How can an adult describe a childhood insight to another adult? If Soyinka spoke honestly as a child it would leave a majority of the book up to our interpretations, and the book would lose a large amount of power. Let's look at things that make this book successful- mastery of language, blend of culture and language, and of course, the humor. Keeping those things in mind when writing about childhood experiences is a smart decision on Soyinka's part. By being precocious, Wole better guides the audience towards how to feel and analyze these events. It's not just "I got lost" its an epic story about following the "band" and ending up alone. Without this extraordinary explanation, how is this event extraordinary? Any kid could get lost, so why is it important that he did?
We have to ask ourselves why Soyinka thought his life was important enough to write about. Why is it important to us?
I feel that this "believability issue" is trivial because in the end, it's the meaning that you extract from these stories that is really true.
There is a level of suspension of disbelief that seems to be expected with children’s literature. Your stereotypical tales are a medium to pass on some moral message. Soyinka’s autobiography is obviously directed to an older, mature audience due to his extensive vocabulary and writing style. Yet, we have been debating over how we can’t get around the fact that a 3-year-old kid is walking with marching bands, ending up alone, and have a conversation with an “albino” sergeant.
ReplyDeleteI don’t really have a problem with believing a three year old can detect so much in the world around him. Have you ever seen “Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?” There are some straight-shooters out there putting adults to shame simply based on their type of perception.
At the end of each chapter, I just take home the general message Wole is emitting, such as wanting to be taken seriously. As to why this bio is important, it may become clearer towards the end of the novel; I’m interested to find him become a proponent of the feminist movement at age 11.
I believe the believability issue (woah thats a lot of believin) is pretty mute as well. I think that the estrangement effect adds just enough separation from the character and the plot to truly let us see Soyinka's style, and it gives him room to implement his plot elements. Obviously it is an autobiography, but this isn't like Abraham Lincolns autobiography (tho a good read in its own right). There obviously is a loose theme and intent to this autobiography.
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