HOW TO ANSWER LITERATURE QUESTIONS

 QN1: ‟AFRICA IS ONE IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENT AND EXPERIENCE” TAKE TWO NOVELS YOU HAVE DONE UNDER THIS SECTION AND VERIFY THE ABOVE STATEMENT.

ANS: Africa being one in term of experience and environment, this means that Africa as a continent faces similar social, economic and  cultural  challenges, these are basically closely connected as a result of the various prevailing conditions. In short one can say that one country  could be a direct reflection of the same phenomena in other African countries.

Two Novels, PASSED LIKE A SHADOW written by B.Mapala and SPARED authored by SAMWEL NDUNGURU are used to show how Africans undergo the same challenges as shown below;-

First, in SPARED the author expresses the following social and environmental realities in his Tanzanian society which may be replicated elsewhere in Africa.

Corruption and abuse of power. Tom Nyirenda awards extensive mining concessions to the Wickman Company without any competitive bidding process as required by the law. Hon. Peter Msokonde also irregularly awards plots in prime locations in Dar to his cronies and hangers on. All these acts point to misuse of power and corruption by the elected and appointed officials. Elsewhere in Africa this has been the norm.

Also the nauseating culture of dependency on foreign aid and grants. The author portrays Tanzanian dependence on foreign aid and grants through the government leaders & ILD staff delegation that traveled to Sweden to solicit for „freebies‟. In the book we see ILD Principal CHRIS and staff member Prof. Chambakare going to Sweden specifically to solicit or beg for equipment and expatriate staff. This inevitably shows how even half a century after independence, we still heavily depend on foreign aid and grants. Unfortunately this is a cross cutting issue all over Africa. Almost all African countries unashamedly and unrepentantly depend on foreign aid and grants to plug in the deficiencies in their financial budgets every fiscal year. This has brought about neo-colonialism.

Again, there is exploitation by the foreign multinationals. The author vividly shows how Mr. Wickman lives an affluent life in the leafy and exclusive suburbs of Lulea, he lives in a castle like a king with all the trappings that come with such an affluence yet the villagers who dwell around the mining areas of Mbinga et al controlled by his company live in abject poverty with poor sanitation, infrastructure and healthcare. Instead of the minerals benefiting them it‟s the foreigners who benefit. This is exploitation of the highest caliber. All over Africa this is a trend that is replicated; this has unfortunately led to criminal acts such as kidnapping of foreigners to demand for ransom and setting on fire of oil rigs in Nigeria for instance.

Moreover, Acts of Economic sabotage & terrorism the author uses Mr. Schuler to show how selfish acts of economic sabotage are carried out. He blew up Ngindo hotel to economically harm or cripple the proprietors. Only his plan did not achieve the desired results. These acts of terrorism are becoming common place in Africa especially in Kenya, Nigeria & Somali. This further proves how Africans experience same problems.

Lastly, classes, the author kindly shows how the high and mighty wine and dine in exclusive hotels, drive posh cars (CHRIS drives a VOLVO) and live in wealthy suburbs s while the hoi polloi (the poor) struggle to put food on the table , they toil from dawn to dusk but their sweat only benefits the rich class. There is therefore the class of the rich versus the poor. Unfortunately this is replicated all over Africa where a few middle class & rich live a life of affluence while the majority poor are left to struggle.

In the second book, PASSED LIKE A SHADOW, the following social realities are used by the author to convey how Africans allover face similar challenges:

First, diseases like HIV/AIDS. Adyeri, his wife Amoti their son Atwoki, David & his father are all victims of the deadly disease. They are used by the author to show how Aids is spread and its effects. The author also portrays ignorance about the disease through Amoti who thinks her husband is only suffering from a curse. Unfortunately the AIDS pandemic has its worst prevalence rate in Africa more than any other continent in the world. Every country in Africa has seen her fair share of the pandemic.

Poverty and its effects are also shown by the author as another socio – economic challenge to the African society. The author shows how biting poverty drove Vicky to prostitution. Poverty ravages the entire African continent without fear or favour. An overwhelming majority of Africans are poor therefore the situation in Uganda where the book is set is just a true reflection of Africa in general.

Also the author portrays family conflicts and its effects. Amoti and Adyeri separated due to misunderstandings between them. This separation eventual led to the disintegration of their family living the children as the biggest casualties. We see how due to the lack of a responsible father figure to mentor him, Atwoki contracts AIDS. Unfortunately this is a cross cutting issue as well. Family disintegration is common place all over Africa and this has led to, among things, the increasing eyesore of street children.

Treatment or position of women – The author portrays how women such as Amoti are astute homemakers and how they love and care for their children. Despite the lack of support from her husband she still takes care of her children up to the time when she regrettably became overwhelmed by the AIDS scourge. Birungi (Adyeris mistress) is also used by the author to show how women as are misused by men as their objects of pleasure. The African woman just like shown in the book is a homemaker, loving mother, dotting wife, tool of pleasure and many other things. This regrettably is the true pictorial reflection of the situation in Africa at large.

 Lastly, infidelity this is the act of not being faithful to ones legally married partner. It can manifest itself through having and maintaining a mistress or concubine. By having several partners Mr. Adyeri is shown by the author to be unfaithful to his wife as he has a mistress called Birungi Besides he also has several partners. This eventually led to him contracting the deadly HIV/AIDS. All over Africa, African men think they are polygamous by nature and therefore deserve to have several partners at the same. This has caused untold suffering and anguish to the victims.

One can conclude that the problems ailing Africa, the challenges Africans face, and the general experiences in different African societies are the same and are actually a direct reflection and replication of each country and her people in general proving beyond doubt that Africa is indeed one. 

QN2: TAKE TWO PLAYS YOU HAVE READ AND DISCUSS THE POSITION OF WOMEN AS PORTRAYED BY THE PLAYWRIGHTS.

ANS: The positions of women in the society are the roles they play and their social standing in the society. Each society has its own distinctive roles for their women, for instance in some African societies the role of a woman is firmly fixed as the subordinate of a man, child bearer and home maker. They are expected to play such roles with due diligence and minimum fuss. In showing how different playwrights portray women in their societies, two books THREE SUITORS AND ONE HUSBAND and THE LION AND THE JEWEL are used:

First, in THREE SUITORS ONE HUSBAND set in Mvoutesi village in Cameroon, OYONO MBIA vividly shows the status, roles duties and responsibilities of women as follows;- 

They are alienated and not incorporated in important decision making even when such matters directly concern them for instance marriage. We see Juliet, upon returning home from college angrily asks why she was never asked her opinion about her own marriage. Further, upon the arrival of the all important visitor (Mbia) all men are gathered in one place while women are secluded in the kitchen. This clearly show how the men in this society have estranged and delinked women from important matters in their society. 

They are the main victims of poor traditions; all the poor and negative customs and practices adversely affect them in a negative way, for instance through food taboos they are prohibited from eating nutritious foods such as vipers hence poor health, through polygamy, they are likely to be victims of conflicts driven by jealous fits from co wives. The author shows how the women of Mvoutesi were prohibited from eating vipers and also how many of the men there are married to more than one wife. 

They are oppressed, humiliated, ill treated and expected to be submissive and loyal to their husbands. They are beaten and as primary producers they are made to work all day long in the farm while their men are drinking. We hear Abesolo unashamedly claiming “You must beat your wives! Yes beat them and their daughters must be treated the same” this explains beyond any reasonable doubt how the women there are just mere inferior beings who don‟t deserve a humane treatment. 

They are also portrayed as the custodians and upholders of traditions and morals. The author shows how Bella supports wife battering and Makrita also insisting on how women have an unconditional obligation of obeying and being submissive to their men! We also witness as Makrita is scolded by her husband Atangana for supposedly not teaching Juliet the values of respecting the elderly. 

Hard workers, homemakers who toil all day long in the farm to feed their families Makrita is a hardworking woman who works hard all day long in the farm. She also loves her children and husband. Through this, the author actually manages to show us

how women are the true rocks of the families, the glue that holds the family together without which the family would disintegrate. 

Lastly, they are shown to be ignorant of their basic rights. This may be by default but it really lives a sour taste in the mouth when the victim of oppression supports the very atrocities committed against her. We see Bella unashamedly and unapologetically supporting wife beating!

In the second book THE LION AND THE JEWEL Wole Soyinka also vividly and authoritatively portray the village women of Nigeria and indeed Africa as a whole in the same light as follws;

To begin with, they are the biggest and staunchest upholders of traditions. This is shown through Sidi who refuses to marry Lankule unless he pays the bride price in advance. To her, marriage is all about a man being able to fulfill the all–important customs such as paying of bride price without which love has no meaning.That‟s why she insists on having the full bride price as a condition for Marrying Lankule.

Also they are shown to be very gullible, that is to say they are easily convinced or tricked. They fall for the simplest tricks and lies. The author shows this through Sidi who is tricked by the conveniently named LION into sleeping with him, the same trick that worked with Sadiku who falsely spread the rumours of the LION supposedly being impotent. 

They are shown to be gossipy and can‟t hold their tongues. No one captures the above contention better than Sadiku who vividly enforces the general consensus/stereotype that all women love a good gossip! We see her sharing her bedroom secrets with Sidi and other women of the village about the apparent impotence of her husband the Lion.

Lastly, they are also shown to be ignorant, illiterate and exploited. Because of their lack of even the most basic education, women like SIDI are used to represent all the uneducated women of Africa who are illiterate hence present themselves as easy prey for exploitation by men. All they know is that a man should always be at the top of the food chain. 

One can conclude that the position or roles portrayed by the various authors of plays about women is that of a submissive, abused, exploited and ignorant person who due to their lack of education are unable to claim their rightful place as the equal of men, sadly this situation will prevail for a long time unless both men and women change their mentality.

PREPARED BY: SIR GEORGE MAGESSA (2013)