Conjugal Misdeeds in Linda Jummai Mustafa’s “What if…?” and “A Day in a Hotel Room”

Abstract

The breach of conjugal vows of love and fidelity and the practice of villainous acts within the 
marital space obstructs the peace and wellbeing of couples as depicted in Linda Jummai 
Mustafa‟s short stories, “What if…?” and “A Day in a Hotel Room.” This paper examines the 
portrayal of marital infidelity, the transmission of STDs and rape; actions which contradict 
the marital pact and hinders the harmonious coexistence of the married characters. The 
theoretical framework adopted for this study is new criticism, while the methodology is based 
on textual analysis. The paper finds that marital abuses as seen in Mustafa‟s two short stories 
portray marriage as an institution where violence and deceit thrive and suggests some 
pragmatic questions that intending couples should ask before making a marital decision and 
for married couples to examine the foundations upon which their marriages are built.