Breaking the Frame of the Black Female: Sapphire’s Push(ing) Beyond Social and Bodily Control

This article traces the protagonist’s journey in Push by Sapphire from a position of victimhood to an empowered sense of self. The novel is significant for its portrayal of Black female victimhood as rooted in both social structures and internalized oppression. Unlike other contemporary African American women’s literature, Push not only depicts incestuous violence against Black girls but also illustrates how entrenched stereotypes and controlling images shape the protagonist’s lived reality and how these forces are destabilized by highlighting the complex individuality of Black women. The article contends that reclaiming the Black female body from abjection to empowerment, particularly through the erotic, is central to the narrative. Rediscovering pleasure and self-recognition enable the protagonist to resist objectification and achieve agency. Ultimately, the article demonstrates that Push intervenes in this literary tradition by positioning embodied empowerment as necessary for the protagonist’s transformation.