THE AFRICAN WRITER AND THE AFRICAN ELITE; AN EXAMINATION OF THE IMAGE OF THE ELITE IN SEMBENE OUSMANE'S NOVELS
THE AFRICAN WRITER AND THE AFRICAN ELITE; AN EXAMINATION OF THE IMAGE OF THE ELITE IN SEMBENE OUSMANE'S NOVELS
No Thumbnail Available
Date
1990-10
Authors
Yadikko Yamusa, Halima
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This thesis explores the image of the African
elite in the novels of the Senegalese writer Sembene
Ousmane. In Ousmane's handling of the various phases
of the growth of the elite, he traces the history of
the Senegalese society from pre-colonial to "Independent
and neo-colonial Africa. The thesis also considers how
Sembene Ousmane, in his novels, demonstrates the role
and the place of the masses and the centrality of
"struggle" in the political process. The thesis studies
Ousmane's novels from a broad sociological framework
for a profound understanding of the complex stages
within which the elite and the Africans interact. The
image of the African elite that emerges in Ousmane's
novels as cheats, greedy people and rapacious, class
of exploiters who support their luxurious life style at
the expense of the masses.
The four novels studied are; God's Bits of Wood,
(1970); White Genesis with Money-Order. (1972); Xala,
(1976) and The Last of The Empire (1983). References
are also made to some of his films such as 'Ceddo',
'Boron', 'Serret' and 'Saitone'.
Chapter one comprises the introduction, which
provides a historical, theoretical and social background
to Ousmane's novels. In the Literature
review, it is examined why it is necessary to
study the image of the elite in Ousmane's novels
from all aspects of the elite. In Chapter Two, the
embroyonic stage of the elite from pre-colonial to
early cclonial period is examined with illustrations
from God's Bits of Wood and "The White Genesis".
Chapter Three explores the ascendance of the elite,
their coming into prominence, the display of their
loct and glory and of course the genesis of their
fall with illustrations from "The Money-Order" and
Xala. Chapter Four examines the gradual decay of
the edifice of the elite, the increasing repression
and their survival tactics. The revolutionary
of Sembene Ousmane is examined with illustrations
from The Last of The Empire. Finally, Chapter Five
draws a conclusion, provides concise summary of
our findings on Ousmane's profound insight into the
nature of the elite in Senegal and the complex processes
they are involved in
Description
A Thesis Submitted to the Post-Graduate
School, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in Partial
Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Masters of Arts in English Literature.
Department of English
Faculty of Arts And Social Sciences,
Ahmadu Bello University
Zaria
OCTOBER, 1990
Keywords
AFRICAN,, AFRICAN ELITE, EXAMINATION OF THE IMAGE, ELITE,, SEMBENE OUSMANE'S NOVELS