texts from africa

8/14/2019 Texts From Africa

1/13

The outline:The outline:I- IntroductionI- Introduction

II- Synopsis of the chapterII- Synopsis of the chapterIII- The post-colonial need of Tigritude:III- The post-colonial need of Tigritude:

asserting aboriginal history and culture.asserting aboriginal history and culture.

IV- ConclusionIV- Conclusion


2/13

Decolonizing knowledgeDecolonizing knowledge

Africans were taught to hate being black and to love to beAfricans were taught to hate being black and to love to bewhite. thats what caused the postcolonial shake of identity.white. thats what caused the postcolonial shake of identity.

During the colonial era the black colonized was deemed to beDuring the colonial era the black colonized was deemed to bewashed white.washed white.

The postcolonial subject started from the construction of selfThe postcolonial subject started from the construction of selfknowledge as the first step to debunk the limitingknowledge as the first step to debunk the limiting

representation of the colonial era: starting from the semanticrepresentation of the colonial era: starting from the semantic

implications of terms like barbarism and tribalismect.implications of terms like barbarism and tribalismect.

For the postcolonized such terms do not only promote racistFor the postcolonized such terms do not only promote racistconception of African ethnicities as primitive and savage, theyconception of African ethnicities as primitive and savage, they

prevent coming to accurate understanding of the African selfprevent coming to accurate understanding of the African self

and reflect intellectual laziness , which slips to filling in theand reflect intellectual laziness , which slips to filling in the

vacuum rather than probing real African identity.vacuum rather than probing real African identity.


3/13

African Literature: Achebes and Amos Tutolas doubleAfrican Literature: Achebes and Amos Tutolas double

registerregister

While Tutola and Achebe are considered as pioneersWhile Tutola and Achebe are considered as pioneersof African litarature in English medium, many otherof African litarature in English medium, many other

literary instances date back to two centuries: Ignatiusliterary instances date back to two centuries: IgnatiusSancho as an example.Sancho as an example.

The African literary legacy exhibits a hybridThe African literary legacy exhibits a hybridvernacular culture and society conveyed in non-vernacular culture and society conveyed in non-

African media.African media.


4/13

Celebrating the Past: facing theCelebrating the Past: facing the

FutureFuture..

I talk about his (the authors) past mainlyI talk about his (the authors) past mainlybecause actually I am interested in the present,because actually I am interested in the present,

and I also talk about his past because I find onand I also talk about his past because I find onthe whole that African novelists especially arethe whole that African novelists especially are

quite good when they are dealing with the Pastquite good when they are dealing with the Past

Ngugy Wa ThingoNgugy Wa Thingo


5/13

The African novel haunts ones memory because of theThe African novel haunts ones memory because of the

overwhelming sense of emptiness. The African hasoverwhelming sense of emptiness. The African hasbeen completely severed from his roots.been completely severed from his roots.


6/13

The novel is often an attempt to come to terms with The novel is often an attempt to come to terms with

a thing that has been; has struggled, as it were, toa thing that has been; has struggled, as it were, to

registerregister[the][the] encounter with history Ngugy Waencounter with history Ngugy WaThingo.Thingo.


7/13

The critcism of Modern African LiteratureThe critcism of Modern African Literature

I personally take the view that the African is being I personally take the view that the African is beingtransformed not into something or somebody else, buttransformed not into something or somebody else, but

into something or somebody new, and similarly I tendinto something or somebody new, and similarly I tendto look upon our literature as tending towards theto look upon our literature as tending towards the

transposition of an old scale of feelings and attitudestransposition of an old scale of feelings and attitudes

into a new key of expression Abiola Ireleinto a new key of expression Abiola Irele


8/13

The problematic of languageThe problematic of language

Their significance resides, apart from the humanTheir significance resides, apart from the humaninterest of their work, in the fact that from the basicinterest of their work, in the fact that from the basic

dissociation of the realities they express and thedissociation of the realities they express and thelanguage in which they express themselves, theylanguage in which they express themselves, they

create a unity.create a unity.


9/13

Contrasting Tutolas experience to his successorsContrasting Tutolas experience to his successors

Amos Tutola:Amos Tutola:

The finality was literature perThe finality was literature per

se.se. Little care about The novel asLittle care about The novel as

a genre.a genre.

Makes use of Oral tradition.Makes use of Oral tradition.

His followers:His followers:

Studied literary genres.Studied literary genres.

Their adaptation wasTheir adaptation wasrather away from thanrather away from than

towards Tutolas norms.towards Tutolas norms.

Their ends were usuallyTheir ends were usuallynational.national.


10/13

Achebes cultural assertiveness: resurrecting oral traditionAchebes cultural assertiveness: resurrecting oral tradition

Africans did not hear of culture for the first time Africans did not hear of culture for the first timefrom Europeans their societies were not mindlessfrom Europeans their societies were not mindless

but frquently had a philosophy of great depth andbut frquently had a philosophy of great depth andvalue and beauty, that they had poetry and, above all,value and beauty, that they had poetry and, above all,

dignity dignity

Proverbs are the palm oil with which all words areProverbs are the palm oil with which all words are

eaten.eaten.


11/13

Reality in African Aesthetics and Literary CriticismReality in African Aesthetics and Literary Criticism

African art is conceived as inherently committed African art is conceived as inherently committedbecause it is intrinsically social and communal, asbecause it is intrinsically social and communal, as

opposed to the individualism of European art.opposed to the individualism of European art."Emotion is [Black], as reason is Greek. "Emotion is [Black], as reason is Greek.


12/13

The Lion and the JewelThe Lion and the Jewel

Well buy saucepans for all the womenWell buy saucepans for all the women

Clay pots are crude and unhygienicClay pots are crude and unhygienicNo man shall take more wives than oneNo man shall take more wives than one

Thats why they are impotent too soon.Thats why they are impotent too soon.

The ruler shall ride cars, not horsesThe ruler shall ride cars, not horses

Or a bicycle at the very leastOr a bicycle at the very least

We will burn the forest, cut the trees,We will burn the forest, cut the trees,

Then plant a modern park for loversThen plant a modern park for lovers

We must be modern with the restWe must be modern with the restOr live forgotten by the worldOr live forgotten by the world

We must reject the palm-wine habitWe must reject the palm-wine habit

And take to tea, with milk and sugar.And take to tea, with milk and sugar.


13/13

Works citedWorks cited

Carina Ray The Racial Politics of Writing African History. NewAfrican.Carina Ray The Racial Politics of Writing African History. NewAfrican.May 2008.May 2008.

Ngugy, James The African Writer and His Past. Ngugy, James The African Writer and His Past. Studies in AfricanStudies in AfricanLiteratureLiterature. Ed.Christopher Heywood. London: Heinemann, 1979.. Ed.Christopher Heywood. London: Heinemann, 1979.

Oyin Ogunba The Traditional Content of the Plays of Wole Soyinka.Oyin Ogunba The Traditional Content of the Plays of Wole Soyinka.African Literature Today. Ed. Elder. D. Jones. New York: AfricanAfrican Literature Today. Ed. Elder. D. Jones. New York: AfricanPublishing Corporation, 1971.Publishing Corporation, 1971.

Solomon,O.Lyasere African Critics on African Literature: A Study ofSolomon,O.Lyasere African Critics on African Literature: A Study ofMisplaced Hostility.Misplaced Hostility.African Literature Today: Focus on Criticism.African Literature Today: Focus on Criticism. Ed.Ed.Elder. D.Jones. London: Heinemann, 1982.Elder. D.Jones. London: Heinemann, 1982.

http://science.jrank.org/pages/10995/Realism-Africa-Reality-in-African-http://science.jrank.org/pages/10995/Realism-Africa-Reality-in-African-Aesthetics-Literary-Criticism.htmlAesthetics-Literary-Criticism.html

texts from africa

Documents