Poetics and Prose of Resistance: Marginalization and Agency in Jack Mapanje’s The Chattering Wagtails of Mikuyu Prison and Tendai Hunchu’s the Hairdresser of Harere

Abstract

This paper undertakes a comparative analysis of Jack Mapanje’s The Chattering Wagtails of Mikuyu Prison and Tendai Huchu’s The Hairdresser of Harare, two influential works from East and Southern Africa that reflect critical currents in contemporary African literature. The researcher adopts postcolonial theory as theoretical anchor, using primary and secondary sources of data collection. While Mapanje’s poetry arises from the claustrophobic confines of political imprisonment under Malawi’s authoritarian regime, Huchu’s novel explores the vibrant yet morally rigid society of post-independent Zimbabwe. The study discovers how both writers use distinct literary forms—poetry and prose—to critique oppressive systems and illuminate personal and collective struggles. Despite their divergent historical and political contexts, both works exemplify the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring role of African literature as a tool for resistance. This comparative study discovers the relevance of both texts within African literary traditions to the ongoing conversations about voice, agency, and liberation in postcolonial Africa. The paper concludes that literature remains a powerful site for resistance and transformation.