On Liminality and Existences Outside the Binary in Akwaeke Emezi's Freshwater and The Death of Vivek Oji

Abstract

This dissertation explores the ways in which spirituality, gender, and sexuality shape the portrayal of characters who challenge binary and rigid categories in the novels Freshwater and The Death of Vivek Oji. The protagonists, Ada and Vivek, exist in liminal spaces and navigate their complex identities to understand themselves better. Indeed, Ada is an ọgbanje and a non-binary omnisexual person and Vivek is a genderqueer person who is a reincarnation of his grandmother. Both characters are on a journey of self-discovery which necessitates them to overcome societal norms and their own boundaries. The study also examines how literary genres and devices are used to defy norms and challenge preconceived notions.