Proofs for my chapter in the forthcoming Companion to African Literatures (Wiley-Blackwell, 2020), edited by Olakunle George.
See Full PDF See Full PDFTowards Comprehensive Histories of African Literature
Download Free PDF View PDF
Download Free PDF View PDF
African Studies Review
Download Free PDF View PDF
Download Free PDF View PDF
This paper attempts to trace the various vicissitudes of the evolution and development of African Literature: from oral literature, through pre-colonial literature, colonial literature, to post-colonial literature. African literature is defined as ‘literature of and from Africa’. However, though cursory reference is made to non-English African literatures as well, the focus of this paper is literature of English ‘black Africa’. A special page is devoted to African-American literature because of its unique historical position in the development of African literature. The foundations of modern African literature as an intellectual ‘school’ are traced back to the middle of the 18th century. Modern African literature emerged as a resistance platform, an instrument of struggle against oppression and exploitation. Unfortunately, more than a couple of centuries on, African literature is still faced with formidable challenges, including lack of freedom of expression imposed by political authoritarianism and socio-cultural reactionarism. Even though a great deal of achievement has been recorded since its inception in the 18th century, African literature still has a long way to go in the struggle to fulfill its mission to foster socio-political justice and true liberty for the common people of Africa.
Download Free PDF View PDF
Africa has always been represented in the Western orientalist texts in deformed terms manipulated for different ideological, colonial or political objectives. Back in time, one such purpose was laying the ground for European colonial expansions. However, the need nowadays to rethink such continuous adoption of the usage of the dark, savage and primitive Africa and Africans in some Western Orientalist literary enterprises is of paramount significance, especially in relation to the idea of the text as becoming an imaginary journey for readers who keep longing for exploring the sinister mystery of places without having to leave their seats. In this regard, this paper dwells upon the different excuses made as to why Westerns accord such importance to depicting Africa in their texts. More than this, it will venture into the ways wherein writers use images fraught with mystery in their writings to intrigue the curiosity of readers to read more and learn more about things and people from their homes without having to take the risk of venturing to get into close contact with the places or peoples being depicted. Key words: Orientalism, Stereotypes, Textual journeys, Armchair travelers
Download Free PDF View PDF
Download Free PDF View PDF
Canadian Review of Comparative Literature Revue Canadienne De Litterature Comparee
Download Free PDF View PDF
