Achebe's Audience

In class we discussed Achebe’s intended audience considering that his novel is written in English. I would argue that his intended purpose in English writing is because a treatise on the evils of colonialism versus the relative evils of Igbo culture would most likely be aimed at English speakers. Snehal mentioned in class that Achebe was trying to prove that English colonialism, and by extension all colonialism in Africa, is wrong despite all the shortfalls of Igbo society personified by Okonkwo. If this novel was written in Igbo, or in some other African language, then the message of these evils would have only reached an indigenous population that had firsthand experience with the atrocities brought by European expansionists, and a complete understanding of its own cultural norms. On the other hand, the English-speaking audience can be expected, like most of us were, to be ignorant of both the social problems of African culture as well as the problems associated colonialism.

"You drove him to kill himself"

It is my opinion that Achebe is definitely writing to a Euro-oriented audience. The most obvious example of this is at the end of the novel when Obierika says to the District commissioner, "That man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia. You drove him to kill himself; and now he will be buried like a dog..." (p. 208). I contend that Achebe is speaking through Obierika, addressing the world/readers directly.
We see Okonkwo's friend in a moment of pure contemplation, and then he delivers a to-the-point declaration. To me, this concludes and sums up the entire novel's message. We are led through the lives of some Igbo people and are therefore put in their shoes, if just for a couple of pages/ hours in our lives. The scene with Ikemefuna's death is another perfect example of Achebe's desire and success in bringing the audience as close to the horrors and truths of a culture about which we would otherwise never experience. In describing and showing the different traditions and beliefs of the Igbo people, Achebe opens the eyes of his readers to a level of awareness that literally could not be achieved in his native language, merely because we would not be able to read it. By having Things Fall Apart in English, more of the target audience is reached and touched by its words, and I, for one, felt its impact.
Achebe even goes so far as to show members of Umuofia who convert and are affected by the colonization, not just those who are aversive to it. We also have a glimpse into what it must be like the new governing officials, and I feel that Achebe probably nailed the correct psyche in the last paragraph of the book. In Things Fall Apart, Achebe covers much ground and in doing so, provides a well-balanced, purposeful attention-grabber for the neo-colonial world.

Culture Clash

Achebe’s Things Fall Apart takes the reader to a locale rarely seen by the Anglo-Phonic world. Achebe takes great care in crafting a palpable and tactile world for his audience. A world rooted in reality though resoundingly a child of fiction. Not to fence ride the issue, but I wonder if Achebe conceivably wrote this piece for dual audiences; European and African (with European style education given the choice English language but perhaps there is a fatalistic logic in this). Achebe has often defended his usage of the English language, but I think one of his points here is the juxtaposition of the multiple societies. Even amongst the Igbo, who hold ceremony and traditional law with much esteem, there are those other societies and villages which are counted as not as conservative. There is an aim at culture clash here. Okonkwo, representing the traditional and conservative values of his ancestral lands is continuously forced to deal with the confrontation of new ideals and beliefs. It is ironic that the society which is set up in Umuofia is very western in many ways. The society has a rigid concept of laws and justice, and it is governed democratically by the council of elders. The Umuofian society is also remarkably socially mobile ,a trait often lauded by western democracies of their structures, as Okonkwo is able to supersede the failings of his father and is judged almost entirely on his own prowess and prosperity. Again the irony is, as these western forces enter the African landscape they are suppressing the democratic nature of the indigenous society. Victorian England also is arguably one the least socially mobile societies in the Europe at this present time. Though the culture is seemingly foreign to our eyes, the society painted for us by Achebe is remarkably “western” in many aspects. I wouldn’t prescribe the dualistic tendencies of Ngugi, to Achebe. I think his aim is for whomever would listen.

Achebe and his audience

While I think that Ngugi was correct in asserting that Achebe's intended audience is definitely a European one, I don't personally believe it is deserving of the criticism that Ngugi placed upon it. Certainly, there can be no doubt of who Achebe is trying to reach: through his inclusion of the Igbo glossary in the appendix, the liberal peppering of Igbo idioms throughout the novel, and perhaps most especially the detail in which Achebe describes daily life in this culture that is at times alien in custom to Westerners and Europeans, Achebe has succeeded in creating an "Idiot's Guide" to the Igbo way of life. Achebe's goal, I think, was to use his command of English in order to help English speakers empathize with the African perspective and perhaps in a way see things from an African point of view. Although it is presumptuous to assume that a student reading this book in class could, simply by reading the novel, have a complete grasp on the African perspective and completely understand such a non-native worldview, I believe that the important thing to glean from Achebe's work is that he is one of the first African authors to reach out in this way, and through doing so has had more success in globalizing awareness of some pertinent issues that might have otherwise gone unheard.

Achebe's intended audience

In Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”, we as readers most definitely get to see a side of the Igbo culture that otherwise wouldn’t be available for us to see. This, coupled with the fact that Achebe did write the book in English can be used to suggest that his target audience was a European/Western Audience. The use of the Igbo stories, songs, etc. serve as a reminder to a European audience that this group of people have their own culture, beliefs and traditions that are sacred to them, much like our own culture, beliefs and traditions are sacred to us. By using these different elements of the Igbo/Nigerian culture, though a European audience might not agree with their practices, we are reminded that they are human beings, just like us. They too have the fear of failure and being disappointed or not being “all they can be”. One could argue that using the stories and songs in the book was done solely for the benefit of a European audience, because a European audience may never have been exposed to the culture previously. It would seem slightly redundant to go over the Igbo practices and customs if his sole intended audience was the Igbo people, especially if the proverbs and customs in the book ones that are widespread throughout Igbo culture. Why would Achebe need to inform the Igbo people of their own traditions when they have been exposed to them throughout the duration of their entire lives? But on the other-hand, there is one song that Achebe chooses to leave in Igbo and not translate. It almost seems like an incentive for someone reading the book who knows the Igbo language. Or another way to put it is, it’s something special that Achebe and that particular reader share. Either way, whether it was written for a European audience or a Nigerian audience, both cultures can take something away from it. One, a better understanding and a new perspective. The other, a call for steadfastness in their traditions and beliefs

Ngugi

I thought it was very interesting when Ngugi mentioned that because he, and his peers as well, was forced to learn English and were disciplined into not using their native language, that that native language wasn't given a chance to develop. There are no Shakespeare's and Galileo's in his native language.

And I think that's very sad. I had never thought about that aspect of colonial English education. In a sense the English were ripping these African cultures away from these people. And while they offer a good education, it is a good English education. Not only is it entirely directed in English but it was executed in a manner that fuffilled Endgland's education requirements, and what they deemed good.

But each culture is different. Ngugi's culture never had a chance to define what a good education was because they were required to separate themselves from it and think in English ways. And so I wonder about those racist or prejudice people who think that non-native English speakers are dumb. I think that they view these ESL students as dumb on their own terms and by their own definitions. They are dumb in the eyes of English education b/c they are just beginning as teenagers, adults, or even elderly.

But what about those people who are just as talented or as smart as Dickens or Einstein? It's interesting to think that if these African (and also Carribean) people were educated in dual languages (because it is undeniably beneficial to become fluent in English as well) they might have become the next Shakespeare, quite honestly. But it wouldn't have been Shakespeare at all. It would have been a genius in his own culture, just as Shakespeare was in English.

For example, Achebe has demonstrated great literary technique and talent. I wonder how much more talented he would be in his own language using teachings of his own culture.

But then again, would the world appreciate it?

Of course not.

Achebe's Audience

I think Ngugi is correct when he claims Achebe’s work is Afro-European fiction not African literature. However, I don’t believe he is right to criticize Achebe’s way of writing. Although it is important to inform Africans themselves on the evils of colonization, it is also important for the Western audience to realize why the African culture is worth preserving. Because Achebe chose to write in English, this novel was clearly written for a European audience. Also, Achebe provides a glossary of Ibo words translated into English as well as a detailed description of cultural practices. This would not have been necessary if he was trying to write for an African audience. Achebe uses Okonkwo to represent the ignorance and instability present in Nigeria. However, he also portrays the beauty of folk tales that should be kept and passed orally though generations and the liveliness of African weddings like that of Obierieka’s daughter. The essence of this novel is to show Westerners that if they destroy people like Okonkwo through colonization, they will also destroy the rich culture of the Nigerian people. This is a powerful message that needs to reach the European world since they are the ones doing the colonizing.

Narrative and Culture

I accept that Achebe is writing for an English audience, partly because of his introduction of the Igbo language, complete with a vocabulary list. What Professor Shingavi called "info dumping" also seems to corroborate with the idea of introducing English readers to a foreign culture.

Debt to his own culture aside, though, I wonder if these piecemeal introductions create a debt in the mind of readers. To me, inserting an Igbo word into the middle of an English sentence with its English syntax, connotation, and vocabulary creates an action similar to that of colonialism. It disrespects the boundaries of cultural knowledge and uses a familiar apparatus of cultural meaning to come to grips with foreignness. Umuofian culture may be respected with the repeated "info dumping" sessions, but this respect is, again, superficially introductory.

If Achebe wants to create emotional complexity and strange heroics which make us question our index of morality in a foreign context, then he has succeeded. But he has not brought us into greater understanding or appreciation of that foreign context. Where our knowledge of a culture seems to exist, there is only knowledge of something different from our own culture, and where some familiarity with a language is established, it’s not done in any meaningful way.

In Defense of Ngugi

I'm going to preface this post by saying that I enjoyed Things Fall Apart. Achebe spoke of the need to create a "new English... altered to suit a new African surrounding," and I think he accomplished that goal admirably. The use of Igbo words and phrases along with Achebe's unique sense of imagery and description place this book in the category of rare reads that change the way people think about the English novel. However, Achebe's accomplishments are not at the center of Ngugi's arguments. Instead, Ngugi is more concerned about who benefits from this "new English": the African audience or the Western audience.
Ngugi proposes that each language has a "dual character: it is both a means of communication and a carrier of culture." He points out that in places such as Sweden and Denmark, English is a convenient means of communication, but not a carrier of culture. To Ngugi, there is no inherent danger in having separate languages for ease of communication and the preserving of history and culture. However, the plight of countries afflicted by what Ngugi terms "neo-imperialism" is quite different. In these countries, English (or French, or any equivalent colonial language) represents the minority of languages spoken yet holds the native tounges in a stranglehold. The prevailing mentality is that any idea worth discussing or writing about must be articulated in English. When Achebe writes in English, he is subtly reinforcing the notion that African talent and ideas must be adapted to English. Ngugi's concern is that such a mentality will result in a starvation of the native languages as writers like Achebe begin a mass exodus of writing and intellectual talent from the native languages to English. The result is a new genre of Afro-European literature infused with borrowings from African cultures and languages, yet at the same time it contributes to the deterioration of the source material.
Who does the Afro-European novel benefit? It cannot benefit the vast majority of the African audience that cannot read or speak English. We must assume that it mostly benefits the English speaking reading public of Western countries and the tiny minority of English speakers who make up the "intellectual elite" in African countries. Achebe was not "wrong" to write in English. Unfortunately, the success of Things Fall Apart subtly reinforces the notion that English and other colonial languages are the appropriate vehicles for all intellectual and artistic endeavors in African countries.

The Audience

I have enjoyed reading Achebe's novel this second time around because of the insight I've gained in the class so far. What strikes me about the novel is the essense of the culture of the Ibo people. Their history is honored in their everyday lives, their thoughts, their actions, and their customs. I think the history and culture of their lives are merged into a colorful language. Achebe's use of folk tales, Ibo words, and descriptions of rituals, ceremonies, customs, traditions, and everyday life paint a vivid picture of the everyday life of the Ibo people. He devotes a chapter to the daily lives of his wives and children, another chapter on the wrestling matches and ceremony, and finally another on the "uri" being held by a neighbor for his daughter. Based on the detailed descriptions of these everyday events, I believe that Achebe is writing for an English speaking and reading audience. I feel Achebe has put a great effort into pulling his audience into the culture and history of the Ibo people, as well as into the lives of Okonkwo and his family. If his audience was already Ibo-aware, I believe his novel would have turned into something quite different. His use of Ibo language, glosses, etc, reafirm that this novel is meant for European/American readers. Achebe has reached out to his colonizers and shown them a distinct "before conolization" portrait, then shows a distinct "after colonization" portrait. His use of language coupled with the atitude of Okonkwo throughout the novel reflect the before and after attitudes Achebe himself has towards European colonization of Africa. I am sure that Achebe inteded his people to also read and gain knowledge from his writing, however I feel that they were not intended as his primary target.

Umofian Culture

Understanding that the cultural perspective was what Achebe desired to promote in Things Fall Apart is something I can agree with whole-heartedly. Our discussion in class on what the representation of culture was is where my understanding seems to differ; I define culture as core values that represent a society in everyday life – what the culture conceptualizes as proper. In that definition, Ukonkwo seems to have most of the characteristics to make him successfully fit in and adhere to those values: he’s entrepreneurial, successful, calculating, and masculine. These things, the society accepts as proper. Conversely, when the society observes Unoka, Ukonkwo’s father, Achebe defines him as being less than impressive, almost a social outcast. Although this character adheres to music and poetry, art and artistic endeavors, I disagree that his liking of these things enforces a strong cultural tie – I think our understanding of culture lies within these things because we have glorified them, as westerners, holding them on high because we this is where our cultural identity established itself. The automatic reflection of Unoka as the representative who establishes culture I think has a western bias inherent. Critical to this argument is how we define culture today – it was said in class that our present-day, American culture can include things like watching TV, the internet and other not-so-glamorous activities; these are things we do on a daily basis, and these things establish core values. Applying the same logic to Things Fall Apart, understanding one caveat (the villagers didn’t always agree with Ukonkwo’s brashness, i.e. his dislike of unsuccessful men), the Umofian culture, in my interpretation, is defined as an agrarian, hard-working, merit-based society with the core values to enforce – the values inherent in Ukonkwo, not his father.

To digress slightly, this is not to say Unoka does not play any role in culture, just not near what we had understood him to.

Achebe Vs Ngugi

Achebe wrote Things Fall Apart in English so that his characters and motifs in the story would reach a western audience whose perceptions of Africa were based mostly on the savage depictions of European perspective. This doesn’t mean that it was easy for Achebe to neglect his mother tongue, he realizes, like Ngugi, that language is a serious point of contention for the future of African culture and society. However, as Achebe attests himself, he had “no other choice” but to write the novel in English. Achebe provides a window into Ibo culture and infuses the language, proverbs, and speech patterns peculiar to these people while doing it in the tradition of a Greek tragedy that is familiar to his western audience. His aim isn’t merely to humanize and repair the image of these people for the western eye, but to stand their culture up against European culture and reveal how they are both limited and both susceptible to savagery. The story doesn’t hide from the brutality of some of the Ibo rituals, but Achebe reveals a socially conscious people that were adapting, advancing, and discovering where there own culture needed change and progress. Colonialism was not the answer.

Ngugi, although critical of Achebe for writing the novel in English, admits to his own struggles with writing fiction in African language and finding the appropriate ‘fiction language.’ I had trouble buying the argument in class that Decolonizing the Mind is throwing the middle finger at the English language, Ngugi’s stance has more depth and complexity to it then this. I feel like he’s calling out to his fellow African intellectuals and writers, Achebe included, and asking them not to abstain from taking the English form altogether, but instead to be cautious and realize that it is important to not put English on a pedestal as superior and to make greater efforts to reach the working classes through literature in their own languages. Otherwise, as his colonial education would put it, “The ‘Great Tradition’ of English literature was the great tradition of ‘literature’!” (Pg. 91)

Audience of Things Fall Apart

I don't necessarily believe that there is always a black or white answer to everything, but I do believe that if one holds an opinion, it should be held strongly. I think Ngugi contradicts himself when he criticizes Achebe for writing Afro-European literature.

Ngugi himself says on page 88 - "How we see a thing - even with our eyes - is very much dependent on where we stand in relationship to it." He uses the example of a classroom, stating that when a group of people leaves the classroom, each individual would be able to describe the room in a different way. He follows this by saying that "the way we view ourselves, our environment even, is very dependent on where we stand in relationship to imperialism in its colonial and neo-colonial stages." Ngugi approaches Achebe's work through the eyes of an African language purist, and the fact that he is able to absorb the content and fashion a detailed criticism of it means that he was able to 'access' the knowledge through English. I don't see how he can fault something that helps him prove his own thoughts. A thought-provoking text should be applauded - it wouldn't be any fun if everyone loved every piece of literature written. Ngugi should be more considerate of the fact that everyone has a different relationship with a work.

At the same time, however, I appreciate Ngugi's opinions about preserving African culture/dance/theatre/song. I'm a huge fan of the fine arts and as such, I understand the importance of keeping up cultural roots through these vehicles. Ngugi says "it was imperialism that had stopped the free development of the national traditions of theatre rooted in the ritual and ceremonial practices of the peasantry" (41). Maybe so, but then wouldn't he applaud Achebe's attempt to incorporate Igbo words/idioms/songs in Things Fall Apart? Though Achebe's incorporations may not be "up to standard," he at least tries to show the European/Western audience that the Ibo culture is different and should be valued. The provision of the glossary is a courtesy to readers, almost a gift. Achebe wants us to understand, but also wants it to be easy to do so. He appeals to our human nature, while Ngugi appeals to our academic nature.

Those to Observe as Things Fall Apart

Chinua Achebe’s Afro-European novel was clearly intended and very accurately executed as a work for a more European/Western type audience. Despite the objections of some, such as Ngugi, on his choosing to do so, one couldn’t possibly argue that his choice might have not ultimately created the overall effect, or left such a significant impact on those readers for which it was intended. Though such a work might have proved to serve as possibly a good read or type of history for those speaking the actual languages of such characters depicted, his overall purpose for the writing was definitely carried out much more effectively in illustrating for readers, such as those of European descent, the true effects and reality of colonization from a view they never before might have seen or even imagined.

Achebe’s use of different elements such as the implementation of Igbo stories, song, sayings, and characteristics, only further aided in his portrayal of his characters and their ways of living. Such clear examples and demonstrations of the people and their culture, one might see, allows the characters to become more real to the reader, benefiting both the European reader in increasing his or her understanding, as well as the Africans—those for which the novel might have been written more on behalf of, rather than written for. Achebe’s writing was able to spread the story of their colonization and experiences in a means in which many of them never would have been able to do, and without Chinua Achebe, possibly might have never been done neither so influentially nor penetratingly.

Achebe's Audience

For the most part, “Things Fall Apart” retains a setup similar to most European literature with those who understand English and literary nuances. Therefore, this type of audience will have little difficulty following Achebe's novel. Yet, the Afro part of this Afro-European fiction comes from the infusion of Igbo vocabulary, folktales, and song/poetry. Most of which are glossed in the back, shown as a translation through italics, or explained by the text. Achebe seems to draw connections between the Igbo and Europe, seen through Unoka's appreciation of art. Whereas, the warrior patriarchal society as antiquated and declining among the villages.

What I thought was interesting during Wednesday’s class was how Achebe presents alternatives to Igbo culture. There are obvious disagreements among villages as well as members, such as the scene of Ikemefuna’s murder. Achebe shows how the boy's death is debated between the Igbo on whether it is a justifiable act. Further into the novel the introduction of Christianity to the Igbo people offers an alternative solution to the disintegrating values among the villagers.

Whether or not Christianity will be commonly accepted is one thing, but the fact that Achebe introduces it as a solution in the first place shows how Ngugi could label “Things Fall Apart” as appealing mostly to European ideals.

Achebe's Audience

I would like to regress from the idea that it was wrong for Achebe to write toward an Afro-European audience, more so for the Western audience. Opposite Ngugi’s criticism, I feel that it was necessary for him to write the story in English. One objective is to demonstrate that Umuofian society (or Nigerian people), like that of British society, is capable of demonstrating many great works of art, a culture of great arts that existed even before colonization. Culture was always known in Africa. The most apparent of this culture existing is an example of a proverb: “A man that makes trouble for others also makes trouble for himself…” This is very similar to what we recognize as the Golden Rule – a proverb that was passed on to their people even before we could be reminiscent of that very idea. This provides evidence of a civilized, moral, and celebrated society even without the British. Achebe's aim is that the Western audience (as civilized, moral, and celebrated as we also are) has the emotional sense to follow the beauty of this Umuofian culture.

Achebe introduces, to audiences, a culture in which they have never been exposed to. The glossary in the back, with the translations of Ibo words to English, solidifies the idea that Achebe’s choice to write his novel in English is for the outsider to witness the impact of losing an indigenous culture through the interventions made by Christian missionaries and British government. A prominent method of writing his novel in English, while using African language to emphasize such culture, allows Achebe to expose the “enemy’s” (colonizers) ignorance while encouraging readers to look outside of their limitations – thus, encouraging readers to embrace the African culture for what it offers, for what it offers culturally and artistically to the rest of the world, rather than what it is “capable” of becoming.

Also, why write to a Nigerian culture when you’re telling them what they already know? Realistically, Achebe would be writing to an audience that needs to know, right?

The Audience

Achebe's audience is clearly indicated by the usage of his European learned English. For contradiction, his audience is both , for he tries to introduce the English speaking peoples to the Igbo cultural traditions and for the Ibo speaking people he is showing that "outside" people will take value in this culture through his inclusion of proverbs, stories, and etc. The language is very eloquent for those that are educated to appreciate, but Achebe's word usage for imagery shows he is involving the Igbo culture. Achebe makes a statement by including the Igbo words in the novel as a language force to be reckon with. In my opinion, he is setting up his defense for the African languages to get to a point of being part of the renowned languages. It is true that he writes this novel in English but he is keeping the western civilization from being ignorant. The question is would we have really cared or knew anything about the Igbo culture if we had not read this book? Achebe's use of English is trying to erase the image that colonialism had placed upon Africa, so yes his audience is the western civilization of English speaking peoples.

Achebe's Audience

I want to draw on what we briefly discussed in class about Achebe writing an Afro-European fiction. I believe that Ngugi had every right to criticize Achebe for writing towards a European audience. The obvious examples are, of course, his glossary in the back for Ibo words and the language in which Achebe writes his novel. It is very clear that his grammar and over all language is written to a higher class with higher education. It is reasonable argument to say that if Achebe wants to reach out and spread the culture of the Ibo people than he must write in English in order for others to understand. But an important point was brought up in class today that I completely agree with; it is interesting that a good portion of the first part of the novel is all about Okonkwo and convincing the reader of his heroism. It is not until later in the novel that the missionaries are brought about. I feel as if Achebe does this in order to convince the audience of the culture and of Okonkwo’s actions, something that would only have to be done if Achebe was writing to an audience that did not agree with the Ibo culture. The detail that he goes into while explaining the customs and traditions, such as the Oracle or The Week of Peace, are only needed for an audience not familiar with or accustomed to these types of traditions. Ngugi was not wrong in believing that this novel is an Afro-European piece of fiction.

Things Fall Apart

For those of you who might be interested, you can watch the Nigerian made-for-TV movie version of Things Fall Apart on youtube here.

PROMPT:

for this week, please think about Achebe's form and his audience. Is Ngugi right when he criticizes Achebe for writing Afro-European fiction? Can you detect something in the novel which might clue you in to who Achebe's audience is (Nigerian or European/Western)? Also, is the use of Igbo stories, songs, poetry, proverbs, and culture done for the benefit of European/Western readers or for the benefit of African ones? How do we know? Please be sure to use a clear example which supports your point of view.

Western Handicap

I think it's important for us to remember that, as Ngugi mentioned, learning for a colonial child is cerebral, not emotional. When I travel or learn a new language, it's a choice, an intellectual adventure. To be forced into such a journey removes the privilege of decision. As a descendant of colonizers, it may be impossible for me to understand the psychological effect such coercion has on a child.
That said, Ngugi's sense of righteous indignation, which is absolutely understandable, makes his argument less sound. In focusing so much on the mental control involved with Imperialism, he seems to imply that there was some sort of concious effort by colonizers to influence culture and communication. This is an emotional response- for westerners, it was an issue of profit, and the alteration of culture merely facilitated the acquisition of political and economic control. It was necessary for economic domination, not a precursor to such.

Syllabus

ENGLISH 360L: Colonial Education and Global English

#34905

MWF 11-12
PAR 105
snehal.shingavi@mail.utexas.edu

Description:

This course examines the encounter between cultures and societies during the process of colonization. Our texts are Nigerian, Zimbabwean, Indian, Irish, and Kenyan and their encounters are primarily with twentieth-century English and American powers as they are seen in schools, colleges, and educational networks, but also through industry, bureaucracy, police forces, and legal authorities. We will be interested in this class to ask how it is that the mind of a colonized person is shaped through the encounter with colonialism, how the language of colonialism creates patterns of subjection as well as opportunities for resistance, and why the fact of colonial education became a repeated theme in the imaginative writing produced by colonized peoples. There is one central question that this class will ask (though most of the texts will answer in the negative): does the fact that colonialism manages to educate some who would likely never have any access to education otherwise redeem it? The same question asked another way: how responsible is colonial education for the fact of nationalism and anti-colonial resistance in a colonized society? Alongside this inquiry we will map the ways that English becomes simultaneously a national and a global language.

Required Texts:


Achebe, Things Fall Apart
Dangarembga, Nervous Conditions
Dangarembga, The Book of Not
Desani, All About H. Hatterr
Gandhi, Autobiography
Joyce, A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man
Narayan, Swami and Friends
Ngugi, Decolonizing the Mind
Soyinka, Ake
Tutuola, My Life in the Bush of Ghosts

Graded Assignments:

Midterm paper (5-6 pages)—25%
Final paper (6-8 pages)—30%
Participation—15%
Course blog—15%
Presentations –15%

Assignments:

• Midterm paper and final paper: students can select from a few prompts that I will provide or come up with a topic of their own. This should be a demonstration of literary analysis that engages with one of the main themes of this course. Papers should be in polished collegiate prose, MLA style, double-spaced, one-inch margins, in 11 or 12 point Times or Times New Roman font ONLY.
• Participation: students are expected to be able to engage with another in classroom settings. This requires at a minimum having read the necessary material and having thought about how it relates to the course. To receive full credit, students should have germane, insightful and engaging things to say either in response to lecture or to one another.
• Course blog: You will be asked to contribute to the course blog at least once a week. Your contributions will include both an original post (200 words) and a response to a classmate’s post (50-100 words). Topics for posts can be: issues not raised by class, alternative directions that a question raised in class could have gone, passages from texts (with commentary) that are intriguing but not raised in class, and disagreements born out of class discussion. The course blog should be seen as a way to continue the discussion in class, especially those ideas and issues that are left underdeveloped in classroom conversations.
• Presentations: each week, students will present on the readings for that day and come up with questions to stimulate conversation. Beginning the second week of class, I will pass out a sign-up sheet and students can volunteer to present on texts of their choice. Presentations can be done individually or in groups.

Grading Policy:

Final grades will be determined on the basis of the following rubric.Please note: to ensure fairness, all final grades will be rounded to the nearest whole number (so 89.5 is an A- while an 89.499 is a B+). The University of Texas does not recognize the grade of A+

A= 94-100
A- = 90-93
B+ = 87-89
B = 84-86
B- = 80-83
C+ =77-79
C = 74-76
C- = 70-73
D+ = 67-69
D = 64-66
D- = 60-63
F = 0-59

Schedule:

January 20,22: Introductions and Ngugi
January 25-29: Ngugi and Achebe
February 1-5: Achebe and Dangarembga (NC)
February 8-12: Dangarembga (NC)
February 15-19: Dangarembga (BN)
February 22-26: Dangarembga (BN)
March 1-5: Soyinka
March 8-12: Soyinka
MIDTERM PAPER DUE on MARCH 8th, no later than 5 PM
March 22-26: Tutuola
March 29-April 2: Joyce
April 5-9: Joyce
April 12-16: Narayan
April 19-23: Gandhi
April 26-30: Desani
May 3-7: Desani
FINAL PAPERS DUE on MAY 7th, no later than 5 PM