Browsing by Author "Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)"
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Item A Comparative Study of Magical Realism in One Hundred Years of Solitude and The Famished Road(Addis Ababa University, 2012-05) Taddesse, Mezegebua; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)Studies on various literary topics set against Western Realism and Socialist Realism are abundant. However, there are no comparative studies done on such topics on the basis of Magical Realism. Thus this study area desired to fill that gap by comparing two novels from Colombia and Nigeria. It has tried to explore Magical Realism in the two novels One Hundred Years of Solitude by the Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez and The Famished Road by the Nigerian author Ben Okri. The study revealed that both novels have mostly used the same characteristics to construct the Magical Realist effect and their differences in this respect are negligible. Distinct characteristics of Magical Realism are used for the comparison of the two novels. As research methodology, the study has tried to first identify as many characteristics of Magical Realism as possible in Chapter Two following an attempt to define it and incorporating a list of thoughts and ideas by various scholars about Magical Realism. In the next chapter, the study has moved on to the identification of the said characteristics of Magical Realism in the selected novels. Here, the study has presented the characteristics as they appear in each novel with quotations of relevant examples from them. The final chapter has analyzed the results of the identification of the characteristics done in the previous chapter by attempting to compare them. The finding of the study has established that both novels have used similar techniques such as employing fascination of technology to create an aspect of Magical Realism. Other examples of such similarities are present in the study as well. However, despite this fact, the meaning of One Hundred Years of Solitude is very different from that of The Famished Road. In addition, this does not mean that everything in the novels is the same. Each novel has its own distinct style.Item Deconstructive Discourse of Content as Reflected in Haddis Alemayehu’s Fikir Eske Mekabir(Addis Ababa University, 2008-06) Feleke, Molla; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)Derrida’s theory of Deconstruction is a continuation of a line of thinking started by Nietzsche and running through Martin Heidegger. It has been variously presented as a philosophical position, a political or intellectual strategy and a mode of reading. Deconstruction’s line of thought is marked by a radical rejection of ‘Platonism’ or the framework of ‘Philosophical distinctions’ which is inherited from Plato and dominated European thought. Deconstruction is highly considered by students of literature and literary theory after Derrida’s presentation of his thesis “Structure, Sign and Play in Discourse of Human Science. By this, Derrida “decenter” any absolute knowledge and the former intellectual cosmos. Therefore, the introduction part gives the highlights of the essence of the theory of deconstruction. Chapter two deals with the basic conceptual issues of deconstruction from various perspectives and its application in literature other than philosophy. In the chapter binary oppositions are considered as a meaning generating units in a text. And, chapter three gives the practical deconstructive discourse of Haddis Alemayehu’s ‘Fikir Eske Mekabir’. Hence, the novel is employed as a deconstructive text and reveals the socio-economic and political realities of the feudo-bourgeois Ethiopia. The conclusion recapitulates the salient points discussed in the main part of the thesis. Finally, based on the findings, Haddis is a deconstructionist writer and employs Derrida’s philosophical and literary notion, deconstruction in his work of art ‘Fikir Eske Mekabir’.Item Deconstructive Discourse of Content as Reflected in Haddis Alemayehu’s Fikir Eske Mekabir(Addis Ababa University, 2008-06) Feleke, Molla; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)Derrida’s theory of Deconstruction is a continuation of a line of thinking started by Nietzsche and running through Martin Heidegger. It has been variously presented as a philosophical position, a political or intellectual strategy and a mode of reading. Deconstruction’s line of thought is marked by a radical rejection of ‘Platonism’ or the framework of ‘Philosophical distinctions’ which is inherited from Plato and dominated European thought. Deconstruction is highly considered by students of literature and literary theory after Derrida’s presentation of his thesis “Structure, Sign and Play in Discourse of Human Science. By this, Derrida “decenter” any absolute knowledge and the former intellectual cosmos. Therefore, the introduction part gives the highlights of the essence of the theory of deconstruction. Chapter two deals with the basic conceptual issues of deconstruction from various perspectives and its application in literature other than philosophy. In the chapter binary oppositions are considered as a meaning generating units in a text. And, chapter three gives the practical deconstructive discourse of Haddis Alemayehu’s ‘Fikir Eske Mekabir’. Hence, the novel is employed as a deconstructive text and reveals the socio-economic and political realities of the feudo-bourgeois Ethiopia. The conclusion recapitulates the salient points discussed in the main part of the thesis. Finally, based on the findings, Haddis is a deconstructionist writer and employs Derrida’s philosophical and literary notion, deconstruction in his work of art ‘Fikir Eske MekabirItem Dynamic Equivalence and Formal Correspondence In Sisay Ayenew’s Love Unto Crypt(Addis Ababa University, 2010-06) Abakano, Bezaye; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)Translation is practice which started to be practiced from ancient times and the assessment of translation previously had been subjective and vague. Reaction against such vagueness different scholars of the twentieth century began the search of systematic analysis of translation. One of the most important issues was and still is the issue of equivalence. Equivalence is a central concept in translation theory, and much has been written on it by different scholars. Nida’s and Newmark’s theories of translation equivalence are a continuation of reflections started by Cicero, Jerome and Jacobson. Based on the discussions made by Nida (dynamic and formal) and Newmark’s (communicative and semantic) equivalences the study was carried out to determine how the principle of translation equivalences had been tackled in the translation process with reference to the Source Text and Target Text. Therefore, the introduction part gives brief background about the practice of translation in Ethiopia and preliminary how the study was conducted. Chapter two deals with reviews of different researches conducted on translation .Chapter three discusses the conceptual issues of translation and translational equivalences from Nida’s, Newmark’s and other scholars perspectives and their application in literary translation in this case Love unto Crypt. Chapter four deals with comparative analysis of the Source Text (Fikir Eske Mekabir) with the Target Text (Love unto Crypt), how translation equivalences are tackled in cultural terms and figurative language. The final, chapter concludes the research by recapitulating the important points concerning translation equivalences discussed in the main part of the thesis. In the study, it has been found out that some figurative languages and cultural terms which have universal equivalents posed relatively fewer problems to the translator .The translator used partial translation i.e. kept most cultural terms which are culture bound un-translated with their explanation in glossary of Ethiopian terms at the end of the book. In translation of cultural terms he used formal equivalence. It is found that the translator attempts to reproduce as literally and meaningfully as possible the form and content of the original i.e. using dominantly formal equivalence and dynamic equivalence in less frequency. In order to be comprehensible he used footnotes, explanatory notes inside the texts.Item Dynamic Equivalence and Formal Correspondence in Sisay Ayenew’s Love Unto Crypt(Addis Ababa University, 2010-06) Abakano, Bezaye; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)Translation is practice which started to be practiced from ancient times and the assessment of translation previously had been subjective and vague. Reaction against such vagueness different scholars of the twentieth century began the search of systematic analysis of translation. One of the most important issues was and still is the issue of equivalence. Equivalence is a central concept in translation theory, and much has been written on it by different scholars. Nida’s and Newmark’s theories of translation equivalence are a continuation of reflections started by Cicero, Jerome and Jacobson. Based on the discussions made by Nida (dynamic and formal) and Newmark’s (communicative and semantic) equivalences the study was carried out to determine how the principle of translation equivalences had been tackled in the translation process with reference to the Source Text and Target Text. Therefore, the introduction part gives brief background about the practice of translation in Ethiopia and preliminary how the study was conducted. Chapter two deals with reviews of different researches conducted on translation .Chapter three discusses the conceptual issues of translation and translational equivalences from Nida’s, Newmark’s and other scholars perspectives and their application in literary translation in this case Love unto Crypt. Chapter four deals with comparative analysis of the Source Text (Fikir Eske Mekabir) with the Target Text (Love unto Crypt), how translation equivalences are tackled in cultural terms and figurative language. The final, chapter concludes the research by recapitulating the important points concerning translation equivalences discussed in the main part of the thesis. In the study, it has been found out that some figurative languages and cultural terms which have universal equivalents posed relatively fewer problems to the translator .The translator used partial translation i.e. kept most cultural terms which are culture bound un-translated with their explanation in glossary of Ethiopian terms at the end of the book. In translation of cultural terms he used formal equivalence. It is found that the translator attempts to reproduce as literally and meaningfully as possible the form and content of the original i.e. using dominantly formal equivalence and dynamic equivalence in less frequency. In order to be comprehensible he used footnotes, explanatory notes inside the texts.Item Existentialism in the Selected Creative Works of Adam Reta(Addis Ababa University, 2010-06) Dessalegn, Aklilu; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)Adam Reta, who has been writing for the last quarter of the century, has published a novel and three collections of short stories and novellas. Nevertheless, the critical attention given to his works was very insignificant. The author’s relationship with existentialism, however, is much stronger and conspicuous. Thus, the study aims at discussing the tenets of existentialism found in the creative works of Adam Reta, which eventually gear up to elucidate his overall existentialist philosophical thinking as the term existentialism applies to a bunch of philosophers, whose philosophical views reveal their differences rather than their similarities. To this end, the philosophy of existentialism and its concepts are employed to analyze the selected works of the author; his novel, Giracha Kachiloch, and six other narratives from his anthologies. The researcher has also employed descriptive and textual criticisms as methods. From the analyses and interpretations made, the writer of this study found out that the characteristic tenets of existentialism are shared by Adam Reta; but with his own differences in relation to the philosophy of the proponents of existentialism. Absurdity, alienation, freedom of choice and responsibility, authenticity and inauthenticity, death and repetition are among the major ones. Thus, Adam Reta is found to be a literary existentialist, who achieves in turning his philosophical ideas into symbols and myths, which greatly add up to the aesthetic value of his works.Item The Functional Analysis of Folktales in Eastern Wallagga Oromo with Reference to Limmu Gelila Wereda(Addis Ababa University, 2012-06) Temesgen, Addisu; Sharma, Pradeep (PhD); Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)The main objective of the present study has been to examine the function of folktales in Limmu Gelila of Eastern Wallagga Oromo based on the context of use in that society. The study is mainly concerned with the functional analysis of folktales of the society in which this study is conducted by using functional theory. To achieve this goal, an attempt was made to collect folktales that depict the socio- cultural function, socio- economic function, socio- political function and uses as a medium of instruction from six kebele of Limmu Wereda. These are; Gelila, Saphera, Bolale, Warsu, Maggibo and Lobica. The three instruments of data collection; interview, observation and focus group discussion were used in the study. In the study snowball sampling were used to select those 10 informants explained in the table of appendix iii. All the collected data were transcribed into Afan Oromo and only 20 folktales were translated into English and analyzed qualitatively. But, the rest 30 folktales were attached as appendix of the thesis without translation. The study shows that folktales are narrated for different functions in Limmu Gelila Oromo. Because, those people use folktales as a medium of instruction, express their economy and culture besides reflecting their internal feeling to ignore the idea of political leaders informally or indirectly. It is also found out that one folktale of Limmu Gelila Oromo can be multifunctional. Limmu Gelila people reflect their norm and moral codes through their folktales. Finally, the researcher recommends in the society a study to be conducted on other genres of folklore, folktales should be incorporated in Educational Curriculum and NGOs work in culture help institutions and researchers.Item The Ideological Plane in Selected Ethiopian Diasporic Prose Narratives In English: A Comparative Study of Political Philosophy(Addis Ababa University, 2012-06) Kahsay, Haftu; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)This study was conducted on the diasporic Ethiopian literature in English with a primary purpose of filling the observed gap with regard to readers’ hasty judgments. Most of the first generation Ethiopian diaspora are political victims and, thus, their literary works are full of political ideologies. Because of this, they are easily judged as opposers of the domestic politics of their country by the state authorities on the one hand, and taken for granted as trustworthy to their people by their supporters on the other hand. It is due to this fact that a study on the ideological plane of some selected texts from the diaspora became the prime interest of the researcher. As ideological plane deals with the philosophy behind a given ideology, it greatly contributes in minimizing hasty judgments by rationally bringing the reality to light. The method employed in this study is textual analysis. It is a qualitative description and interpretation of the main issues of the study as reflected in the selected texts. The results of the four texts are also comparatively seen so as to help reveal the commonalities and differences. With regard to the theoretical framework, the entire analysis of the study was conducted from the angle of the three main theories of political philosophy, namely theory of the state of nature, the divine right theory, and the social contract theory. Thus, it is found that the major ideologies reflected in the selected texts are Feudo-capitalism, Marxism-Leninism, Nationalism, anarchism, and liberalism. As the main focus of the study, the ideological plane has shown the realities behind the stated ideologies. In principle, the leaders with their forgrounded ideologies claimed/ are claiming that they were/ are busy to bring justice, security, freedom and democracy. However, the reality is that there were/are injustice, insecurity, inequality, lack of freedom and democracy, and state intervention instead. The plane has also shown that the political philosophy of some of the authors is very shallow, while that of others is relatively better.Item Ideology in Four Ethiopian Novels in English(Addis Ababa University, 2019-05) Aregawi, Negusse; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)The objective of this study is to explore and analyse general, authorial and aesthetic ideologies as reflected in four Ethiopian novels in English - Dagnachew’s The Thirteenth Sun, Sahles Silassie’s Firebrands, Nega Mezlekia’s The God Who Begat a Jackal, and Maaza Mengiste’s Beneath the Lion’s Gaze. Qualitative literary analysis based on mainly Marxist literary perspective has been used to analyze the ideologies in the novels. Althusser’s Ideology and Ideological State apparatus, Gramsci’s hegemony, and Foucault’s idea of power, discourse and knowledge and van Dijk’s concept of ideology and discourse have been used to approach the general ideologies and their reproduction as reflected in the novels selected. All the novels analyzed satirize the contradicting ideologies and their reproductions in different epochs. It was found out that religious, familial, academic social/power relations and media and cultural practices played a great role in the reproduction/discourses of the contradicting ideologies in the novels selected. All the novels under study are Marxist-oriented literary texts; and they reflect economic conditions, class formation and resistance done for social transformation. They satirize the base and superstructure; they reflect how the ruling feudal class used the land, exploited the society, and used both the ideological state apparatuses (ISAs) and repressive state apparatuses (RSAs) to reproduce its feudal class ideology. Maaza’s novel, Beneath the Lion’s Gaze, reflects also the reproduction of contradicting ideologies that existed during the reign of the Military Rule, Dergue, in addition to its reflection of the social realities in the reign of the monarchy. The novels analyzed also satirize organic intellectuals’ discourses of resistance. It has been found out that all the novels analyzed are realist literary works though Daniachew’s The Thirteenth Sun and Nega’s The God who Begat a Jackal share some features of modernist and postmodernist modes of literary writings respectively in their form. All the novels have also been found committed to the cause of the organic intellectuals; and this is confirmed in the authorial ideology of each novel analyzed.Item Modes of Cultural Imperialism as Reflected in the Narratives of Daniel Kibret(Addis Ababa University, 2012-05) Hailu, Addisu; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)In this globalised world, neocolonialism is exerting indirect influence on third world countries. It is a new tactic planned to guarantee the indirect control over the newly liberated states from the yoke of colonialism. This study was launched to determine the cultural influence and its ruinous impact over Ethiopian native values with a view to create awareness about the frightening infringement of Western values. I selected appropriate narratives that reflect forms of cultural imperialism. In line to this, textual analysis of the narratives selected from the book Teterochu and the blog, Yedaniel Iyitawoch was carried out. Thus, through analyzing the theme of the narratives, the study discloses the modes of cultural imperialism and the destructions on native cultural values. The study reveals that even though it is an era of neocolonialism where the intrusion of Western culture in to third world countries is the order of the day, the people are witnessed exposing themselves to self-inflicted cultural assimilation and aping the West. Therefore, Cultural protectionism policy is highly needed to minimize the pressure of alien culture. In addition, stakeholders need to shoulder the task of creating awareness towards the protection of domestic cultures.Item Modes of Cultural Imperialism as Reflected in the Narratives of Daniel Kibret(Addis Ababa University, 2012-06) Hailu, Addisu; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)In this globalised world, neocolonialism is exerting indirect influence on third world coun tries. It is a new tactic planned to guarantee the indirect control over the newly liberated states from the yoke of colonialism. This study was launched to determine the cultural influence and its ruinous impact over Ethiopian native values with a view to create awareness abou t the frightening infringement of Western values. I selected appropriate narratives that reflect forms of cultural imperialism. In line to this, textual analysis of the narratives selected from the book Teterochu and the blog, Yedaniel Jyitawoch was carried out. Thus, through analyzing the theme of the n arratives, the study discloses the modes of cultural imperialism and the destru ctions on native cultural values. The study r eveals th a t even though it is an era of neocolonialism where the intrusion of Western culture in to third world countries is the order of the day, the people are witnessed exposing themselves to self-inflicted cultural a s similation and aping the West. Therefore, Cultural protectionism policy is highly n eeded to minimize the pressure of alien culture. In addition , stakeholders need to shoulder the task of creating awareness towards the protection of dome stic cultures.Item Post-Colonial Resistance in Selected Anglophone African Novels (1980-1990)(AAU, 2020-04) Tibebu Alemayehu, Getnet; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)This study aims at investigating the post-colonial resistance in selected Anglophone African Novels from post-colonial perspectives. This study examines how the resistance strategies in Anthills of the Savannah , Nervous Conditions and Matigari are depicted to the emancipation of Africa from neo-colonialism manifestations and post-colonial dominations. The study employs post-colonial motherism, magical realism and language politics as strategies of exploration through the portrayal of psycho-active intellectual characters in the selected novels. The research has qualitative nature. Post-colonial theory is applied as theoretical framework and as a method of analysis. One of the finding in this study is the presence of strong post-colonial female and male characters in struggling for freedom. Moreover, in spite of the fact that there is a gender inequality in the story both men and women are depicted to be a part of the solution. Women’s Education is the other major finding which is portrayed as a tool of resistance against gender inequality. Furthermore, the study reveals that there is a continuous struggle for freedom against any form of oppression as clearly depicted in the novels. Besides, Searching for justice, identity, place and displacement, gender equality, resistance against cultural stereotypes, motherhood, and magical realism as strategies of resistance are some of the findings that have been discussed in this study. Finally, the study concluded by indicating the possibility of a new political, social and economic revolution that will bring freedom and equality in African literary works. The result also shows that how the strategies of appropriation and magical realism are depicted in line with the post-colonial resistance as a new mode of writing in African literary works.Item The Post-independece Anomaly in Africa focus on Legson Keyiras the Detainee and Amu Djelotos money Galore as Example(Addis Ababa University, 2010-06) Kassaw, Abera; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)Post-independence Anglophone African novelists used their works not only to reflect the hopes in their respective societies but also to attack the abuses that nullified the hopes of their people right after the euphoria of independence. This is applicable across East Africa, Central Africa, West Africa, and Southern Africa. This study investigates two novels The Detainee (Southern Africa) and Money Galore (West Africa) by Legson Keyira and Amu Djeloto respectively within the framework of the post-independence anomaly. These novels from many voices allow a glimpse of different arenas affecting contemporary reality. Structurally, the study is classified into four chapters. Chapter One deals with a brief socio-historical background of Africa. As African literature exists in a historical continuum, it is impossible to separate African literature from its history. Thus, this part gives a cursory review of the historical matrices of Africa ranging from pre-colonial to the post-colonial periods. Chapter Two reviews some of the thematic trends of development in Anglophone African novel like idealization of the past, protest against colonialism and post independence disillusionment. Chapter Three deals with the analysis of the selected novels separately with accent on themes with which the writers are preoccupied especially how they explore the post-independence anomaly of their respective countries in particular Africa in general under the themes of the dashed hopes, corruption, dictatorship, ordeals of intellectuals, cultural conflict and the representation of women. Chapter Four recapitulates the comparative analysis of the selected novels. The comparative approach reveals that these novels have an identifiable thematic intertextuality and difference as well. In both novels, corruption, the intellectual ordeals and dictatorship are portrayed though their way of portrayal is different. Apart from this, these novels have noteworthy differences in the themes of cultural conflict exclusive to The Detainee and women’s representation to Money Galore. The findings of the study, in response to the thematic preoccupations of the novels, corruption, ordeals of intellectuals, dictatorship, cultural conflict, the representation of women are the causes that make the independence of Malawi and Ghana in particular and Africa in general anomalous.Item The Predicament of The Diaspora as Reflected in The Texture of Dreams and the Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears(2008-06) Hailu, Endalkachew; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)The research study has four major chapters. The first chapter shows that the research sets out to fill the gap in the critical literatures of the country regarding Diaspora or migrant literature through a thematic analysis of Fasil’s The Texture of Dreams (2005) and Dinaw’s The Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears (2007). The meaning and thematic preoccupations of migrant /Diaspora literature are also described in the background to the study section of this chapter. Chapter two reviews studies on Ethiopian English novels and relevant theoretical issues relating to the Diaspora and its predicament. The third chapter presents a thorough thematic analysis of the major themes in the two novels under the sections woes of the homeland, woes in the host land, sub- themes and divergent themes. These include economic and political woes of the homeland, disillusionment, frustration, emptiness, homesickness, racism and discriination, nostalgia, loss, acculturation and lust for love. The findings of the study are the similarity, despite differences of approach, of the two novels in revealing the overarching themes of displacement and emptiness in the lives of the Ethiopian/African Diaspora sharing same concerns of racism and discrimination with other black Diaspora writers.Item The Predicament of the Diaspora as Reflected in the texture of Dreams and the Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears(Addis Ababa University, 2008-06) Hailu, Endalkachew; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)The research study has four major chapters. The first chapter shows that the research sets out to fill the gap in the critical literatures of the country regarding Diaspora or migrant literature through a thematic analysis of Fasil’s The Texture of Dreams (2005) and Dinaw’s The Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears (2007). The meaning and thematic preoccupations of migrant /Diaspora literature are also described in the background to the study section of this chapter. Chapter two reviews studies on Ethiopian English novels and relevant theoretical issues relating to the Diaspora and its predicament. The third chapter presents a thorough thematic analysis of the major themes in the two novels under the sections woes of the homeland, woes in the host land, sub- themes and divergent themes. These include economic and political woes of the homeland, disillusionment, frustration, emptiness, homesickness, racism and discriination, nostalgia, loss, acculturation and lust for love. The findings of the study are the similarity, despite differences of approach, of the two novels in revealing the overarching themes of displacement and emptiness in the lives of the Ethiopian/African Diaspora sharing same concerns of racism and discrimination with other black Diaspora writers.Item A Psychoanalytic Analysis of the Thematic Preoccupations of Dhaba Weyessa's Godaannisaa and Gadisa Birru's Kuusaa Gadoo(Addis Ababa University, 2010-06) Beco, Yosef; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)Psychoanalytic literary criticism serves as a tool to excavate the landscape of any literary work. Following Freud's concept of psychoanalysis as a method to examine the workings of the human mind, there are motives and meanings that become center of attention among the classical psychoanalytic critics. The classical psychoanalytic critics treat a literary text as a dreamlike and the literary analysis as a dream interpretation. The literary characters are also the imaginary beings that the repressed desire of the author is incarnated into. On the basis that any literary work can lend itself to any critical approaches, the two Oromo novels: Dhaba Weyessa's Godaannisaa ("The Scar" and Gadisa Birru's Kuusaa Gadoo ("Cumulative Grudge") are under examination of the established principles of psychoanalytic literary criticism. It is also the objective of the study to analyze the psychoanalytic approaches to the thematic preoccupations of the two works. The researcher attempts to analyze the thematic obsessions that revolve around the main characters. As psychoanalytic literary criticism is often coupled with other literary theories, due attention is also given to psychoanalytic feminism and psychoanalysis and Marxism. The two novels, which are written in the aftermath of the transitional government of Ethiopia, in post 1991, appeared with recurrent themes and hence they are selected to be examined from psychoanalytic perspectives. Using techniques of criticism and hermeneutics a thorough textual analysis and interpretation is made in order to attain the objectives set to the study. The two works reflect the unconscious motives of the authors which are repressed in their unconscious and later projected into the characters in the imaginary world-the novels. The central male characters who are coupled with women characters characterize the traumatic life experiences of the Oromo people, particularly during the Dergue regime. The repressed wounds, unresolved conflicts and bitter memories appear with such mechanism repression, projection and symbolism.Item The Role of Intellectuals Figures in Ngugi’s Petals of Blood(Addis Ababa University, 2015-06) Gonfa, Amensisa; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)This research aims at analyzing and showing the role of intellectuals figures in Ngugi’s Petals of Blood. It tries to explore the role of intellectuals figures in protesting the economic and political leadership crisis of Kenyan society. The thesis is divided into four chapters. The first chapter includes introduction and it tries to give information about the back ground of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, scope of the study, significance, method, organization and limitation of the study of the study. The second chapter is review of related literature. It contains related works, definition of important terms and related concepts in line with the aim of the research. The third chapter is the analysis and interpretation of the novel through characterization. This analysis tries to find what Ngugi’s intellectuals figures are and their role in protesting the economic and political problems of their society. To show the role of intellectuals figures in Ngugi’s Petals of Blood, the study attempts to make analysis by taking some extracts from the novel understudy. For instance, the intellectuals figures found in this novel are Munira, Karega, Wanja, Abdulla and the lawyer who strongly protest and fight for the issue of economic and political crisis caused by corruption, selfish, imperialism, greedy, murder, lack of law, judges dependency and autocratic ways of leading. These intellectuals figures are dedicated to struggle and scarify their lives for the sake of their freedom, truth and fairness, job opportunity, history and literature, property and land. These intellectuals hope that even if they are arrested and murdered the struggle would go on up to the end of their society’s liberty. The fourth chapter is the conclusion based on mainly the analysis of the research. The conclusion recapitulates the core findings of the study in the fewest possible way.Item The Social Function of Amharic Folk Poetry With Reference to Shänä A in Rayya Qobbo(Addis Ababa University, 2010-06) Nigussie, Beakal; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)In countries like Ethiopia, where the rate of literacy is very low, and the written word is deficient to wave public opinion, the role of folk literature is mammoth. Contrary to this fact, folk literature in Ethiopia is overwhelmed by western cultures and many such heritages are on the verge of oblivion, in the country in general and in Rayya Qobbo in particular; and Shänä##a folk poetry is among the victimized assets. Bearing such assumptions in mind, this study was designed to record Shänä##a folk poetry in Rayya Qobbo and to examine its social functions through thematic as well as contextual analyses. The study embraces six chapters, of which the first provides a general background to the study, physical and social setting of the study area and insights about the magnitude of the problem, the objectives, significances and scope. In the second chapter, different theories, approaches and studies are reviewed and definitions of terms are given to substantiate the research with guiding framework. In chapter three, the different methods employed in collecting Amharic Shänä##a folk poetry using audiotape recorder and classifications used in the study are described. In the fourth chapter, a brief description of the ceremonial process of Shänä##a and major occasions of performances of Shänä##a folk poetry are given. Chapter five, mainly deals with a contextual analysis of Shänä##a folk poetry to brought to the fore its themes and social functions. Thus, forty poems were selected, transcribed on paper, translated in to English and analyzed accordingly. Chapter six, the conclusion, gives a succinct summary of the social functions of Shänä##a folk poetry as reflected in the data collected and analyzed. Thus, the study revealed blessing, curse, praise, socio-political commentary, historical record and cherishing patriarchy as the major social functions of Shänä##a folk poetry. Blessing appeared as the most common function served and wealth, power and fame, victory, successful marriage, health, long life and righteousness were identified as the main focuses. Regarding curse, contrary to blessing, weak sides of individuals got expressions. Praise also appeared playing roles in upraising individual’s generosity, wealth and heroic deeds. In the category of socio-political commentary, criticism of the manner of the society like envy and malevolent and protest against a government were reflected. In recording history, historical places, names of heroes and heroic deeds appeared as points of focuses. Finally, Shänä##a folk poetry was also found playing roles in maintaining conformity to male supremacy by cherishing patriarchy.Item The Social Function of Amharic Folk Poetry with Reference to Shänä in Rayya Qobbo(Addis Ababa University, 2010-06) Nigussie, Beakal; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)In countries like Ethiopia, where the rate of literacy is very low, and the written word is deficient to wave public opinion, the role of folk literature is mammoth. Contrary to this fact, folk literature in Ethiopia is overwhelmed by western cultures and many such heritages are on the verge of oblivion, in the country in general and in Rayya Qobbo in particular; and Shänä a folk poetry is among the victimized assets. Bearing such assumptions in mind, this study was designed to record Shänä a folk poetry in Rayya Qobbo and to examine its social functions through thematic as well as contextual analyses. The study embraces six chapters, of which the first provides a general background to the study, physical and social setting of the study area and insights about the magnitude of the problem, the objectives, significances and scope. In the second chapter, different theories, approaches and studies are reviewed and definitions of terms are given to substantiate the research with guiding framework. In chapter three, the different methods employed in collecting Amharic Shänä a folk poetry using audiotape recorder and classifications used in the study are described. In the fourth chapter, a brief description of the ceremonial process of Shänä a and major occasions of performances of Shänä a folk poetry are given. Chapter five, mainly deals with a contextual analysis of Shänä folk poetry to brought to the fore its themes and social functions. Thus, forty poems were selected, transcribed on paper, translated in to English and analyzed accordingly. Chapter six, the conclusion, gives a succinct summary of the social functions of Shänä a folk poetry as reflected in the data collected and analyzed. Thus, the study revealed blessing, curse, praise, socio-political commentary, historical record and cherishing patriarchy as the major social functions of Shänä a folk poetry. Blessing appeared as the most common function served and wealth, power and fame, victory, successful marriage, health, long life and righteousness were identified as the main focuses. Regarding curse, contrary to blessing, weak sides of individuals got expressions. Praise also appeared playing roles in upraising individual’s generosity, wealth and heroic deeds. In the category of socio-political commentary, criticism of the manner of the society like envy and malevolent and protest against a government were reflected. In recording history, historical places, names of heroes and heroic deeds appeared as points of focuses. Finally, Shänä a folk poetry was also found playing roles in maintaining conformity to male supremacy by cherishing patriarchy.Item Social Significance of Etv Dramas(Plays) on Hiv/Aids Awareness Creation and Behavioral Change(Addis Ababa University, 2006-06) Asmerom, Fitsum; Mengistu, Melakneh (PhD)The main objective of this study was to examine the relationship between ETV dramas and HIV / AIDS awareness/ behavioral change. In light of this objective, three cities found in three regions were selected by convenient sampling method (N= 600). In order to ensure fair representations of subjects they were categorized based on their geographical location (l00 from Debre-Birehan, 200 from Nazareth and 300 from Addis Ababa). Quantitative analyses were used to analyze the data obtained through the questionnaires. To investigate the relationship correlations were performed. To explore the predictive power regressions analysis was used. T-test was used to find out the group differences independent sample. Alpha value of 0.01 was used for significance tests in this study. Moreover, all-quantitative analysises were done using SPSS 12. Given our findings, it seems warranted that ETV dramas have relation with HIV / AIDS awareness creation/ behavioral change. Sex, religion and region houe 0 relationship with HIV/ AIDS awareness/ behavioral change and region is a stronger predictor of HIV/ AIDS awareness/ behavioral change among others. There is a difference in HIV/ AIDS awareness/ behavioral change between male and female. i. e. females have better HIV / AIDS awareness/ behavioral change than males.