters, Nne tells them, “But you are girls! They are boys. You will have to sell to put them in good position in life” (176). In the traditional Ibo setting, girls were never considered for education but they were supposed to help their mothers in household and petty business activities.
As much as Nnu Ego tries her level best to curb her children against the infiltrations of the urban life, her son Oshia becomes the symbol of the new order. Although he does not break away from the traditional glue, he does wish to enroll for studies. Oshia and his brother are forced to attend to the family’s business in the marketplace instead of going to school. However, his intelligence and ambition supersedes his traditional obligatory roles. He becomes a true representation of the generation that is shifting away from the traditional fabric. By choosing to make his own decisions individually rather than collectively, Oshia is viewed as a disappointment and failure. Although he even works hard to earn a scholarship to the U.S., his achievement does not take away the disappointment felt of failing to stay in Lags and support his relations.
A woman’s role as a mother does not change even when the setting change from rural to urban. When Nnu Ego becomes pregnant after losing their first child, he expects his husband to be happy but instead, he only accentuates his manly status by stating that there was no need to be happy for fulfilling his role-making a woman pregnant (50). There seems to be no much change in terms of the gender of the child born. A boy child was always received with much joy than a girl child. When Nnu Ego gives birth to twin girls, Nnaife blasts her, asking her why she could not have done any better (127).
Nnu Ego is also forced to face the devastations of the Second World War under colonial rule. In Lagos, her path, on several occasions crosses with the white man. First of all, Nnu is evacuated from her compound by British soldiers. Afterwards, her husband is forced to join the army to go and fight in the Second World War in Burma. Nnu Ego shifts his family to Ibuza where she struggles to keep her family going. The gap left by men during the Second World War elevates women to the heads of houses position. Due to colonialism, the Nigerians are compelled to adopt foreign ways, which threaten their traditional fabric. Christianity, European education, and capitalism play a big role in eroding the conventions and traditions of the Ibo people.
The effects of colonialism undermine Nnu Ego’s happiness as a mother because it threatens the interdependence and cohesiveness of her family. Although her children later on adopt change, Nnu Ego fails to embrace and recognize the new ways. As a result, the forces that tied the family together are broken. Throughout the whole book, Emecheta depicts the family as a united entity whereby individuals must contribute to the wellbeing of the whole unit. Nnu Ego fails to save her children from the breakdown of conventional norms and traditions and the infiltration of urban life, as each of them pursues his/her on interests. While her daughter disobeys societal taboos by choosing her own partner, her sons decide to pursue education rather than tend to the family business. As a result of failure to accept change, Nnu Ego suffers emotional and psychological distress thereby making her die alone by the roadside.
In conclusion, Emecheta manages to blend the intricacies of colonization together with the patriarchal society and how they affected the role and place of women. Through the main character, Nnu Ego, Emecheta has succeeded in penning down how she was determined to save her children from the erosion of village life, and the breakdown of conventional norms and traditions, the infiltration of urban life, and the devastations of the Second World War under colonial rule. However, she fails to do so as her children adopts change and choose their own paths.
Work Cited
Emecheta, Buchi. The Joys of Motherhood. NY: Norton & Company, 2011, print.