National Allegories in Selected Contemporary Anglophone African Novels (2005-2015)
| dc.contributor.advisor | Molla Feleke | |
| dc.contributor.author | Alem Sitot | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-08-23T17:46:38Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-08-23T17:46:38Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024-12-01 | |
| dc.description.abstract | 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the presence of elements of myths and symbols, the polarized views of the characters, and the inclusion of cultural and historical references in the novels.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. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/7112 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Addis Ababa University | |
| dc.title | National Allegories in Selected Contemporary Anglophone African Novels (2005-2015) | |
| dc.type | Thesis |
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