English 101: African Literature
Robert Ness
EC 311
e-mail: ness
phone: 1564
Office hours:
10MWF & by appt.
In this course we will read and discuss 8 texts by sub-Saharan African writers (4
male, 4 female) and see an occasional film. Most of the writers chosen share a
resistance to the colonial relationship and to colonial perspectives. In addition,
the women writers resist a double yoke of colonial repression and subordination
to African men. All the writers recognize the need for men and women to tell
their own stories and thereby take their places as historical subjects. We will
see Africa through the eyes of Africans.
Course objectives: 1) close reading. We will stop from time to time and look at a
passage in some detail in order to see how much meaning a text can me made to
yield. 2) contextual reading. We will fit the works we are reading into larger
issues of history and culture, such as relations between men and women, issues
of race and ethnicity, the politics of living in colonial and post-colonial
societies trying to make their way in the world, etc. No special knowledge of
African history is necessary.
Written work: Two five page (c. 1000 word) papers and a final exam. Each
exercise is worth 30% of your final grade. The first paper may optionally be
revised and rewritten following a conference with me and/or the writing
center. I will regrade the revision and average the new grade with the original
grade. This option is not available for paper 2. I prefer not to assign paper
topics, and so I encourage students who are uncertain about their writing skills
to meet with me and through discussion arrive at a thesis. All written work
must be submitted to pass the course, and no late work will be accepted
without prior approval or a medical excuse. You should complete the reading of
the book by the first day of its assignment. Class attendance at 8AM is
expected. I will cut you some slack, but more than two unexcused absences will
cause your grade to erode.
Required texts and reading schedule
Jan 25: Intro/Film
30-Feb.1-6 Chinua Achebe: Things Fall Apart (Nigeria)
Feb. 8-13-15 Flora Nwapa: Efuru (Nigeria)
20-22-27 Mongo Beti: Poor Christ of Bomba (Cameroon)
Mar.1-6-8
Ferdinand Oyono: Houseboy (Cameroon)
Mar 13 Paper 1 due
13-15 Idrissa Ouedraogo: Tilai (Film) (Burkina Faso)
Mar. 27-29-April 2 Wole Soyinka: The Lion and the Jewel (Nigeria)
Apr. 4-10-12 Buchi Emecheta: The Joys of Motherhood (Nigeria)
17-19 Mariama Bâ: So Long A Letter (Senegal)
24-26-May 1-3
Tsitsi Dangarembga: Nervous Conditions (Zimbabwe)
May 3: Paper 2 due
Final Exam