An Interrogation of Black Female Individuals and Collective Black Identity in Paule Marshall’s Praisesong for the Widow

Author(s)	Ms. BABITTHA J, Prof. Dr. ADINARAYANAN S
Country	India
Abstract	Abstract This paper scrutinizes the affinity between the black women and their collective black identity. It will demonstrate how Afro-American women’s collective black subconscious is shaped by sexism and racist oppression, enabling them to rebel against it and achieve self-actualization in Paule Marshall’s Praisesong for the Widow. The protagonist of the novel, Avey Johnson, is put into a slumbering state by Marshall, preparing her for the trip back in time to not just Avey’s but the entire black community’s history. As Avey travels back in time, she becomes a conduit for the pain that the black community has endured from enslavement to the present. The trip also presents the revival of the cultural heritage as a remedy for the Afro-American community’s defections. This path towards the pursuit of black identity is a common one. All ladies of Afro-American descent who are seeking a new identity can benefit from Avey’s qualities.
Keywords	Keywords: Black, Female, Collective, Individual, Identity
Field	Arts
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 6, November-December 2025
Published On	2025-12-14
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i06.63383

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