Narratives of Resistance: Women's Self-Empowerment in Selected Fiction of Angelou and Atwood

Abstract

This study explores narratives of resistance and women's self-empowerment in selected works of Maya Angelou and Margaret Atwood through the lens of intersectional feminism. Using qualitative textual analysis and close reading, it examines how female protagonists negotiate patriarchal oppression, racial marginalization, and socio-cultural constraints. Drawing on Crenshaw's (1989) concept of intersectionality and feminist literary theory, the study analyzes The Heart of a Woman (1981) and The Edible Woman (1969) to uncover strategies of resistance, Identity formation, and empowerment. The findings reveal that empowerment is a gradual process involving self-awareness, resistance, and redefinition of identity. This study contributes to feminist discourse by highlighting cross-cultural similarities in women's struggles and emphasizing literature as a transformative tool for social critique and personal liberation.

Keywords: Intersectionality, Feminism, Women's Empowerment, Resistance, Maya Angelou, Margaret Atwood, Narrative Analysis, Self-Identity