"The Old Chief Mshlanga"

Paper Summary:

This paper is an examination of the narrator's point of view in the story. The writer first gives a succinct but thorough plot summary, a discussion of the major themes, and a brief discussion of European colonialism in Africa. It then discusses how the major crisis experienced by the narrator in the "Old Chief Mshlanga" leads to changes in her life. It argues that the major crisis eventually leads to the positive change of the narrator beginning to see the evils of white colonialism in Africa.

From the Paper:

"The Old Chief Mshlanga, written in 1951, is a story of a white girl. The story takes place in an African country, and as the plot and characters develop, the girl eventually becomes aware of the injustices and cruelty perpetrated by colonialists on the African people.

"The story is set in Zimbabwe, an African country, which had been colonized by European interests by the start of the 20th century. Europeans colonized Africa in the hopes of acquiring natural resources, new markets, and new areas for investment. There was a large push to colonize Africa in the late 1800's resulting in the displacement of many native African people, and the imposition of white rule on the African populace. As can be expected, there was a great deal of tension and difficulty surrounding African colonialism."

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