Allegorical Constructions of Repressive Power in NoViolet Bulawayo's Glory

Abstract

This study examines the allegorical construction of repressive power in Glory by NoViolet Bulawayo, focusing on how the novel represents postcolonial political realities through symbolic narration. Guided by Fredric Jameson’s theory of national allegory, the study explores how personal and domestic events in the novel function as symbolic representations of national crises, authoritarian governance, elite succession, and resistance. Set in the fictional nation of Jidada, the novel uses animal characters and satire to mirror Zimbabwe’s 2017 coup and broader African leadership crises. The research adopts an interpretivist qualitative approach using close reading and thematic coding to analyse allegorical figures, institutional violence, and ironic reversals within postcolonial and narratological frameworks. The findings reveal that Bulawayo constructs repressive power through symbolic figures such as the Old Horse, militarised defenders, and competing political elites, whose interactions reflect authoritarianism, succession struggles, and institutionalised violence. The study further demonstrates that allegory operates as both a narrative and political tool, exposing cycles of corruption, betrayal, and failed liberation in postcolonial African states. It concludes that Glory extends the African allegorical tradition by transforming historical and political realities into symbolic fiction that critiques authoritarian rule. The study recommends further research on succession crises, digital media in political legitimation, and representations of state violence in contemporary African allegorical texts.