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This article discusses the functions of myth in Achebe's Arrow of Gods using Euhemerism as a real... more This article discusses the functions of myth in Achebe's Arrow of Gods using Euhemerism as a reality measuring stick. The article considers the form and nature of myth through what it calls "definition of perspectives". Using this definition of perspectives, the paper considers the myth-ritual perspective, the structural approach perspective and the functional approach perspectives in defining myth. Having established that Euhemerism is the believe that the gods are men deified for their good deeds , and that Africans believe they can speak and seek assistance from their dead ancestors , the article postulates four different functions the gods can perform. The paper argues that the gods are capable of protecting our forest and water bodies as well as be able to ensure peace and unity between and among people in a community. It further opines that not only do the gods have healing powers, and that the Priests serve as "medical doctors" in the African traditional communities, they equally ensure prosperity for the people who believe in them.
The International Journal of Humanities & Social Studies, 2020
This paper explores identity crises in NoViolet Bulawayo's novel, We Need New Names. The paper re... more This paper explores identity crises in NoViolet Bulawayo's novel, We Need New Names. The paper relies on Mimicry and Double Consciousness theory to advance its arguments. Data for the study consists of textual evidence in the book of how characters, who are African migrants in America want to, or are forced to, live a certain way of life in order to fit into the scheme of things of the European. The study approaches identity in the book from two different perspectives. It makes a distinction between the identity change that was forced on the colonised, and the one that the colonised willing chased and run after. Data of the study is analyzed from three different perspectives. It analyses language as an agent of double consciousness for the colonized, double consciousness itself as portrayed in the novel, and finally draws on the metaphorical and connotative use of the phrase ''New Names'. The paper concludes that since we are living in a world of constant change, a globalized world, where the notions of multiculturalism and mobility are prevailing, postcolonial subjects will constantly find themselves unconsciously reshaping their identities to make them fit the new world order.
The International Journal of Humanities & Social Studies, 2020
Introduction Sometime ago, the literary image of Africans was created almost entirely by non-Afri... more Introduction Sometime ago, the literary image of Africans was created almost entirely by non-Africans. With their superiority complex, the West had a lopsided view of African literature. They considered it primitive largelybecause they had been using western standards to evaluate it. This attitude from the West created a situation of what I call'double colonization': the one suffered by Africans with all its consequences of humiliating slavery, and that which was trying to impose Western norms and standards on African literature. The result is that few Africans would see any relevance in their own cultural system which is frequently said to be backward, or at best folkloric with a poor quality. But centuries later, Africans themselves begun, not only to write, but to write back at the West and to say to them; what you said about us, is not it, this is it.Chinua Achebe, who is regarded by many scholars as the father of African literature in English, declared that "the African writer has a responsibility different from that of his western counterpart'' (cited in Amouzuo:330).This responsibility was not only to refute the Western propaganda, but also to present African literature as an alternative.The Euro-centric writers claim that the only legitimate model to African literature is and ought to be Europe, "but African societies include the world of spirits, the dead, the living, and even the unborn" (Amouzuo: 331). No wonder Achebe, in his AnImage of Africa(1977:1), recounts his interaction with a white guy who never thought something like African literature existed. He tells us about the guy, "It always surprised him.. . because he never had thought of Africa as having that kind of stuff''. Because of this mentality, it would be rather surprising if there should be no divergences between African and European literatures. This is exactly what Christopher Heywood(1968:7) means when he writes that "the African writer must give back to the African character the will to act and change the scheme of things''. This 'will to change the scheme of things' is very apparent in the writings of Chenua Achebe. In Achebe's fiction, for example, the characters have a vital relationship with their social and economic landscape. Their whole views, their aspirations, have been shaped by a particular environment-the African environment. Thus, Achebe has paved the way in showing what should constitute an African Literature. He has succeeded in giving human dignity to his African characters. In defense of African philosophy and identity he(Achebe) has this to say: If I were God, 1would regard as the very worst our acceptance, for whatever reason, of racial inferiority. It is too late in the day to get worked up about it or to blame others, much as they deserve such blame and condemnation. What we need to do is to look and find out where we went wrong, where the rain began to beat us 1 To me, Achebe has not only defended Africa in this 'racial inferiority'outburst, but has also given back in equal measure against the ''Western psychology to set Africa up as a foil to Europe, as a place of negations at once remote and vaguely familiar, in comparison with which Europe's own state of spiritual grace''(An Image of Africa,1977, p 1).By propagating in their writings what Achebe calls 'the Western psychology', they(the West) have succeeded in colonizing the minds of the African-the second and the most dangerous level of colonization. By colonization of the minds, I mean, quoting
This article discusses the new feminine identity as reflected in the characterization of Ama Ata ... more This article discusses the new feminine identity as reflected in the characterization of Ama Ata Aidoo’s Changes. It postulates that Aidoo, in her novel, has advocated a paradigm shift with respect to how society views women. The article argues that feminism is not limited to, and is not the preserve of, only female writers, but also male writers who write about the plight of women. It is the view of this article that the change of mindset about women Aidoo calls for, is seen through, and from the perspective of, the six female characters in the Novel. The article takes a textual analysis approach to examine these female characters from the perspective of education and tradition. The article concludes that through these female characters, the educated and the uneducated, Ama Ata Aidoo is calling for a certain change of mind towards how the African society sees the woman-calling for a new feminine identity.
This article discusses the functions of myth in Achebe's Arrow of Gods using Euhemerism as a real... more This article discusses the functions of myth in Achebe's Arrow of Gods using Euhemerism as a reality measuring stick. The article considers the form and nature of myth through what it calls "definition of perspectives". Using this definition of perspectives, the paper considers the myth-ritual perspective, the structural approach perspective and the functional approach perspectives in defining myth. Having established that Euhemerism is the believe that the gods are men deified for their good deeds , and that Africans believe they can speak and seek assistance from their dead ancestors , the article postulates four different functions the gods can perform. The paper argues that the gods are capable of protecting our forest and water bodies as well as be able to ensure peace and unity between and among people in a community. It further opines that not only do the gods have healing powers, and that the Priests serve as "medical doctors" in the African traditional communities, they equally ensure prosperity for the people who believe in them.
The International Journal of Humanities & Social Studies, 2020
This paper explores identity crises in NoViolet Bulawayo's novel, We Need New Names. The paper re... more This paper explores identity crises in NoViolet Bulawayo's novel, We Need New Names. The paper relies on Mimicry and Double Consciousness theory to advance its arguments. Data for the study consists of textual evidence in the book of how characters, who are African migrants in America want to, or are forced to, live a certain way of life in order to fit into the scheme of things of the European. The study approaches identity in the book from two different perspectives. It makes a distinction between the identity change that was forced on the colonised, and the one that the colonised willing chased and run after. Data of the study is analyzed from three different perspectives. It analyses language as an agent of double consciousness for the colonized, double consciousness itself as portrayed in the novel, and finally draws on the metaphorical and connotative use of the phrase ''New Names'. The paper concludes that since we are living in a world of constant change, a globalized world, where the notions of multiculturalism and mobility are prevailing, postcolonial subjects will constantly find themselves unconsciously reshaping their identities to make them fit the new world order.
The International Journal of Humanities & Social Studies, 2020
Introduction Sometime ago, the literary image of Africans was created almost entirely by non-Afri... more Introduction Sometime ago, the literary image of Africans was created almost entirely by non-Africans. With their superiority complex, the West had a lopsided view of African literature. They considered it primitive largelybecause they had been using western standards to evaluate it. This attitude from the West created a situation of what I call'double colonization': the one suffered by Africans with all its consequences of humiliating slavery, and that which was trying to impose Western norms and standards on African literature. The result is that few Africans would see any relevance in their own cultural system which is frequently said to be backward, or at best folkloric with a poor quality. But centuries later, Africans themselves begun, not only to write, but to write back at the West and to say to them; what you said about us, is not it, this is it.Chinua Achebe, who is regarded by many scholars as the father of African literature in English, declared that "the African writer has a responsibility different from that of his western counterpart'' (cited in Amouzuo:330).This responsibility was not only to refute the Western propaganda, but also to present African literature as an alternative.The Euro-centric writers claim that the only legitimate model to African literature is and ought to be Europe, "but African societies include the world of spirits, the dead, the living, and even the unborn" (Amouzuo: 331). No wonder Achebe, in his AnImage of Africa(1977:1), recounts his interaction with a white guy who never thought something like African literature existed. He tells us about the guy, "It always surprised him.. . because he never had thought of Africa as having that kind of stuff''. Because of this mentality, it would be rather surprising if there should be no divergences between African and European literatures. This is exactly what Christopher Heywood(1968:7) means when he writes that "the African writer must give back to the African character the will to act and change the scheme of things''. This 'will to change the scheme of things' is very apparent in the writings of Chenua Achebe. In Achebe's fiction, for example, the characters have a vital relationship with their social and economic landscape. Their whole views, their aspirations, have been shaped by a particular environment-the African environment. Thus, Achebe has paved the way in showing what should constitute an African Literature. He has succeeded in giving human dignity to his African characters. In defense of African philosophy and identity he(Achebe) has this to say: If I were God, 1would regard as the very worst our acceptance, for whatever reason, of racial inferiority. It is too late in the day to get worked up about it or to blame others, much as they deserve such blame and condemnation. What we need to do is to look and find out where we went wrong, where the rain began to beat us 1 To me, Achebe has not only defended Africa in this 'racial inferiority'outburst, but has also given back in equal measure against the ''Western psychology to set Africa up as a foil to Europe, as a place of negations at once remote and vaguely familiar, in comparison with which Europe's own state of spiritual grace''(An Image of Africa,1977, p 1).By propagating in their writings what Achebe calls 'the Western psychology', they(the West) have succeeded in colonizing the minds of the African-the second and the most dangerous level of colonization. By colonization of the minds, I mean, quoting
This article discusses the new feminine identity as reflected in the characterization of Ama Ata ... more This article discusses the new feminine identity as reflected in the characterization of Ama Ata Aidoo’s Changes. It postulates that Aidoo, in her novel, has advocated a paradigm shift with respect to how society views women. The article argues that feminism is not limited to, and is not the preserve of, only female writers, but also male writers who write about the plight of women. It is the view of this article that the change of mindset about women Aidoo calls for, is seen through, and from the perspective of, the six female characters in the Novel. The article takes a textual analysis approach to examine these female characters from the perspective of education and tradition. The article concludes that through these female characters, the educated and the uneducated, Ama Ata Aidoo is calling for a certain change of mind towards how the African society sees the woman-calling for a new feminine identity.