Thoughts on the African Novel' is an extract from
Answers
Characteristics of African literature include slave narratives, protests against colonization, calls for independence, African pride, hope for the future, and dissent.
Explanation:
Chinua Achebe
THOUGHTS ON THE AFRICAN NOVEL
I
When I was first invited to this conference* I was asked to speak about
the African writer and the English language. I fired back a flat No!
Then I was as ked to say what I should prefer to talk about. I said
nothing; I had no idea what I wanted to talk about. Finally I was
confronted with a fait accompli in the form of a printed programme in
which The African Novel was put down against my name. I had then to
accept, having twice already proved uncooperative.
But as it happened I had just about this time resolved not to make
any further pronouncements on the African novel or African literature
or any of these large topics unles:; I dreamt up something really novel
and spectacular t o say. But perhaps the day-to-day thoughts and
worries are just as important, being always with us.
Many years ago at a writers' conference in Makerere, Uganda, I
a ttempted (not very successfully) t o get my colleagues to defer a
definition of African literature which was causing us a lot of trouble. I
suggested tha t the t ask might bec.;:,me easier when more of our produce
had entered the market. That ww; ten years ago. I was saying in effect
that African literature would define itself in action; so why not leave it
alone? I still think it was excellent advice even if it carried a hint of
evasiveness or even superstition.
I do admit to certain residual superstitions; and one of the strongest
is the fear of names, of hurrying to a conclusion when the issue is still
wide open. If I may paraphrase a proverb which seems to me
appropriate: Do not underrate a day while an hour of light remains. In
other words, be careful, for one hour is enough to do a man in.
*A conference on African Literature at Dalhc·usie University, Halifax, May 1973.