Memes, Rhetorical and Oratorical Elements in Bulawayo’s Glory: A Discourse Analysis and Gender Theory Perspective

Abstract

NoViolet Bulawayo’s satirical writing in her portrayal of misogyny, misrule, and human rights violations in the novel Glory charts a new frontier in literary representation of the failed postcolonial African state. In her allegorical depiction of Jidada (Zimbabwe), a country mired in decades-old political violence, economic plunder, and socio-economic ferment, she draws from the rich resources of African oratory to present a hyperbolic masterpiece that both confronts and disrupts the acerbic nationalism of the country’s political elite. Using discourse analysis, meme theory, and oral traditional theory, the article examines how Bulawayo’s use of oratorical devices and social media-influenced narratology creates a courageous form of satirical political commentary. The article explores how her writing technique achieves a balance between Nguni folklore and other contemporary forms of narration without compromising her originality. Thus, the article considers how Bulawayo successfully blends traditional folklore and oral tradition with the Orwellian type of satire in Animal Farm without losing her own identity and voice as an African novelist. It concludes that the creative use of African traditional folklore, rhetoric, and contemporary memes creates a new form of protest writing that is both refreshingly adventurous and pioneering.