Monstrous Women or Victims of Patriarchy? A Theoretical Exploration of Female Monstrosity in My Sister, the Serial Killer and Woman at Point Zero

Abstract This study explores the concept of female monstrosity in Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister, the Serial Killer and Nawal El Saadawi’s Woman at Point Zero, examining how societal structures shape women into perceived monsters. Using Julia Kristeva’s Abjection Theory and Jeffrey Jerome Cohen’s Monster Culture Theory, the research investigates whether these female protagonists are inherently monstrous or products of patriarchal oppression. Kristeva’s theory posits that the abject, what is expelled from the self, disrupts identity and order, making women who defy societal norms appear monstrous. Cohen, on the other hand, argues that monsters are cultural constructs reflecting societal fears and anxieties. In My Sister, the Serial Killer, Ayoola and Korede’s monstrosity stems from childhood trauma inflicted by their abusive father. Ayoola’s impulsive killings and Korede’s complicity highlight how violence breeds monstrosity in different ways. Similarly, Woman at Point Zero portrays Firdaus as a victim of systemic oppression who ultimately reclaims agency through murder, an act that society labels monstrous. Both novels demonstrate that female monstrosity is not an innate condition but a response to patriarchal violence and repression. By applying Kristeva’s and Cohen’s frameworks, this study reveals that monstrosity is both a reaction to oppression and a reflection of societal failings. The findings suggest that women labelled as monsters are often shaped by their circumstances rather than an inherent evil. Finally, this research challenges traditional perceptions of female monstrosity, urging a reconsideration of how gender, trauma, and power intersect in literature and society.