The psychological impact of colonialism and hybrid identities on black women as depicted in Tsitsi Dangarembga's “Nervous conditions” and “The book of not”

Abstract

This thesis examines the historical context of colonialism, post-colonialism, patriarchy, and black feminism, and the impact of these conditions on Nervous Conditions and The Book of Not’s female characters. The main argument is that the dual oppression faced by black women is intricately linked to the development of psychological disorders and defense mechanisms. By using Bhabha and Fanon’s theories, the effect of hybridity and identity crises on female characters is shown through the development of eating disorders (anorexia), low self-esteem, anxiety, emotional numbness, and “Neurosis of Blackness”. The last part of this work reveals a feminist lens to the novel, whereby Dangarembga indirectly restates the complexity of black women’s identity by writing for and about them, thereby reclaiming their place in black history.