1. AFRICAN LITERATURE: Courage in Rising above all challenges

2. Essential Question:
Have you ever felt so discouraged that you almost wanted to give up and quit?

3. What does literature reveal about Africans and Asians character?
Unit Question:
What does literature reveal about Africans and Asians character?
How do Africans and Asians respond to the challenges of modernity as reflected in their literary pieces?

4. Content Question: What are the African’s views on nature and man?
Why discrimination exist in African society?
What are the characteristics of the African people?

5. A brief background and history of African literatures
Africa has a long and complex literary history. Indeed, to suggest that one historical account can represent all of the literatures, across time, from all of the regions of Africa is misleading. Deciding when African literature first appears, or when the tradition begins, are questions that are ultimately unanswerable, and determining which literary forms originate in Africa and which are borrowed from elsewhere are issues over which literary critics continue to debate. Nevertheless, scholars of African literatures have put forth a general historical overview that allows readers, listeners, and students to gain a sense of the literary history of Africa.

6. Introduction Western definition
Imaginative or critical writings whether in the form of prose or verse
To become literature, stories, proverbs, legends, etc. must to recorded
For a long time, there was not written language in most of Africa (literature is Latin for “written”)
Attempts were made by colonists to document oral literature

7. Traditional Or Oral Literature
Used interchangeably to refer to stories that have become the cultural heritage of the community
Most African stories have moral endings, however, many are composed for entertainment
Stories have been revised by the teller and tailored to the audience of a particular place or time

8. Fables Seen as fiction as designed to teach
Straight out instruction and open ended for interpretation
What is in print is only a small part of the storytelling event and make the lessons memorable
Fables usually use animal characters to educate the reader or listener
Aimed at children to teach them the values of the community
Community knows that the story is fiction, but the message is considered important

9. Myths are not usually fictitious stories
Considered sacred stories that deal with origins and explanations of natural phenomenon and human institutions
Original tellers thought the stories to be true and treated them as sacred
Myths are not usually fictitious stories

10. Brothers Grimm made the folktale famous
Folktales
Seen as fiction as in fables and also used to teach indirectly, but also to express the individual and communities hopes and fears, to provide entertainment and to create a role model of desirable conduct for the community
Brothers Grimm made the folktale famous
Characters tend to be humans who encounter adventures and problems but can contain animals.

11. Legends
Unverified stories, more closely related to history or biography
Reflect peoples ideals as embodied in the actions of heroes
Tell a people’s history as recalled thorough oral tradition and used frequently to create a cultural or political identify for the group
Some legends tell the significance of specific landmarks like mountains and waterfalls

12. Poetry More contemporary than traditional literature
Family rites connected with birth, death, marriage, religious ceremonies were all occasions to recite poetry
Part of every day life
Hunting, harvesting, preparing meals
Poets, like griots can be esteemed or distained based on the culture
The larger the poets repertoire, the more respected they are
Modern poetry is concerned with cultural, social, political or economic life
Themes could deal with spirits, death, oppression

13. The Novel The African novel in new
Most novels were an outgrowth of the society in which the author lived
Moving from a limited view to a global view of life
Wrote of traditional life, religion and colonial oppression
Novelists have gained worldwide recognition since independence

14. Conclusion
Long journey to develop its own written literature and to preserve the oral traditions
Themes must go beyond colonial past and focus on the future and provide a sense of direction

15. Video

16. End....