Female black enunciation in Chimamanda Adichie e Zadie Smith

Abstract

This study analyzes the representation of Black female enunciation in the works of Chimamanda Adichie and Zadie Smith, focusing on the characters Clara from White Teeth and Ifeoma from Purple Hibiscus. Enunciation, viewed as an act of identity, is examined through literary devices such as speech representation, the use of eye dialect, and the symbolism of bodily elements like the mouth and teeth. The analysis of Clara, who loses her teeth in an accident, reveals a trajectory of fracture from her roots and an enunciation marked by submission and difficulty. In contrast, Ifeoma, with her gapped teeth and fearless, fluid speech, symbolizes freedom and resistance to colonial ideals. By comparing these two characters, the article demonstrates how Chimamanda Adichie and Zadie Smith use the figuration of the phonological apparatus to highlight the different forms of struggle and identity negotiation in contemporary society.