ABSTRACT
Of all the captivating, realistic portrayals of female protagonists in contemporary Africana womanist writings, Terry McMillan exceeds the works of others such as Zora Neale Hurston, Mariama Ba, Paule Marshall and Toni Morrison. Zora Banks, McMillan’s protagonist who is the supreme paradigm of the total Africana womanist, possesses most of the main qualities. Among many things, Zora Banks is self-naming and selfdefining, family-centered and compatible, flexible with her roles and ambitions, demanding of respect and strong, reverent of elders and authentic, and, last but not least, nurturing and mothering. Feeling at peace and in harmony with Black culture and the Black community demonstrates Zora’s authenticity. Zora becomes the primary breadwinner, and Franklin necessarily has to take care of the house, which he does well. More disappointments follow, and finally Zora feels so uncomfortable with Franklin that, for both her safety and her baby’s security, she ends the relationship.
