Surviving the Weight of Tradition: Alice Walker’s Possessing the Secret of Joy

Abstract

This article examines Alice Walker’s Possessing the Secret of Joy, focusing on female circumcision as a form of bodily violence shaped by patriarchal systems. Drawing on the theories of Hélène Cixous and Luce Irigaray, it argues that patriarchal structures regulate and suppress female sexuality. The study highlights how the novel resists essentialist representations of Black women by foregrounding personal narratives rather than exoticized images. It demonstrates that the text critiques both colonial and patriarchal systems, emphasizing their intersection in the oppression of African women. Through the protagonist’s symbolic act of resistance, the article exposes the cultural and ideological mechanisms sustaining such practices.

(The abstract and keywords were prepared retrospectively for indexing purposes using AI-assisted tools and editorial review, based on the original article. They did not appear in the original publication.)