The Subversive Power of Silences in Mtutuzeli Nyoka’s I Speak to the Silent and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus

Abstract

The study of silences is a multifaceted field that intersects with various disciplines, including philosophy, psychology, sociology, linguistics, and even art and music. While significant research has been conducted on silences, there has been limited focus on how silences actively undermine oppressive structures. This study, therefore, explores the concept of silences as a vehicle for subverting oppression in Mtutuzeli Nyoka’s I Speak to the Silent and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus. The main objective of this study is to determine silences as tools of subversion in Mtutuzeli Nyoka’s I Speak to the Silent and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus. Deconstruction theory, as propounded by Jacques Derrida, has been used as the lens of analysis. This theory has helped unpack these silences, revealing them as complex, layered responses to oppression rather than mere passivity or powerlessness. The authors’ portrayal of silences reflects not just a symptom of abuse but also a mechanism for survival and eventual subversion of these oppressive forces. Purposive sampling was used as it allows for the deliberate selection of texts that directly align with the research objectives. The study employed a thematic research design and a descriptive qualitative approach, involving a close reading of the selected texts. By critically analysing both novels through Deconstruction theory, paying attention to the principles of binary opposition and hierarchy, logo centrism, difference and trace, this study operated at multiple levels; as a form of representation, as a tool of resistance against oppression and a site for potential change. Through this analysis, the study expanded the discourse on resistance to oppression, highlighting how silences themselves can be powerful tools of subversion and its intersectionality with gender, class and colonial history