The Phenomenon of Intrusive Thoughts in Yejide Kilanko’s Daughters Who Walk This Path - Article 8 - Issue 5

Oct 15, 2026

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Hegemonic masculinity and patriarchal power in many African societies normalize female subservience and silence around sexism, abuse, and its lingering wounds. When problems are met with secrecy rather than disclosure, psychological distress intensifies and leaves visible and covert marks on the psyche. Intrusive thoughts emerge as symptoms alongside trauma-linked nightmares, flashbacks, fear, and anxiety, disrupting the life of Morayo. The study examines trauma’s effects, showing how speaking-out can reduce shame, support survivors, and advance therapeutic approaches while challenging myths about sexual assault.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction to the Study

Methodology

Textual Analysis

Advances in Language and Literary Studies ISSN: 2203-4714 [www.alls.aiac.org.au](www.alls.aiac.org.au) | The Phenomenon of Intrusive Thoughts in Yejide Kilanko’s Daughters Who Walk This Path
Shamaila Dodhy*
Department of English, University of the Punjab, Pakistan
Corresponding Author: Shamaila Dodhy, E-mail: [shamailadodhy@yahoo.com](shamailadodhy@yahoo.com) | | | --- | --- | | ARTICLE INFO | ABSTRACT
Hegemonic masculinity, with patriarchal supremacy and female subservience are the norms of | | Article history | | | Received: June 24, 2017 | many African societies. Suffering in silence goes along with the traditional place of woman | | Accepted: September 26, 2017 | in African societies as they observe sexist hierarchy of power. Physical attack and its wounds | | Published: October 31, 2017 | flourish in an atmosphere of secrecy and silence. Silence to such problems escalates psychological | | Volume: 8 Issue: 5 | distress, casting adverse effects on the individual. Silence leaves overt and covert markings on | | Advance access: October 2017 | the psyche. Intrusive thoughts are one of symptoms among nightmares, flashbacks, fear, and anxiety of psychological trauma. No previous research examined the intrusion of intrusive thoughts which disturb the life of Morayo. The article addresses this gap as this symptom of | | | | | Conflicts of interest: None | trauma makes life difficult for a girl whose trust is violated by a kinsman. This work accentuates | | Funding: None | that speaking-out can end a false sense of shame that survivors often carry. Speech will agitate | | | legal change, bring about advancement in therapeutic approaches, and undermine social myths about sexual assault which will promote acceptance for the survivors. | | Key words:
Anxiety Feeling Pain | | | Past | | | Trauma | | INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY In Daughters Who Walk This Path, Kilanko highlights Nigerian women’s emotional strength, and their collective efforts to reduce the afflictions that women have to bear in the African society. The novel gives the marginalized teenager a control over the narrative expression thus shifting conventional notions of authority while giving immediacy to the narrative voice. The present study aims to analyze the protagonist of the selected text who experiences intrusive thoughts which are hostile and invasive. They are rather illogical, counterintuitive, and jumbled up. They cause discomfort resulting in anxiety and disgust for the perpetrator. METHODOLOGY The present study attempts to analyse the character of Morayo in light of leading trauma theorists. It aims to examine the phenomenon of intrusive thoughts, one of the intrinsic symptoms of psychological trauma. Morayo verifies compound signs of psychological trauma as the literary text develop. This happens because the mother of Morayo does not encourage the daughter to disclose her painful secrets to her. Instead of forgetting the traumatic experience; the intrusive thoughts interfere with her thought processes, thus contami-nating her mental health. TEXTUAL ANALYSIS Time is not reducing the anger and anxiety of Morayo. Her life is overwhelmed by intrusive thoughts which are involuntary and unpleasant. They are debilitating and distressing so Morayo is finding hard to manage them. The mother of Morayo though notices the changed behaviour of the daughter but she does not ask her the reason, thinking that it is quite normal for teenagers to be lost in day-dreams. She fails to realize the cause of worrisome attitude of her daughter. Consequently, Morayo’s worries do not end here. Bros T continues abusing her over and over again on the threat that if she will not come to him, he will rape her younger sister too. He used to call her even in his own bedroom to assault her. His presence in the home is a constant source of threat to her. She wants to protect her sister at all costs because she cannot afford that her sister may go through

FAQs

What role do intrusive thoughts play in Morayo’s experience?

Intrusive thoughts are involuntary, unpleasant, and hostile to Morayo’s mental life. They intensify anxiety and distress and interfere with her thought processes, worsening her psychological condition.

How does the study connect trauma to Morayo’s situation?

The study analyzes Morayo’s signs as symptoms of psychological trauma as the narrative develops. It links her condition to an abusive environment and to the lack of encouragement for disclosure of painful secrets.

Why does silence aggravate the psychological harm described in the article?

The article argues that secrecy and silence around sexist hierarchy and physical attack escalate psychological distress. Silence leaves lasting overt and covert effects on the psyche and sustains shame among survivors.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Cipher