Narrative and Stylistic Strategies in NoViolet Bulawayo’s Glory in the Representation of Repressive Power in Africa

Abstract

This article examines the narrative and stylistic strategies through which Noviolet Bulawayo’s Glory constructs representations of repressive power in Africa, focusing on the artistic and technical devices that shape the narrative. Guided by narratological and formalist approaches, the analysis explores how Bulawayo structures meaning through characterisation, satire, irony, language manipulation, and the integration of digital media within the fictional text. The study adopts a qualitative research design based on close textual analysis of Glory. The method enables a detailed examination of how narrative techniques function as tools of representation within the novel’s fictional framework. Particular attention is given to Bulawayo’s use of animal characters, symbolic naming practices such as the Old Horse and other allegorical identities, and the deliberate distortion of conventional narrative realism to foreground political critique. Findings indicate that Bulawayo consistently employs anthropomorphism as a central narrative strategy to construct and critique repressive power. The novel also incorporates digital communication platforms such as Twitter and Facebook as embedded narrative devices, reflecting contemporary modes of political discourse and public engagement. Furthermore, the manipulation of plot structure and fragmented storytelling enhances the representation of instability and contested authority. The article concludes that Bulawayo’s narrative strategies extend beyond traditional allegory by combining classical storytelling techniques with modern digital forms. It recommends further scholarly attention to the intersection of digital narration and postcolonial storytelling as an emerging area in African literary studies.