African literature is not important only because of its relevant setting and relatable storylines. It also increases our social consciousness, and raises awareness of social, political, and economic crises that the African continent is facing.
What is the significance of African oral literature in its history?
So the transmission of knowledge, history and experience in West Africa was mainly through the oral tradition and per- formance rather than on written texts. Oral traditions guide social and human morals, giving people a sense of place and purpose.
What is Africa literature?
African literature, the body of traditional oral and written literatures in Afro-Asiatic and African languages together with works written by Africans in European languages. … Works written in European languages date primarily from the 20th century onward.
What are the characteristics of African literature?
Characteristics of African literature include slave narratives, protests against colonization, calls for independence, African pride, hope for the future, and dissent.
What is the theme of African literature?
Apart from these, there are several other themes peculiar to African literature. Apartheid, Negritude, Assimilation, Racism, lack of education, dual identity of the mixed people etc. are some of them dealt with, in the powerful writing from the African Continent. However, every African writer is “two people”.
What is the nature of storytelling in African literature?
Storytelling is a shared event with people sitting together, listening, and participating in accounts of past deeds, beliefs, taboos, and myths. Repetition of the language and rhythm are two important characteristics of oral storytelling in Africa. Storytellers repeat words, phrases, and stanzas.
Why is it important to know the culture of one person when studying his/her national literature?
When students study Literature, they learn to appreciate words and their power. They travel to other realms and times through the texts they read. They understand about their own culture and others’. … Importantly, they learn to consider multiple perspectives and understand the complexity of human nature.
Who is the father of African literature?
Chinua Achebe, the Nigerian novelist seen by millions as the father of African literature, has died at the age of 82.
What are the examples of African literature?
African Literature Books
- Things Fall Apart (The African Trilogy, #1) Chinua Achebe. …
- Half of a Yellow Sun (Hardcover) Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. …
- Americanah (Hardcover) Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. …
- Purple Hibiscus (Paperback) …
- Homegoing (Hardcover) …
- The Thing Around Your Neck (Hardcover) …
- Disgrace (Paperback) …
- So Long a Letter (Paperback)
What is the impact of colonialism in African literature?
Colonialism also resulted in cultural displacement, africans were forced to adopt westerns traditions and it affected their belief system and they began to see them self in a eurocentric view and they became pseudo africans , they did nolonger value african tradition or heritage e.g. in the poem ‘the renegade’ the poet …
What makes African literature unique?
Language of the African novel is highly enriched with some aspects of oral literature such as songs, proverbs and narratives. The other aspect which makes African novel unique from other novels is characterization. In the novel, characterization is achieved by reporting the thoughts of the characters.
What are the characteristics of African culture?
However, all African peoples share a series of dominant cultural traits which distinguish African Culture from the rest of the world. For example, social values, religion, morals, political values, economics and aesthetic values all contribute to African Culture.
What are the 3 types of literature?
These sub-genres stem from the three primary forms of literature: Poetry, Drama, and Prose. Students will typically encounter these forms of literature for most of what they read and write about in school, so it’s important for students to be able to recognize them and know their key characteristics.
What are the themes of postcolonial literature?
Postcolonial has many common motifs and themes like ‘cultural dominance,’ ‘racism,’ ‘quest for identity,’ ‘inequality’ along with some peculiar presentation styles. Most of the postcolonial writers reflected and demonstrated many thematic concepts which are quite connected with both ‘colonizer’ and ‘colonized’.
Who are the famous writers in African literature?
The Top 10 Contemporary African Writers You Should Know
- Chinua Achebe. One of the world’s most widely recognized and praised writers, Chinua Achebe wrote some of the most extraordinary works of the 20th century. …
- Ayi Kwei Armah. …
- Aminatta Forna. …
- Nadine Gordimer. …
- Alain Mabanckou. …
- Ben Okri.
What are the major themes of African poetry?
A functional art, African poetry in its oral and written forms has addressed a variety of themes, including worldview, mysticism, values, religion, nature, negritude, personal relationships, anticolonialism, pan-Africanism, neocolonialism, urbanism, migration, exile, the African diaspora, and patriarchy, as well as …