Post 8

This novel is all about our fate as people who will not live forever. When the unnamed boy strays out of the mortal world into that of the ghosts, we begin to understand how people in Africa understand their lives, especially with regards to colonialism. The bush is found in a deeeeeeeep forest that is basically impenetrable, even though the colonials have destroyed most it to fuel industrialization and trade. Its easy to see how this is an indictment of the mercantile system, but even more, it is a belief in the idea that there are some things that just cannot be taken from you. I don’t know if that was Tutuola’s. purpose with the location of the bush, but it makes sense to me. In other novels we have read this semester we see the Europeans take different things from the people of their colonies, from their money, to their humanity, to their very lives, but here is a place that is solely African. It gives me some hope that these deep wounds inflicted on the people can somehow, someday, be healed, if not necessarily healed. The first step is to reclaim those things that were lost, from land, to resources, but most importantly culture. Its what makes us who we are. What would American culture be without those things that can’t be taken away? We are lucky to not have to worry about losing our lives or liberties to an unknown aggressor, but imagine if we did. Would we still be us? Its hard to say, but I have to say no.