Browsing by Author "Molla Feleke"

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    Cultural Hybridity Reflected in No Longer at Ease: a Post- Colonial Perspective
    (Addis Ababa University, 2023-05) Berhan Feyissa; Molla Feleke
    Literature is a reflection of culture and society; besides it is a credible source of culture and shows social changes. Africa is one of the vast continents that contains many languages and ethnic groups who have their own literary (oral and written) traditions. Cultural hybridity and social changes began during the European colonialists come to the continent. African writers reflect cultural hybridity in respect of colonialism. Thus, this research is conducted to explore cultural hybridity in the novel “No Longer at Ease‟ by Chinua Achebe using postcolonial perspective. The objective of this study to explore effects of colonialism in African literature. applying qualitative method uses textual analysis (descriptive) of selected novel. Since cultural hybridity is very vast to cover with a single study, this research focused only to cultural hybridity regards to language, religion and norm. It is understood from the novel countries like Nigeria, where colonialists stayed longer time, hybridity of culture is clearly visible. Initially, Nigerians had their own indigenous culture, belief, language and style of living. But following the fall of the country under British colony, their cultures and ways of living was not the same again. Not only the effect of being under colony, but also going abroad for education can also result in Identity crisis. Therefore, this study concludes that African cultures were victim of hybridity and that was noticed especially during post-colonial period. Besides generations onward was a result of Hybrid culture losing the indigenous identity of its own. And these effects are reflected in African Literature, and in the novel “No Longer at Ease” as well.
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    Deconstructive Discourse of Content as Reflected in Haddis Alemayehu’s Fikir Eske Mekabir
    (Addis Ababa University, 2008-06) Molla Feleke ; Melakneh Mengistu
    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’.
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    Deconstructive Discourse of Content as Reflected in Haddis Alemayehu’s Fikir Eske Mekabir
    (Addis Ababa University, 2008-06) Molla Feleke ; Melakneh Mengistu
    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
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    National Allegories in Selected Contemporary Anglophone African Novels (2005-2015)
    (Addis Ababa University, 2024-04-01) Alem Sitot; Molla Feleke
    National allegories are important critical tools in the study of postcolonial literature. They serve to examine the themes and strategies of postcolonial literary writers. This study aimed to explore the socio-historical and cultural conditions of postcolonial African nations that received huge impacts from the aggression of colonialism and the spread of imperialism by interpreting novels that are written to reveal these impacts. It was also intended to investigate the visions of contemporary African literary writers about the future goals of the post-independent nations. To address these, the study designed a textual analysis approach. The novels were selected purposively based on the significant socio-historical backgrounds they reflect. Basically, the following generic criteria were used in the selection process: the prominence/influence of the writers in modern African literature, the novels’ recapturing of the African socio-political situations, the persistence of the writers in reflecting the situations, the periodic contemporaneity and the main Anglophone literature’s regional representations. There are also specific aspects that were used to identify the allegoricity of the novels. Some of these include: the parabolic nature of the novels, the presence of satire, the presence of elements of myths and symbols, the polarized views of the characters, and the inclusion of cultural and historical references in the novels. The novels were analyzed against the idea of national allegory by employing critical reading followed by analytical interpretations. Accordingly, the authors reflect the national cultures and traditions, histories and struggles of their respective countries in the novels. Ben Okri represents the Nigerian oral traditions and the history of its ancient kingdoms in his Starbook. Ngugi wa Thiong’o reveals the conditions of Kenyan culture and history in the post-independent period in his Wizard of the Crow. He also exposes the nature of the authoritarian regime in the country under the leadership of most probably Daniel Arap Moi. Zakes Mda depicts the socio-cultural and historical conditions of the amaMpondomise people in South Africa during the colonial aggression in his Little Suns. Particularly, he unveils the impacts of colonial war against the native community. Themes like loss, exile, love of culture and history, perseverance and resilience are significantly reflected. These authors use the novels to respond to the colonial narrative against the colonized subjects and histories, the patriarchal hegemony against women, the oppressions of the ruling class against the lower class, and the arrogance of an authoritarian regime. They also show the impacts of unity and division. They reflect the tension between the ethnic, cultural and social groups that resulted from the legacy of colonialism. Lastly, they indicate their future visions for the countries. They address themes of hope, regeneration, unity, perseverance and resilience, change and transformation. Importantly, building a unified national identity through mass mobilization and organization and regenerating the past socio-political complexities for the socio-historical transformations are among the keys forwarded as solutions for the persistence crises that Africans are languishing until today. Hence, examining African contemporary novels against the idea of national allegory helps to understand the trends of development in African literature thoroughly.
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    National Allegories in Selected Contemporary Anglophone African Novels (2005-2015)
    (Addis Ababa University, 2024-12-01) Alem Sitot; Molla Feleke
    National allegories are important critical tools in the study of postcolonial literature. They serve to examine the themes and strategies of postcolonial literary writers. This study aimed to explore the socio-historical and cultural conditions of postcolonial African nations that received huge impacts from the aggression of colonialism and the spread of imperialism by interpreting novels that are written to reveal these impacts. It was also intended to investigate the visions of contemporary African literary writers about the future goals of the post-independent nations. To address these, the study designed a textual analysis approach. The novels were selected purposively based on the significant socio-historical backgrounds they reflect. Basically, the following generic criteria were used in the selection process: the prominence/influence of the writers in modern African literature, the novels’ recapturing of the African socio-political situations, the persistence of the writers in reflecting the situations, the periodic contemporaneity and the main Anglophone literature’s regional representations. There are also specific aspects that were used to identify the allegoricity of the novels. Some of these include: the parabolic nature of the novels, the presence of satire, the presence of elements of myths and symbols, the polarized views of the characters, and the inclusion of cultural and historical references in the novels. The novels were analyzed against the idea of national allegory by employing critical reading followed by analytical interpretations. Accordingly, the authors reflect the national cultures and traditions, histories and struggles of their respective countries in the novels. Ben Okri represents the Nigerian oral traditions and the history of its ancient kingdoms in his Starbook. Ngugi wa Thiong’o reveals the conditions of Kenyan culture and history in the post-independent period in his Wizard of the Crow. He also exposes the nature of the authoritarian regime in the country under the leadership of most probably Daniel Arap Moi. Zakes Mda depicts the socio-cultural and historical conditions of the amaMpondomise people in South Africa during the colonial aggression in his Little Suns. Particularly, he unveils the impacts of colonial war against the native community. Themes like loss, exile, love of culture and history, perseverance and resilience are significantly reflected.These authors use the novels to respond to the colonial narrative against the colonized subjects and histories, the patriarchal hegemony against women, the oppressions of the ruling class against the lower class, and the arrogance of an authoritarian regime. They also show the impacts of unity and division. They reflect the tension between the ethnic, cultural and social groups that resulted from the legacy of colonialism. Lastly, they indicate their future visions for the countries. They address themes of hope, regeneration, unity, perseverance and resilience, change and transformation. Importantly, building a unified national identity through mass mobilization and organization and regenerating the past socio-political complexities for the socio-historical transformations are among the keys forwarded as solutions for the persistence crises that Africans are languishing until today.Hence, examining African contemporary novels against the idea of national allegory helps to understand the trends of development in African literature thoroughly.
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    Thematic Analysis of Selected Amharic Plays: A Sociological Approach.
    (Addis Ababa University, 2019-06) Lidya Tesfaye; Molla Feleke
    This study is a thematic analysis of three selected Amharic plays, that is, Mistru, Alkash ena Zefagn and Babylon be salon. It endeavors to examine the role of plays in reflecting society and identify how the society is portrayed in the plays. To this end, the three sociological perspectives, functionalism, conflict and symbolic interactionism theories are used as framework. Analyzing the plays using these sociological perspectives, the researcher believes that it will result in understanding the value of plays in mirroring the society. Accordingly, extracts from the play will be thematically analyzed from sociological point of view, to demonstrate as to how the plays portrayed the society. The study has shown that the plays portray the society by their functional and dysfunctional aspects. For instance, the major theme in the play Mistru is justice. The play uses search of justice as a cause of unity for a society. Besides, societies respect for social values is reflected through the play. But still, betrayals are also seen as part of the society. Alkash ena Zefagn’s major theme is found to be interdependence. The play portrays the society as interdependent. With interdependence having a constructive value, it is also seen being a reason for conflict that is conflict of interest. After all, the reason for conflict is not only interdependence; rather it is poverty adding to it. The other play Babylon beSalon’s major theme is obstinacy, the playwright used marriage to reflect such a theme. It symbolically indicates any and every relationship within a society. As a whole, the playwrights used the valuable and major aspects of society, which are justice, happiness and sorrow, and marriage. This all seems to be parts of individual’s lives, but they are issues of a society as well. And the plays showed the facts that people may not easily accept when told directly using humor and aesthetic beauty of art.