The Slave Girl

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The slave Girl was written by Buchi Emecheta in 1977. The story depicts Ogbanje Ojebeta, an orphaned girl, sold by her brother Okolie to Ma Palaganda. Under Ma Palaganda care Ojebdeta was a slave girl who was stripped of her customs and was assimilated into western ideals. After the death of Ma Palaganda, Ojebeta was granted the privilege to return to her homeland but ultimately became another man’s slave. This novel touches on many issues such as the ambiguity of enslavement, class, gender relations, and the impact of western influence. The ambiguity of enslavement was at the forefront and a recurring issue in this novel. Within the African culture, it was customary for a man to marry or have sexual relations with more than one woman. Wives and slaves alike were expected to grant any request that was made by the male in the household. Even women who were freeborn could not choose their husbands because that decision was left for her family to make. The lack of ability for a woman to make her own decisions contributed to the ambiguity between enslavement and being freeborn. Clifford, the son of Pa Palaganda, was known for having sexual relations with his female slaves. As Clifford became fond of his slave Ojebeta, he started to view her as a potential wife because she could read, write her name, sew, and cook civilized food. When Clifford disclosed his thoughts of one day marrying Ojebeta he simply told her what would transpire in a fairly non demanding way. Slave girls were already functioning as wives since they would cook, clean, nurse children, and have sexual relations with their masters. The ambiguity of enslavement fostered a way for some slave girls to elevate their status. The class distinctions within the African culture were defined in the following order: males, wives, and then slaves. Many slaves eventually became wives during their bondage to
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