UNIT 1: AFRICANPROSE Unit Outline Session 1: What is Prose?

Session 2: The African Novel Session 3: How African is the African Novel? Session 4: The African Novel versus the English Novel Session 5: The Modern African Novel Session 6: African Literatures Welcome to Unit 1. In this Unit, we will be looking at the African novel. You will learn, for instance, that the African novel is often written in a non-African (European language) and yet it is considered African. We shall begin, however, by examining the concept of African Literature and the nature of prose as a genre. What we are referring to as African Literature is actually a composite of both oral and written literature produced by Africans. With very few exceptions, as you will see in the course of our discussions, African literature until recently was largely oral and existed mainly as prose, verse and proverb. The prose forms of oral African literature include myths, legends and folktales. This body of oral texts is sometimes referred to as folklore, verbal art, oral literature or orature. These were handed down orally across

generations. However, our present purpose is to look at written prose, which is the focus of Units 1 and 2 of this course. Unit Objectives By the end of this Unit you should be able to: 1. define the terms prose, fiction and the novel; 2. discuss the oral and written antecedents of the African novel; and 3. discuss what features of the African novel make it truly African. -------------------------------------1-------------------------------------------

SESSION 1: WHAT IS PROSE? Now read on Welcome to the first session of this unit. In this Session we shall discuss the terms prose, fiction and the novel and establish the relationship among these terms. Objective By the end of this session, you should be able to discuss the terms prose, fiction and the novel.

1.1 Prose, Fiction, the Novel Sometimes, we hear these three words used almost interchangeably. Somehow, we seem to feel they mean the same and, therefore, refer to the same thing. In Literature, we usually talk about the three genres, namely, Drama, Poetry and Prose. In a strict sense, however, the term prose refers to all type of written expression not having a regular rhythmic pattern as is usually the case with poetry. It, however, has a logical arrangement of ideas and style which Varies from one writer to another. 1.2 Fiction You probably have heard the word fiction outside literature as a contrast with fact, suggesting something that is not true or real. Yes, that is one meaning of the word. For our purpose, however, fiction shall be defined as a piece of narrative writing based on the imagination of the writer, rather than on fact or history. The short story is an example of this kind of writing. 1.3 The Novel The novel is an extended fictional prose narrative in which elements like character, plot, setting, theme, etc. can be identified and analysed. Putting them all together, we can say that the term fiction is usually used in connection with novels and short stories. The term is also sometimes used in connection with drama and narrative poetry, where the subject- matter in each case is

based on the imagination of the writer, rather than on fact or history. The novel, coming as it does from the imagination of the writer can, therefore, be described as a fictional prose narrative. Please note, however, that the biographical or autobiographical novel, in so far as it gives a factual account about a known persons life, cannot be regarded as fiction. ---------------------------------------3-----------------------------------------

In this session, we have tried to examine the terms prose, fiction and the novel. We have seen that prose is a general term under which we can place both fiction and the novel. Fiction, we have noted, is based largely on the imagination of the writer, rather than on a factual or historical record. The novel, we have also observed, is an extended form of narrative writing in which it is possible to analyse elements of fiction such as plot, structure, setting and character, among others. We have also noted that the biographical or autobiographical novel is a special kind of narrative writing in which we expect a relatively true, factual or historical account of a persons life. In our next session, we shall look at the African novel. Self-Assessment Question Exercise 1.1 1. Would you say the novel is just a. long story? Give reasons for your answer. -----------------------------------4-------------------------------------

SESSION 2: THEAFRICAN NOVEL Welcome to Session 2. In the previous session, we have tried to explain the terms prose, fiction and the novel. In this session we turn our attention to the African novel. Objective By the end of this session, you should be able to discuss the validity of the African novel. Now read on 2.1 Is the African Novel an Imitation of the English Novel? We all know that the African society in the distant past was largely an oral one. This means that our myths, legends and folktales were not written down but preserved in the memory and passed on by word of mouth. Can we, therefore, claim that what we are calling the African novel is not an imitation or a borrowed idea? What do you think? We shall find out in due course. 2.2 Oral Antecedents of the African Novel Have you heard about epics like Sundiata and Mwindo? If you havent, Im sure you would like to at least read about them. These are extended, fictional narratives in which elements like plot, character, theme, setting,

etc. can be identified. Epics, as an example of legends, are poetic accounts of the deeds of great heroes and heroines, or of a nations past history orally transmitted as well as performed in a ceremonial context. As you can remember, we defined the novel as an extended, fictional narrative. Can you flip back, just to make sure? Do you see the link between these epics and the novel? What is the only difference? Are you thinking that these epics are oral and the novel is written? Yes, you are right. Remember such epics were in existence in pre-colonial times, long before the Europeans came to our shores. 2.3 Written Antecedents of the African Novel Wait a minute! Didnt we just say (see 1.1 of this Unit) that Africa did not have a writing culture? So what do we really mean by written antecedents of the African novel? Yes, we did make that point, but this is a good time to qualify it. Long before the European incursion into Africa, places like the Egypt, Nubia, Kush, Meroe and Ethiopia had literate cultures. There is ample evidence to suggest that it was from these places that literacy spread to the Mediterranean cultures of Crete, Greece and Judaea. Apart from extended narratives in Egyptian hieroglyphics, there are pre-colonial African extended narratives in Amharic (spoken in Ethiopia), Hausa and Swahili, among others.
The shift from the oral to the written transformed the relationship of artists and audiences, the subject of literature, and the authority of genre

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We can therefore say, cant we, that there existed in Africa before the whiteman came a sizeable body of extended narratives both oral and written and that these could well have developed into what we are now calling the novel, without the mediation of the European or his language. SUMMARY We have tried in this session to determine whether the African novel is an imitation of then English novel. We have seen that in spite of the largely oral culture of the African past, a substantial body of written texts existed long before the arrival of the Whiteman. We have also suggested that these original, extended prose narratives can be regarded as novels in their own right. Indeed, many African critics are of the view that African novels need not follow slavishly the conventions of the English or any other kind of novel. They further assert that African writers are not obliged to conform to any real or imagined western standards in order to have their extended prose narratives recognised as novels. In the next session, we shall examine the African character of the African novel.

Self-Assessment Questions Exercise 1.2If any of the well known African epics such as Sundiata and Mwindo were written down, could these be regarded as novels in their own right? ---------------------------------6--------------------------------SESSION 3: HOW AFRICAN IS THE AFRICAN NOVEL? You are welcome to Session 3 of this unit. In the previous session, we looked at both the oral and written antecedents of the African novel. We found out, for instance, that pre-colonial Africa was not wholly oral as is often carelessly assumed, and that we can, with some justification, trace the origins of the African novel to the body of pre-colonial oral and written extended narratives. In this session, we shall look at the things that make the African novel truly African, even though written in a European language. Objective By the end of this session, you should be able to argue that the African novel is truly African in character in spite of the fact that it is written in a non-African language.

Now read on

3.1 African Novels Written in a non-African Language You would expect that any piece of writing which is African, should use one African language or the other for it to be truly African. It is often argued that African literature written in a non-African language is not truly African. Let us pause here to examine this assertion carefully. It is true that the African novel, which is the subject of our study in this unit, is often written in English, French or Portuguese. The reason is simple. Take Ghana, for example. We have had a long history of colonialism under the British. Part of the legacy of colonialism is the language of the coloniser. For this reason, the English language has become the language used in our schools, in our offices, courts, parliament and all our major state institutions. Even our Constitution is written in English. In other words, English is our official language and the medium of instruction in our schools, especially in our higher institutions. It is at the same time the language we use to communicate among ourselves as members of diverse ethnic groups. If a Ghanaian, therefore, wishes to communicate with people beyond his or her ethnic group, English becomes the convenient

language to use. Similarly, if a novelist is expecting to reach a wider audience, he or she has to use English, rather than his/her own native language. We must state at this point that language is not the only criterion for determining the identity of the novel. Other criteria include: whether the novel addresses Africa and Africans as its primary audience; whether the author is African; ---------------------------------7-----------------------------------

whether the novel expresses a cultural and national consciousness through the authors voice, through the characters that can be identified easily as African; whether the habits and attitudes of the characters are distinctly African and whether the novels landscape and its characters can be identified as African. We can see, therefore, that language alone cannot determine whether a novel should be regarded as African or not. 3.2 The Anglophone African Novel

We have already looked at the reasons that have compelled African writers to use non-African languages to produce literature. In Africa, countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, the Gambia (in West Africa), Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi (in East Africa) as well as Zambia, Zimbabwe (in Southern Africa) all use English as the official language. This is simply because all these countries were once under British colonial rule and are, therefore, English-speaking. All English- speaking countries are also called Anglophone countries. We should expect, therefore, that a substantial part of their literature, including the novel, will be written in English. Some of the earliest writers to come from Ghana include Joseph Ephraim Casely-Hayford who wrote Ethiopia Unbound in 1911; and R.E. Obeng, who wrote Eighteen Pence in 1943. In Nigeria, Amos Tutuola generated a lot of interest with his The Palmwine Drinkard in 1952. Anglophone African writers have achieved a great deal of prominence internationally. The list includes writers like Chinua Achebe, Cyprian Ekwensi, Flora Nwapa, Ayi Kwei Armah, Ama Ata Aidoo, Buchi Emecheta, Ngugi wa ThiongO, Peter Abrahams, Eskia Mphahlele and Alex La Guma. Anglophone Africa has even produced a Nobel Laureate in Literature. Did you know?

3.3 The Francophone Novel African countries that came under French rule are called Francophone countries because they are French-speaking. Francophone Africa has also contributed immensely to the growth of the African novel. Early attempts at the novel include Ousmane Soces Mirages of Paris (1937). Prominent among Francophone novelists are Ferdinand Oyono, Mongo Beti and Sembene Ousmane. -------------------------------------8-------------------------------------

3.4 The Lusophone Novel The term Lusophone may sound a bit strange in your ears. It simply means Portuguese-speaking. As you may be aware, the Portuguese also colonised portions of Africa. These Lusophone countries are Cape Verde, Mozambique and Angola. Some of their writers are Luis Bemado Honwana and Balthasar Lopes.

SUMMARY In this session, we have seen that even though the African novel is written in a non-African language, it still retains its African character. We have seen that language alone cannot determine whether a novel is African or not. .

Self-Assessment Question Exercise 1.3 A prominent African critic once stated: Just because an Africn plays a piano a European invention does not mean that the highlife he produces on it is European music. Do you consider this a good argument in the discussion of the use of European languages in African literature? ------------------------------------9--------------------------------------SESSION 4: THE AFRICAN NOVEL IN ENGLTSH VERSUS THE ENGLISH NOVEL You are welcome to Session 4 of this unit. In this session we shall examine the viewpoint that if a novel is written in English, it must be considered part of English Literature rather than as part of African Literature. Objective By the end of the session, you should be able to distinguish between English Literature and Literature in English Now read on...

4.1 Adrian Roscoes view In 1971, Adrian Roscoes book Mother is Gold, a survey of African literature, was published. In it, he had argued that: If an African writes in English, his work must be considered as belonging to English letters as a whole, and can be scrutinised accordingly. What Roscoe was saying was that so long as the language used was English, that piece of writing should be regarded as belonging to the tradition of English Literature. A similar view was expressed by John Povey in 19.72 when he stated that: .the African writer can be conveniently set within the context of the much wider field of English language writing.

Dear reader, what is your reaction to these views? Please read again 3.1 of Session 3 and determine whether you want to agree with these viewpoints or not. You can write down your reasons as to why you agree and discuss them with your lecturer at your next encounter with him/her. You can also discuss your reasons with your course mates. In this rather brief session, a very weighty view on African literature has been introduced. If we subscribe to the views expressed by both Roscoe and Povey, we would in effect be making African literature a mere SUMMARY appendage of the literature of England, otherwise known as English Literature.

12: Self-Assessment Question can you distinguish between English Literature and Literature in English?

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SESSION 5: THE MODERNAFRICAN NOVEL In this Session we will look at the African novel from the 1950s to date and some of the themes that these novels deal with. Objectives By the end of this session, you should be able to classify African novels on the basis of the issues they deal with e.g. colonialism, struggle for independence etc. Please read on... 5.1 Classification Quite a number of novelists have emerged from Africa since 1950. Dear reader, why does a writer take the trouble to write? Yes, you guessed it. It is because he has something important to say, and has chosen the medium of the novel to say it. Different writers will have different things to write

about. In other words, a writer decides what concerns or issues he should address in his work. It is, therefore, possible to attempt a classification of African novels on the basis of the issues or concerns addressed in them. One convenient way of doing this is along the following lines: novels that deal with life in pre-colonial Africa (i.e. Africa before the whiteman came to our shores). A good example is Elechi Amadis The Concubine; novels that deal with the arrival and presence of the whiteman on African soil. These, naturally will contain issues like Christianity and missionary activities, cultural conflict and the gradual crumbing of the traditional order. Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart is a very good example of this kind; novels that deal with the agitation and struggle for independence and self-rule. We can cite Ngugi wa ThiongOs Weep Not Child as an example; novels that deal with the attainment of independence and self- rule and its immediate aftermath. In such novels, the whiteman is no longer in control. Political power has been transferred to the Africans themselves. Such novels treat issues like the expectations in connection with the attainment of independence, disappointment, disillusionment and corruption. Ayi Kwei Armahs The

Beautyful Ones are not Yet Born is an example of this kind of novel; -------------------------------------13--------------------------------------- novels that deal with tradition and modernism. Such novels treat issues like rural-urban drift, the intricacies of urban life, as well as the clash between tradition and modernism. People of the City by Cyprian Ekwensi is an example; novels that deal with contemporary social issues such as civil strife. The Nigerian civil war (1967 1970), for example, has generated novels like Buchi Emechetas Destination Biafra (1982), and Eddie Irohs Eight Guns For the General (1976). What other types can you think of? 5.2 Womens Writing African women writers have also been active. It has been realised that women need to tell their own stories in their own voices. The common concerns in such writing include issues such as: Motherhood Marriage Childbirth and Gender relations

Some of the well-known women writers include Ama Ata Aidoo, Buchi Emcheta, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Flora Nwapa and Grace Ogot. We have been looking at the modem African novel using the year 1950 as a convenient signpost. We have also suggested the possibility of classifying these novels on the basis of the subject treated or the concerns raised in them. We have also looked at female African writers and some of the common themes found in their writings. We shall conclude our discussion in this unit by taking a look at the various literary traditions in Africa in our final session. Self-Assessment Questions Exercise 1.5 1. Would you say that a novel that deals with pre-colonial Africa has no relevance in our modern-day scientific society? 2. Do you think it is possible for a male African writer to adequately represent the concerns of African women in his writings? Give reasons for your views. ------------------------------------14----------------------------------------

SESSION 6: AFRICAN LITERATURES INTRODUCTION Welcome to this final session of unit 1. We will wrap up our discussion of the African novel by looking at African Literatures. Did we say Literatures? Yes, we did. Please read on..

Objectives By the end of this session, you should be able to discuss the validity of literatures produced in native African languages. Now read on 6.1 African Literatures Written in African Languages There is a fair amount of literature written in the various African languages which are as valid as literature written in English or in any other European language. However, these literatures have not received enough scholarly attention for some reasons including the following: (a) Western critics have not shown much interest in literatures produced in African languages; (b) Many African languages are not as widespread in use as English. For instance, if a novel is written in Fante or Ewe, it is accessible not just to Fantes or Ewes, but rather Fantes or Ewe who have taken the trouble to become literate in their own language;

(c) We have tended to focus a lot more on the colonial languages such as English and French because these have not only become our official languages, but they have also been the medium through which we have received our formal education; and (d) Some of these European languages are more international in character and scope than our indigenous African languages. Can you think of any other reasons? However, there is a considerable amount of literature produced in some of the main African languages like Yoruba and Hausa (in West Africa), Amharic (in Somalia) and Swahili (in South Africa).

6.2 African Literatures in European Languages The European languages most commonly used in African literature are English, French and Portuguese. By far, African literature written in English is the best known outside Africa. Next is African literature produced in French. Understandably, African literature rendered in Portuguese is

not as well known and as widespread as African literature written in English and French. Can you explain why? ---------------------------------15-----------------------------------------

SUMMARY In this session, we have tried to explain the term literatures and to argue that literature rendered in African languages are as valid as literature rendered in European languages such as English, French and Portuguese. In the next unit, we shall use our discussions in this unit as the basis for studying an African novel. For this purpose, it will be worth your while to read The Beautyful Ones are not Yet Born by Ayi Kwei Armah as thoroughly as you can. Self-Assessment Questions Exercise 1.6 1. What do you think a novel written in Portuguese by an Angolan will have in common with a novel written in English by a Ghanaian, considering that both are African novels? 2. Do you think translations will help?