Scholarly literary criticism on the effect of the child narrative voice in re-presenting zimbabweans’ different identities in NoVIOLET bulawayo’s novel. we need new names: an analytical study

The child narrator is a popular narrative technique in children’s literature, especially magical stories and fantasies. However, most authors prefer adult narrators when narrating issues like political instability, gender-based violence, the AIDS scourge and religious exploitation, as this voice projects a feeling of seriousness and authority of experience to potentially attract a bigger readership, especially the adults in the society. Nevertheless, child narrators are an interesting choice because of the degree of emotions they inject in a story, which gives it an earnest tone and makes the reader want to empathize and sympathize with the narrator. Further, since their identities are in the process of formulation, the reader can see, understand and critique how ideologies play a role in the formation of identities and worldviews. Child narrators also appeal to child readers who form a large section of any country’s population and future leadership. The objective of this study was to interrogate the deployment of the child narrative voice in NoViolet Bulawayo’s We Need New Names (2013) in its effectiveness in re-presenting Zimbabwean’s different identities. This study critiqued the effectiveness of the child narrator in presenting, representing and (re)presenting experiences of and challenges faced by Zimbabweans within their country and diaspora. The study targeted blooming authors who are hesitant to use child narrators as the protagonists in their works, and readers and critics who might be interested in discovering ways in which child narrators can be used by an author to address myriad concerns.