A Study of Religion and History in African American Fiction promoting Plurality and Stability among Black Community

Abstract

Religion has always provided direction, solace, and tranquilly. Additionally, it can foster a sense of belonging and connection among different types of individuals living all over the world. The influence of religion on social norms and expectations is a perennially important and challenging area for investigation. It is connected to history, which serves as the community's constant source of inspiration and stability. While history has been interpreted as a source of support, motivation, and stability in the context of physical and mental strength whereas, religion has been a source of fostering diversity among the people by engaging their spiritual side. As a result, both are interconnected and interdependent and can provide spiritual, physical, and motivational support for community in its development and advancement. This paper focuses on how African American authoress Jacqueline Woodson used religion and history in her novel The Brown Girls Dreaming to assist readers in developing a feeling of community, equality, and diversity that gave them the fortitude to tackle life's problems. Postmodernism is used as the theoretical framework for this study's qualitative design and analysis of the selected novel. In order to educate and empower kids against the false narratives promoted by white people to divide them and foster cultural particularism in order to isolate them in society.  Jacqueline's mother and grandmother tell the tales of their historical heroes and liberation warriors. In order to foster a sense of unity and sustainability within their society, they also use religion as a source of peace and diversity. she also cites the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the teachings of the Qur'an as sources of honesty and stability in addition to the teachings of Christianity and the Bible. The study sums up that the authoress aptly uses religion and history to promotes sense of plurality and stability among the community and teaching of religion and history provide sufficient source of inspiration and motivation for her depressed community.