P : 14 The African Literature Sem – 4 M.A (English)

Email Id: bhumivjoshi108@gmail.com

‘Escape From Slavery : IMPOSSIBLE’

with reference to AfricansPresented by : Bhumi Joshi

African Literature is history of Slavery, oppression or suppression, violence and humiliations of their life.

This literature is not for entertainment, not for aesthetic delight but such literature disturb the mind , leads to think about Humanity and so many other things.

This literature is not written out compassion but it is written out of Disgustful life which is experienced by writers themselves.

Flood of colonialism, Capitalism and Industrialism lead them towards salve mentality.

We can’t enjoy the narration of any text because writers have no good memories to write then how can we expect that they write something romantic or anything else when their lives itself in danger or mental states are in trauma..

They are suffering from Dominant power and live in fear

They can not explore their ‘Feelings and Emotions’ as human beings because they are not treated like as Human Beings.

“We were prisoners in our own villages. Lands are grabbed by White and we worked like Worker in our own land .”(A Grain of Wheat)

“They come with the Bible in their hand and we had the land. We close the eyes , when we opened we had the Bible and they had the land.” ( A grain of Wheat)

Use Christianity as knife to bring control and generate fear over Africans.

These texts can be read as “ Protest texts”

Influences of Colonialism remains in mind

Characters lost their own identity & Culture

‘Youth is Tempted by city’ ( May be they are physically free but having the seeds of slavery in mind they are mentally slave ) & City becomes Swamp itself.

Accepted imposed idea and cultural at the coast of their identity and cultural because of outside force.

“Awuchike sacrifices his own culture in city”

3 phase of Culture :

“People are not safe in their own village”.

Security is connected with Emotions and Feelings not with Wall.

1. Pre –Colonial 2. Colonial 3. Post -Colonial

Characters like ………..

Okonkwo ( Things Fall Apart ) Mugo ( A Grain of Wheat)Awachike & Igwezu (The Swamp Dweller)Fail to accept all changes. ‘Uhruu’ is coming

and even best of them is also changing.

Live their lives beneath the great pain & accepting the colonial rule over them with mind.

If there is no longer colonial power then even their own people behaves like them as if they were Master.

In ‘Swamp Dweller’ Kadiye is there and because of such persons things can’t be changed until the mentality can’t be changed to repress people.

People get habituated to follow particular rules and regulation or order or command of other because they can’t think and do work their own.

Example : Lucky from “Waiting For Godot”

“Corruption is the gift of Colonial power”

Example :

Mugo compromises National Freedom to get his Personal Freedom.

May be he politically free but mentally he is controlled by Whites.

Impact of Colonialism : They are locked in their own prison

Vision of Reunion - A Grain of Wheat (almost IMPOSSIBLE – Failed Vision)

To get total freedom they must be unified first and that is Impossible because White people used

the tendency of “Divide and Rule” there also.

They just become more angry, can revolt but they can’ t be free from the Slavery.

What is the meaning of Freedom ? Politically they can get the freedom but Socially, Culturally and psychologically they can’t be free.

“ .......It is not enough to be free of the whips, principalities and power.” (Edward Kamau Brathwaite, )

• Multiple Layers of freedom : 1. Personal freedom /physical Freedom 2. National Freedom3. Mental Freedom

Decolonization is the process of Mind ... Suddenly it can’ t be happened the same way abolition of slavery is also process it can’t be possible in few years. It may takes decades of decades or may takes century also but .. Abolishment of Mental slavery seems almost IMPOSSIBLE. Because of three reasons…………………….

(1)Struggle with own mind (2)Struggle with internal people (3)Struggle with Colonial power.

“But one of the worst results of being a slave and being forced to do things is that when there is no

one to force you any more you find you have almost lost the power of forcing yourself.”

(C.S.Lewis, The Horse and His Boy –Chronicles of Narnia,#5)

Aim of freedom fighters of Africa :

“ To bring peace after the freedom” but does it really happen?

Can India get peace or “Suraj” after getting freedom from till today ?

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After passing many years in slavery, our mind is still worked like that .

Now we become indirect Slave of Imperialism. Suffering from Slave Mentality not Physical Slavery .

Sill we believe that we are Free? Psychologically and Socio Cultural way they are not free. Political power is changed – Nothing else situation remains same.

Why we prefer Pepsi , Thumps Up or anything else when guest come rather than our own cold drinks to offer them?

Means .. ...We also suffering from Salve Mentality and they established “The Status” to us and still we follow unknowingly.

Money , Status, and Fashion becomes Modernity (not with thinking) and perhaps that leads them to follow Imperialism.

Congress prince crowned as vice-president of the party :

We have no problem of language because we already accept them as the Monarch in our mind though Democracy in India. And it is our construction mind that we have no problem with such things. And we easily accept our inferiority in subconscious mind.

Escape from Slavery : IMPOSSIBLE until people can’t free from salve mentality or power authority.