福利姬

Abstract

Research paper by Alina Rinkanya published听

Moraa Gitaa is one of听 the听 most听 prolific听 and听 well - known听 Kenyan听 women听 authors听 of听 the听 new generation. Born and raised in Mombasa, she has worked for more than听 15 years with various organizations, among them the British Council, Aga Khan Foundation and PEN Kenya Centre.

Gitaa won First Prize in the National Book Development Council of Kenya Adult Fiction literary award in 2008, was nominated for the 2010 Penguin Prize for African Writing, and was one of the Kenya Chapter winners of the 2014 Burt Award for African Literature.

In her听 fictional听 works,听 which听 include听 four听 novels,听 a听 number听 of听 stories听 and听 a听 secondary听 school reader,听 she听 manages听 to听 treat听 a听 wide听 range听 of听 issues听 topical听 for听 modern听 Kenyan听 society,听 and听especially for the听 younger听 generation,听 focusing听 on听 the听 challenges听 that听 haunt听 young听 females.

Among the problems treated听 in听 her听 works听 are听 drug听 addiction,听 human听 trafficking,听 sexual听 abuse, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, gender discrimination, inter-generational and ethnic tensions,听 economic听 marginalization,听 HIV 听and听 AIDS,听 corruption听 and听 transnational听 crime.听 All these concerns are tackled by the author in the setting of her native Coastal province, 鈥揵ut the setting is also symbolically used as a microcosm for the whole country.

The paper analyses the four novels听 of听 Gitaa -Crucible听 for听 Silver听 and听 Furnace听 for听 Gold听 (2008),听 Shifting听 Sands听 (2012),听 Hila听 (2014)听 and听 Shark听 Attack听 (2017).听

The听 paper听 concludes that Gitaa鈥檚 works are notable not 听only听 as听 an听 example听 of听 social听 criticism听 in听 literature,听 but听 also听 as听 inspirational听 texts听 for听 young readers.

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