Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Scholarly interest in Helon Habila's Waiting for an Angel has remained strong, reflecting its continued relevance to discussions of Nigerian and African literary identity.

Existing criticism of Waiting for an Angel tends to focus on its broader thematic concerns, with magical realism as a stylistic device in service of war and trauma receiving comparatively less sustained attention.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While Helon Habila's Waiting for an Angel is widely studied, there is no settled critical consensus on how its magical realism functions specifically in relation to war and trauma. This study undertakes a close textual analysis to address that gap.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the use of magical realism in Helon Habila's Waiting for an Angel.
2. To analyze how magical realism contributes to the portrayal of war and trauma.
3. To assess the effectiveness of magical realism as a stylistic/thematic tool in the text.
4. To situate the findings within the broader context of Nigerian literary/linguistic scholarship.

1.4 Research Questions

1. How is magical realism used in Helon Habila's Waiting for an Angel?
2. In what ways does magical realism contribute to the portrayal of war and trauma?
3. How effective is magical realism as a stylistic/thematic tool in the text?
4. How does this reading relate to the broader body of Nigerian literary/linguistic scholarship?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to students and teachers of english language / literary studies, offering a close reading of Helon Habila's Waiting for an Angel that can support classroom discussion and further critical work. It also contributes to the broader body of scholarship on Nigerian literary and linguistic studies.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to a close textual analysis of magical realism within Waiting for an Angel, reflecting a clearly defined scope; it does not extend to a full survey of the author's other works.