Feminism Explored in Joan Barfoot's Abra: An Analysis

Abstract

This paper analyses the feminist elements present in the novel Abra authored by Joan Barfoot, a Canadian feminist writer of the second wave feminism era in the 1960s and 1970s. The period impacted many social changes including civil rights for women, and secured power in the hands of women.  The novel Abra captures the significance of the period through an empowered female protagonist who renounced her family and society to gain autonomy. Moreover, the novel offers insights into the struggles of women as well as their established power in a world dominated by men.  Hence, this article aims to examine the feminist themes in the novel and analyses how the novel depicts the treatment of women in the Canadian patriarchal society. Further, the paper focuses on the protagonist's psychological transformation from an ordinary woman to an empowered individual who defies patriarchal domination, while exploring the period’s spirit of quest for freedom.