Writing as Resistance in the Narrative Discourse of Black Women

By Beverly Bunch-Lyons and April Few.

Published by The International Journal of the Humanities

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Article: Print	$US10.00
Article: Electronic	$US5.00

Black women possess what can be called the quintessential otherized body, and as a result have a history of being targeted as acceptable subjects for acts
of violence. Their experiences cross boundaries of place, space and time. The devaluation of the female body in general, and the Black female body in particular, serve to marginalize the Black woman in ways that culturally sanction violence and sexual exploitation against her. This paper examines themes of sexual exploitation, violence and resistance in the literary work of Harriet Jacobs, Octavia Butler, Alice Walker, Zora Neale Hurston, Gayl Jones and Sister Souljah. The act of writing/telling serves as one of the most important tools of resistance.

Keywords:	African American Literature, African American History, Gender, Violence, Race

The International Journal of the Humanities, Volume 5, Issue 3, pp.213-220. Article: Print (Spiral Bound). Article: Electronic (PDF File; 553.126KB).

Dr. Beverly Bunch-Lyons

Associate Professor, History Department, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Alexandria, Virginia, USA

Dr. Beverly Bunch-Lyons is Associate Professor of History at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She specializes in 20th Century African American History. Her interests include, African American women's history and fiction, gender dynamics within families, and labor force and leisure activities among African Americans.

Dr. April Few

Associate Professor, Human Development, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA

Dr. April L. Few is Associate Professor of family studies in the Department of Human Development at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Her research interests include the topics of intimate violence, African American adolescent sexuality, women’s reentry into family and community issues, qualitative methodologies, and diversity issues in academia.

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