African Literature: Modernization of the African Literature
Introduction
African literature means literature from and of Africa. Literature that is African exists in our languages which are indigenous and that is related to our cultures and societies. African literature is inclusive of traditions that are oral, language literatures that are oral literatures in Euro languages. African philosophy history follows general history of framework of the continent of Africa. The philosophy of Africa has shown different thought streams which have been delineated well.
For example the culturalist stream in Zaire undertakes an approach that is philosophical to realities of Africa, the stream that is hermeneutic exploits the language of Africa, symbols and art through recently developed means in the West. The stream that is diachronic tries to elaborate the philosophy of Africa history and finally the stream that is functional looks at the integration of technology if Africa’s cultural, social and economic realities. (Obenga, 2004).
Discussion
Issues in the African literature include modernization of the African literature which led to the transformation of societies in Africa and also new mental creation in Africa. African literature consists of Greek influence in aspects of style and aesthetic. The African literature has been modernized has led to a divorce between linguistic medium of literature and its substance and this has caused an incoherence state within our African societies. This literature is significant in that it provides a record of contradictions and tensions presently in Africa in its own development which is historical and also it provides writers with ways of exploring our modern experience well springs intimately and intensively in all its complexity and range.
Another issue in the African literature is that the writers of the literature are from backgrounds which are distinct and write the literature within a specific historical, social and cultural framework but the problem is that use a language which they have not intentionally chosen to express themselves. This language has tradition that is literal and has its own structure and its nature is totally removed from the writers experience frame. The issue in the language is that a burden that is artistic is imposed on the writers which are caused by a mastery of medium of linguistic that is not complete. This has a problem in that the readers of the literature responses are influenced by the knowledge of this linguistic problem.
The other problem in the African literature that is modernized is that it is new in word aspect i.e. in the sense that is obvious, it is a development that is recent and it is still growing and the second thing is that in a sense that is more significant, it is seen to have grown from western culture and also it is seen as a re-adaptation in terms that are modern of imagination that is tradition. (Obenga, 2004).
Another issue in the African literature is finding its place in our society. To start with, African literature had to be directed at an audience that was foreign because of the factor of language and the second reason is because the reading habit was new. Literature that is African is finding its way home from abroad and many Africans are becoming more literature in languages that are European and also they are acquiring attitudes which are associated with literature that is written and with literary conventions of culture that is western. Another issue in literature that is African is that there are many writers of literature than educated people to read the literature.
The writing of literature is of a kind that is indifferent. It is difficult to impose standards of writing. It is also an issue that the literature writers are not really speakers of the language but they are just newcomers. There is also a problem with how writers are evaluated. They are analyzed using concepts that are at a level that is above the writers. Also, evaluation standards that are rigorous are applied and there have some value which is dismissed and treated with no sympathy. Another issue in the African literature is that writers who are insignificant are given attention that is indiscriminate which has led to the creation of a confusion of values and this may cause suffering to writers.
There is a problem in the interpretation. The languages that are imperialists impose a bi burden in the local culture. The writers of the African literature use languages that are European and therefore they find a problem in translating these languages. (Obenga, 2004).
Another issue with African literature is its nature which is multitudinous. It has made the literature for Africa to be accused of plots that are thin characterization that is superficial and structures that are narrative. The other issue is that it is a grill that is mixed in that it is observed, it’s written in tribal or vernacular languages, it is oral, and it’s written in languages that are foreign, French, English, Portuguese etc. The other problem of literature of Africa is the impurity that is linguistic which is brought about by bending further the language that is already bent by Creole and pidgin. The nature of newness of the literature of Africa also creates a ground for its criticism.
Literature in Africa has taken a discourse course about African roots faithfulness that it assumes its own roots. A question that arises in our minds is that whether literature written in languages that are European can be considered as literatures for Africa. In accordance with school that is prominent of African critics and writers, African literature is the one that has been written in African languages that are indigenous. Another issue with literature of Africa is that many writers have locked horns on labeling of festivals and ritual performances of Africa. African festival, performances and ritual aesthetics are determined culturally and are shown in both written and oral literature. This has been influenced by modernization of literature in Africa through writing in languages that are European. (Obenga, 2004).
Another issue with the African literature is that it has failed to conform to the attempts to forge methodologies. There is methodology by which literatures can be appreciated which concerns the actual writing. Literature that is African has resisted generalizations that are convenient. Few people have argued that any approach that is critical can cover the oral tradition forms that are divergent and the literatures that are written in languages that are African and the other which are written in European languages. The African literatures are ambiguous in that many belong to the tradition that is European by its form and language. (Obenga, 2004).
Changes in my understanding of Africa
Problems in Africa are caused by dictatorship and governments are kleptocratic, corruption that is rampant, policies of economy that lead to hobbling of agriculture and discouragement of investment and bring down businesses that are new and also fatalism of culture that lead many Africans to poverty. Moyo argues in her book that western aid has turned Africa into a big welfare state. The continuous aid in money forms from western countries has made governments in Africa to stop being accountable people since they stop depending on revenues from tax and therefore leaders start thinking that they owe their people nothing.
Since flows of money is continuous, some leaders buy goods that are foreign with it or put in bank accounts in foreign countries where it does no good to the country. Moyo argues that western aid discourages entrepreneurship. She goes ahead to give solutions to countries in Africa that they should take bond markets advantage where cash would be conditional and their investments returns would be demanded. The process of sending of money by Africans from abroad should be made cheaper and easier. She advocates for loans that are small that anyone in the world can make to entrepreneurs in Africa.
My understanding about how African countries misuse western aid has changed my African personal view in that African countries can make significant developments using the western aid e.g. they can use this money in building infrastructures, eradicating poverty, etc instead of leaders benefiting themselves by this money due to corruption that is so rampant in these countries. If only African countries elect leaders who don’t only mind their interests, its clear that they can be able to develop so much and this will make them no longer depend on aid from western countries.
References
Obenga T. African philosophy: the pharaonic. University of Indiana.Ankh.2004.
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