African Novels

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the debate over whether African authors should write their original books in their native language when relating the African experience. It discusses whether this adds to the experience of the book and if writing it in English causes it to lose its cultural identity. The paper specifically looks at the debate from the points of view of Kenyon author Ngugi Wa Thiongo'o and his Nigerian contemporary Chinua Achebe.

From the Paper:

"Sullivan (81) concludes her article on the language debate between such authors as Ngugi and Achebe and whether or not books should be written in the native language or that of the colonist by looking at the way the world is changing today and in the near future. First, she states that monolingualism has never been as usual in Africa as it is in Europe. Thus, Africa may best serve its own interests by giving people the opportunity to develop the personal language portfolios they will anyway continue to acquire. Multilingualism can be seen as a potential strength, not a divisive factor. English only one of the many languages in which Nigerians choose to express themselves."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Penguin, 2006.
• ______________African Trilolgy. London: Picador, 2000
• Ashcroft, Bill; Griffiths, Gareth and Tiffin, Helen (eds.). The Post Colonial Studies Reader, London: Routledge, (1995)
• Bassnett-McGuire, Susan. Translation Studies. London: Routledge, 1991 .
• Chevrier, Jacques. "Writing African books in the French Language L'Afrique littcraire et artistique 50 (1979): 49.

More papers on African Novels:

• Analytical Essay # 8594 : "Three African Novels"
• Term Paper # 99001 : "African-American Literature"
• Analytical Essay # 28327 : "African-American Literature"

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