Examining Epistemic Violence
Epistemic Violence is a common theme seen in many literary postcolonial critiques and novels that fit into a postcolonial discourse. These texts also make profound statements about how epistemic violence shapes our understanding of the world around us. Many postcolonial theorists have written about epistemic violence as a weapon used by colonizers in their colonial projects.
My purpose is to look at two texts: Ourika and Things Fall Apart to examine how epistemic violence shapes the narratives of these two literary examples. I believe that by looking at these two unique texts that we can better understand how epistemic violence has shaped the experiences of colonized peoples. In these two novels, epistemic violence has had a catastrophic effect on the characters within them. Both of these novels follow characters who experience epistemic violence. At pivotal moments in these novels, both main characters are confronted with constructed colonial ideals that cause them to questions their identities and their purpose. Literary texts are powerful components of postcolonial discourse and these two literary texts explicitly show how epistemic violence has shaped the colonized/colonizer relationship, and how that relationship impacts how the characters understand themselves.
My purpose is to look at two texts: Ourika and Things Fall Apart to examine how epistemic violence shapes the narratives of these two literary examples. I believe that by looking at these two unique texts that we can better understand how epistemic violence has shaped the experiences of colonized peoples. In these two novels, epistemic violence has had a catastrophic effect on the characters within them. Both of these novels follow characters who experience epistemic violence. At pivotal moments in these novels, both main characters are confronted with constructed colonial ideals that cause them to questions their identities and their purpose. Literary texts are powerful components of postcolonial discourse and these two literary texts explicitly show how epistemic violence has shaped the colonized/colonizer relationship, and how that relationship impacts how the characters understand themselves.