Counter-Discursive Strategies in Postcolonial African Novel: Revisiting the Peripheries in Ama Ata Aidoo’s Our Sister Killjoy Dr. Ibraheem N.A. Tagaddeen (PhD), Faculty of Languages, Sana’a University Ms. Aisha Al-Matari

Abstract

The racial stereotypical image of the African as an inferior savage standing as an obstacle in the way of civilization has been established and perpetuated in Western literature, art and media throughout centuries. Within the theoretical framework of colonialism/postcolonialism, eurocentrism, orientalism, deconstruction and other interdisciplinary fields, this research paper intends to highlight the role of the postcolonial African novel, as counter-discourse, in deconstructing the colonial narrative and challenging stereotypes with a special focus on Ama Ata Aidoo’s Our Sister Killjoy. It intends to show how the postcolonial writers, by ‘writing back to the Empire’, have protested against Western ways of categorizing others and adopted a counter discourse to assert the invalidity of colonial discourse with a view to eliminate the negative image of the colonized people in Western arts and literature. Taking Aidoo’s Our Sister Killjoy as a case-in-point, the study shows how the writer subverts and deconstructs the colonial discourse by challenging stereotypes about the colonized Other, especially the Ghanaians. Through a descriptive analytical method, Aidoo’s novel has been critically examined to show how colonial stereotypes, perpetuated by history, media and literature, play a great role in affecting ones perception of the Other, sustain racial prejudice throughout history and result in misunderstanding among different cultures. The study concludes with a recommendation for a new strategy of writing/reading literature in which canonical and non-canonical texts should be written/read in such a way that promotes racial and gender harmony, equality, dialogue among cultures and global peace.

Key Terms:    Colonialism, Postcolonialism,        Counter-Discourse, Stereotypes,   Orientalism,   Discursive Strategies,  Deconstruction