Deconstructing the roles of sexually graphic language in Mkufya’s The Wicked Walk : a content analysis

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Authors: Esther J. Masele
Cited by: 0
References: 23

Abstract

This study is based on a content analysis of William Eliezer Mkufya’s novel The Wicked Walk. The study was specifically designed to answer one central research question: What are the roles of sexually graphic language in Mkufya’s The Wicked Walk? The analysis involved a thorough examination of the discourse through Derrida’s deconstructive approach. Using a close reading technique, the study identifies instances of graphic sexual discourse and examines their functions both within the text itself and in relation to broader cultural meaning. The results reveal that, while such language is often perceived negatively as culturally offensive or taboo, it conveys important messages about gendered exploitation, poverty, and social inequality. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the use of sexually graphic language in literary works enhances narrative suspense, thereby increasing the novel’s readability and interpretive depth. Based on these findings, the study demonstrates how sexually explicit language functions not merely as provocation but as a vehicle for uncovering implicit meanings and challenging dominant cultural assumptions.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Comics and Graphic Narratives Gender Studies in Language Postcolonial and Cultural Literary Studies

Publication details

Journal / source
Cogent Arts and Humanities
Volume
13
Issue
1
Publication date
8 January 2026
Language
EN