Introduction to African Literature

3 units

James Bond, in Casino Royale, introduces us to Africa with a group of men betting on a fight between a mongoose and a snake; Hotel Rwanda creates an Africa of beautiful landscapes marred by the violence of genocide; Casablanca positions Africa as the site of wartime fantasy, intrigue and romance. These imaginary Africas, however, obscure the continent's irreducible complexity. As many as 3,000 languages are spoken across Africa's 54 countries, each defined by a unique blend of urban and rural cultures. The people of the Central African country of Chad belong to more than 100 ethnic groups. From their regional affiliations to their sociocultural perspectives, Africa's writers are no less diverse, its literary traditions no less dynamic. By examining texts from various genres and regions, we will trace the development of African literature by considering its roots in the oral traditions and colonial history of the continent, its role in the articulation of African subjectivity on the road to independence, its response to the challenges of the post-independence era, and its present-day stronghold within the global literary marketplace. Readings will include works by Ferdinand Oyono, Nadine Gordimer, Ousmane Sembène, Assia Djebar, Chinua Achebe, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Dinaw Mengestu, among others. No prior knowledge of the literature of Africa is required.