ABSTRACT
What this study has been able to achieve in the previous chapters is to discuss the themes of deception and prostitution in the novels, Beyond the Horizon and On Black Sisters' Street. It also demonstrates the effect of deception and prostitution on the individual and society. The research looks at the literary devices and style used by both authors, Amma Darko and Chika Unigwe, respectively in their works. These novels are an astonishing presentation of prostitution 53 and deception in our world and this is seen in the lives of the main characters in the texts, Mara, Sisi, Ama, Efe, and Joyce. Some of these women like Mara and Joyce are betrayed, deceived, abused and so on. Society is not left out as well as they contribute to these themes. Unemployment, poverty, greed, and much more are factors that push these women into prostitution. Deception is an act that is part of human existence but it isn’t condone by certain people as well as society. In the novels, we observe how the characters use deception to get their desired results. Some deceive for selfish reasons just like Akobi in Beyond the Horizon who deceives the women in his life, Gitte and Mara. He goes further to blackmail her into prostitution. Others deceive to protect their loved ones from finding out the truth and be hurt in the process. An instance in On Black Sisters’ Street is Sisi who deceives her parents about her journey to Belgium. She tells them that her friend’s uncle got her a job over there when in reality she’s going to become a prostitute. Another instance is Mara, she deceives Gitte as she plays the role of Akobi’s sister when in fact she is the main wife. She continues to do this to protect Gitte and also Akobi even though he doesn’t deserve it. Later in the novel, we find out that she tells Gitte the truth through a letter. Darko and Unigwe are adept novelists with a full understanding of how to weave literary devices into their works. These devices give the novels life and make it an enjoyable read. From each chapter, the use of imagery, flashbacks, foreshadowing, irony and others pulls the readers into the characters’ world. The authors employ competent use of language and descriptive power.
