Browsing by Author "Molla Feleke Desta"

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    Environmental Impacts of (Neo)Colonialism as Reflected in Selected Anglophone African Novels: A Postcolonial Ecocriticism
    (Addis Ababa University, 2024-06) Rabbirra Dhaba; Molla Feleke Desta
    The study examines the environmental consequences of (neo)colonialism as represented in selected postcolonial Anglophone African novels using a postcolonial ecocritical perspective. To this end, three critically acclaimed novels, authored by different writers from Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Cameroon in the years between 2014 and recent, have been purposefully selected and investigated. The focus of the analysis has been on unveiling the multifaceted representation of environmental impacts stemming from professional journalismand the myths of development. Emphasis has also been placed on articulating the pivotal role of postcolonial eco-activism in these texts. In doing so, postcolonial ecocriticism has been employed as a theoretical framework to analyze these novels. This theory is relevant to unveil the link between colonial legacies and environmental degradation in Anglophone African novels, addressing gaps in the literature and contributing to the fight for environmental justice by amplifying marginalized voices. This interdisciplinary approach uncovers the complex connections between power, environmental challenges, and unsustainable development, underlining the need for systemic change that prioritizes ecosystems and marginalized communities. In this realm of the postcolonial ecocritical framework, the methodology of textual analysis has been employed to explore the intricacies present in the selected novels. Employing this approach, Peter Kimani's Dance of the Jakaranda (2017) reveals the devastating effects of ecological imperialism: colonial plunder of resources (stealing limbs and lands), military violence and fire, biological warfare, deforestation, and practices of colonial conservation. These themes reflect the broader issues of environmental exploitation and social injustices that are pervasive in postcolonial societies. The consequences of this continue to be felt deeply today and have lasting impacts on the environment and the people who inhabit it. Ishmael Beah's Radiance of Tomorrow (2014) depicts environmental racism: the suffering of the indigenous community, the demise of the natural environment, and the erasure of the culture. These themes further highlight the devastating effects of (neo)colonialism and the ongoing struggles faced by postcolonial societies in preserving their environment and culture amidst various forms of oppression. The analysis of Imbolo Mbue's How Beautiful We Were (2021) reveals the environmental impacts of developmental myths: the developmentalist view of land, state vampirism, environmental vi degradation, and the government's complicity with developmentalists (capitalists). The novel reveals how the exploitation of resources perpetuates environmental destruction and exacerbates social inequalities, shedding light on the complexities of postcolonial struggles. The characters in the novel fight against powerful forces that prioritize profit over people, exposing the destructive consequences of unchecked capitalism on both the environment and indigenous communities. The study argues that the three novels under scrutiny collectively reveal the role of postcolonial eco-activism in safeguarding the postcolonial environment against the onslaught of corporate greed and government indifference. The study concludes that the fight for environmental justice cannot be divorced from the fight against (neo)colonialism and capitalism. It emphasizes the urgent need for a comprehensive reimagining of economic and political systems that prioritize sustainability, the well-being of natural ecosystems, and all communities, especially those historically marginalized and subjected to (neo)colonial exploitation.
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    National Allegories in Selected Contemporary Anglophone African Novels (2005-2015)
    (Addis Ababa University, 2024-12-01) Alem Sitot Getaneh; Molla Feleke Desta
    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.