Contextualisation

African literature is a vibrant and multifaceted field of study, encompassing a vast range of works produced in various languages and styles that reflect a multitude of experiences, cultures, and histories. From oral tales passed down through generations to contemporary works engaging with themes of identity, colonialism, post-colonialism, and power dynamics, African literature provides a rich and complex insight into the continent and its peoples.

Divided into several regional and linguistic traditions, such as the Francophone literature of North Africa, the Anglophone literature of Southern Africa, and the Lusophone literature of Portuguese-speaking African nations, African literature is a testament to the continent’s cultural and linguistic diversity. The works of African authors often defy traditional boundaries of genre and literary form, blending elements of prose, poetry, drama, and oral storytelling in innovative novels, short stories, and plays.

Understanding African literature is crucial to understanding the history of the continent, its struggles, its triumphs, and the intricate humanity of its societies. Not only does African literature invigorate the global literary canon with new voices and perspectives, but it also offers invaluable insights into how African societies view themselves and the world around them.

African literature is an important field of study, both for students of literature and those interested in global and intercultural issues. It offers a lens through which we can better understand power dynamics, colonial and postcolonial history, the struggles for identity and place in the world, and the everyday experiences of life in different parts of Africa.

For further reading, you may refer to the book “A Concise History of African Literature” by Albert S. Gérard which provides an excellent overview of the field, the website “African Literature and Cultural Identity”, and the documentary “Literature in Africa and the New World Order” available on YouTube.

Practical Activity: “Exploring African Literature"

Project Aim

The aim of this project is to explore African literature through research, discussion, literary analysis, and creative production. Students will learn about different trends in African literature, familiarize themselves with key authors and works, analyse themes and styles in literary texts, and produce their own stories inspired by African literature.

Project Outline

This project will be carried out in groups of 3 to 5 students and will take an estimated 20 hours to complete. The practical activity will be divided into the following stages: research and discussion, literary analysis, creative production, and report writing.

Research and Discussion (6 hours): Student groups are to conduct research on African literature. They should explore the different literary traditions (Francophone, Anglophone, Lusophone), prominent authors, well-known works, common themes, and styles used. Following the research, students should conduct a group discussion to compare their findings and share their thoughts and opinions.

Literary Analysis (6 hours): Each group will choose two works of African literature (one prose and one poetry) and conduct a literary analysis of these texts, looking at elements such as theme, style, context, structure, symbolism, etc.

Creative Production (6 hours): Based on the research and analysis undertaken, groups will write their own short stories or poems inspired by African literature. They should try to incorporate elements and styles that they encountered in their research and analysis.

Report Writing (2 hours): Finally, each group will write a report detailing their research, discussion, analysis, and creation process, along with their conclusions and reflections on African literature.

Materials Required

• African literature books and texts
• Access to the internet for research
• Writing materials (paper and pens, computers)

Detailed Step-by-Step Process

1. Formation of groups and assignment of tasks
2. Conducting research on African literature
3. Group discussion of research findings
4. Selection and analysis of two works of African literature
5. Writing of short stories or poems inspired by African literature
6. Report writing detailing the entire process and findings

Project Deliverables

Student groups are to submit:

1. A written report detailing their research, discussion, analysis, and creation process. The report should be structured in the following sections: Introduction, Development, Conclusions, and Bibliography.
2. The short stories or poems that they have created based on African literature

It is important that students make an effort to connect the different parts of the report to the activities they undertook. The introduction should contextualise African literature and the aims of the project, the development should detail the activities they carried out, the conclusions should highlight their learning and reflections, and the bibliography should list all the sources they used.