Postcolonial African Literature
- Arts
- 400 level
- 3 credit units
- 176 pages
- 17 units
This course introduces students to postcolonial African literature and theory. It explores the complex and controversial aspects of post-colonial writings, examining major proponents of postcolonial theory and using African texts to analyze the nature of postcolonialism. The course aims to engage students in a dialogue on intercultural encounters, highlighting the diversity within African literature and its connection to socio-cultural and political conditions. It develops a discussion on the theory and issues that inform and affect African literature.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 200 hours
- Maths
- None
- Content
- Theoretical, case study
- Practical work
- No
- Assignments
- Tutor Marked Assignments
- Final Examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of ENG417, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
- UNIT 1: OVERVIEW OF AFRICAN LITERATUREPage 123
- UNIT 2 ACHEBE’S THINGS FALL APART AS A POSTCOLONIAL TEXTPage 130
- UNIT 3: J.M COETZEE’S FOE AS A COUNTER- DISCOURSE TO DANIEL DEFOE’S ROBINSON CRUSOEPage 138
- UNIT 4: AYI KWEI ARMAH’S THE BEAUTYFUL ONES ARE NOT YET BORN AS A POSTCOLONIAL TEXTPage 143
- UNIT 5: NGUGI WA THIONG’O’S DEVIL ON THE CROSS AS A POSTCOLONIAL TEXTPage 151
- UNIT 6: POSTCOLONIAL POLITICS IN BEN OKRI’S THE FAMISHED ROADPage 160
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
ENG417 · UNIT 1 POSTCOLONIAL THEORY: A PLETHORA OF DEFINITIONS
An assignment file and a marking scheme will be made available to you. In this file, you will find all the details of the work you must submit to your tutor for marking. The marks you obtain from these assignments will count towards the final mark you obtain for the course.
What you should be able to do
- Define postcolonial African literature
- Discuss major proponents of postcolonial theory
- Analyze the impacts of colonialism in various texts
- Understand main issues in postcolonial African literature
- Critically evaluate postcolonial African literatures
- Express understanding of literary texts as postcolonial African texts
What it prepares you for
- Literary Critic
- Cultural Analyst
- Editor
- Teacher
- Researcher
- Education
- Publishing
- Journalism
- Cultural Heritage
- Research
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 3: Africa in the Eyes of Europe: Colonial Representations of Africa in Literature
Unit 2: Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness
Conrad's complex narrative style and ambiguous portrayal of characters require careful analysis to understand the underlying themes of colonialism and racism.
- Module 4: Postcolonial African Literature
Unit 5: Ngugi wa Thiong'o's Devil on the Cross as A Postcolonial Text
Ngugi's use of Gikuyu language and his Marxist perspective require a deep understanding of Kenyan history and political ideology.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 28 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: An Overview of Postcolonial Theory
Unit 1: Postcolonial Theory: A Plethora of Definitions · 2 hours
Understand the emergence of postcolonial theory. Define post-colonialism. Locate the signification of the prefix ‗post' in postcolonial theory.
- Week 2Module 1: An Overview of Postcolonial Theory
Unit 2: Stages of Postcolonial Theory · 2 hours
Discuss the categories of postcolonial theory. Understand Anti-Colonial Revolutionaries. Explore Feminist Postcolonial Critics.
- Week 3Module 1: An Overview of Postcolonial Theory
Unit 3: Central Tenets of Postcolonial Theory · 2 hours
Outline the central tenets of postcolonial theory. Understand the concept of ‗othering'. Examine the role of power, economics, politics, religion, and culture.
- Week 4Module 1: An Overview of Postcolonial Theory
Unit 4: Key Terminologies in Postcolonial Theory · 2 hours
Explain terminologies associated with postcolonialism. Understand discourse and colonialist discourse. Explore Hybridity, Mimicry, and Otherness.
- Week 5Module 2: Major Proponents of Postcolonial Theory
Unit 1: Edward Said · 2 hours
Discuss the influence of Edward Said on postcolonial studies. Explain Said's theoretical postulations. Understand Orientalism and the worldliness of the text.
- Week 6Module 2: Major Proponents of Postcolonial Theory
Unit 2: Homi Bhabha · 2 hours
Discuss Homi Bhabha's theoretical postulations. Explain Bhabha's contributions to postcolonial studies. Understand concepts like Hybridity and Mimicry.
- Week 7Module 2: Major Proponents of Postcolonial Theory
Unit 3: Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak · 2 hours
Discuss Gayatri Spivak's theoretical postulations. Explain Spivak's contributions to postcolonial studies. Understand Deconstruction Theory, Marxism, and Feminism.
- Week 8Module 3: Africa in the Eyes of Europe: Colonial Representations of Africa in Literature
Unit 1: Literature in the Service of Empire: Colonial Representations of Africa in Literature · 2 hours
Explain how Europe perceives Africa. Understand the role of travel writings in portraying Africa. Analyze colonial representations of Africa.
- Week 9Module 3: Africa in the Eyes of Europe: Colonial Representations of Africa in Literature
Unit 2: Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness · 2 hours
Discuss the negative portrayal of Africa in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. Justify Conrad's portrayal as Eurocentric. Understand Chinua Achebe's response to Conrad.
- Week 10Module 3: Africa in the Eyes of Europe: Colonial Representations of Africa in Literature
Unit 3: Joyce Cary's Mister Johnson · 2 hours
Discuss the negative portrayal of Africa in Joyce Cary's Mister Johnson. Justify Cary's portrayal as Eurocentric. Understand Chinua Achebe's response to Cary.
- Week 11Module 3: Africa in the Eyes of Europe: Colonial Representations of Africa in Literature
Unit 4: Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe · 2 hours
Discuss the negative portrayal of Africa in Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe. Justify Defoe's portrayal as Eurocentric. Analyze colonial representations of Africa.
- Week 12Module 4: Postcolonial African Literature
Unit 2: Chinua Achebe Things Fall Apart as a Postcolonial Text · 2 hours
Analyze Achebe's Things Fall Apart as a postcolonial text. Discuss Achebe's novel as a counter-narrative. Understand the themes of colonialism and identity.
- Week 13Module 4: Postcolonial African Literature
Unit 3: J.M Coetzee's Foe as a Postcolonial Text · 2 hours
Analyze Coetzee's Foe as a postcolonial African novel. Justify Coetzee's novel as a counter-narrative. Understand the themes of colonialism and identity.
Unit 4: Ayi Kwei Armah's The Beautiful Ones are Not Yet Born as a Postcolonial Text · 2 hours
Analyze Armah's The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born as a postcolonial text. Discuss Armah's novel as a critique of postcolonial society. Understand the themes of corruption and disillusionment.
Preparing for the exam
- Create a timeline of key events and publications in postcolonial literature to understand the historical context.
- Develop concept maps linking key theorists like Said, Bhabha, and Spivak to their core ideas and relevant texts.
- Practice analyzing excerpts from the primary texts (e.g., Things Fall Apart, Heart of Darkness) using postcolonial theoretical frameworks.
- Focus on understanding the central themes of identity, representation, and resistance in postcolonial African literature.
- Prepare detailed notes on the key criticisms and debates surrounding postcolonial theory and specific authors/texts.
- Review all Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs) and identify areas needing further clarification or study.
- Allocate study time proportionally based on the weight of each module in the final examination.
Questions students ask about this course
What is ENG417 about?
This course introduces students to postcolonial African literature and theory. It explores the complex and controversial aspects of post-colonial writings, examining major proponents of postcolonial theory and using African texts to analyze the nature of postcolonialism. The course aims to engage students in a dialogue on intercultural encounters, highlighting the diversity within African literature and its connection to socio-cultural and political conditions. It develops a discussion on the theory and issues that inform and affect African literature.
How many units does ENG417 have?
ENG417, Postcolonial African Literature, has 17 units across 4 modules, over 176 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is ENG417?
ENG417 carries 3 credit units, at 400 level in Arts.
Is ENG417 hard?
ENG417 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and case study work.
How long does ENG417 take to study?
About 200 hours of study, spread across its 17 units.
How is ENG417 assessed?
ENG417 is assessed by Assignments, Tutor Marked Assignments and Final Examination.
What can I do with ENG417?
Literary Critic, Cultural Analyst, Editor, Teacher and Researcher.