MALE ABSENCE AND SINGLE PARENTHOOD IN CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE'S THE THING AROUND YOUR NECK.

ABSTRACT This study critically examines the emotional, psychological, and sociocultural impacts of male absence and single parenthood with specific references to selected stories from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s The Thing Around Your Neck. Drawing from seven stories: “Imitation,” “The American Embassy,” “The Arrangers of Marriage,” “On Monday of Last Week,” “Jumping Monkey Hill,” “Tomorrow is Too Far,” and “The Thing Around Your Neck.” The research explores how female characters navigate life in the absence of male partners and under the burden of sole caregiving responsibilities. Using feminist literary criticism and postcolonial theory, the work reveals how male absence contributes to emotional dislocation, identity struggles, and the redefinition of traditional gender roles. The analysis highlights how characters endure alienation, loneliness, psychological trauma, and emotional strength while responding to societal expectations and patriarchal structures. The findings show that Adichie portrays single motherhood not merely as a condition of abandonment but as a site of female agency, resilience, and critique of sociocultural norms in contemporary African societies. This study contributes to ongoing scholarly discourse on gender representation, power dynamics, and the lived experiences of African women within postcolonial literary contexts.s