to set the ball the rolling I will like to talk a little about the background of the writer. Ferdinand Oyono was born on 14th September 1929 and died 10th June 2010. Writing in French in the 1950s, Oyono had only a brief literary career, but his anti-colonialist novels are considered classics of 20th century African literature; his first novel, Une vie de boy—published in 1956 and later translated as Houseboy had famous Beginning in the 1960s, Oyono had a long career of service as a diplomat and as a minister in the government of Cameroon. As one of President Paul Biya's top associates, he ultimately served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1992 to 1997.
Ferdinand Oyono's experiences are reflected in Houseboy and it's very apparent that his views on colonialsm influenced how the novel was written. Oyono used a certain technique to mock the whites which would be seen as controversial to many. Satire is the main technique that he incorporates in the book to express his views in the book. A phrase like White killers' is imagery created in the book to represent a tree. Oyono uses other techniques but satire proves to be most effective in terms the way the whites are percieved by I as the reader.
•A satire can also be referred to as a novel, play, or entertainment, in which topical issues, folly, or evil are held up to scorn by means of ridicule and irony. •A common feature of satire is strong irony or sarcasm but parody, burlesque, exaggeration, juxtaposition, comparison, analogy, and double entendre are all frequently used in satirical speech and writing.
A common feature of satire is strong irony or sarcasm .However exaggeration, comparison, analogy, and are all frequently used in satirical speech and writing. For instance we see that Father Vandermayer likes to beat Christian natives who commit adultery and ironically we also later find out in the text that the commandants wife is having an affair with “M. Moreau
Some instances of satire are as follows:- Ø “You must look bloody. We’ll pour some ox blood over your shorts and jersey. Can you cry? We began to laugh ...when Gullet and the lover of Sophie came to the police camp. I had splashed myself with ox blood and was lying down groaning...” -PAGE 108 Ø“ There go all my water jugs again, moaned my sister.... ‘Don’t let him eat my bananas,’ she persisted. ‘Don’t let Gullet eat my bananas.’ Laughter spread among the crowd.” -PAGE 111
i don't think that referred to all the houseboys, but rather to Toundi alone. In that phrase, all houseboys are dogs but the dog that served the king ranked higher than the rest hence became the king of the dogs.
"The dog of the king is the king of the dog" this serves to emphasize how Toundi behaved. Since he was the commandant's houseboy he thought he was unofficially given or indirectly given the 'prestige' of being the prime houseboy of the commandant . However this was indicated that he did not really care for it and was only saying that to portray his bitterness due to the nature of his people and how they were considered as less of humans
The illusion to digs just shows how the white people viewed the Africans because in the Africa culture most dogs are used to provide security and are not seen as best friends to humans. Hence dogs are not treated very well instead they are made to feed from the leftovers of their master's table. Therefore Toundi's reference to dogs is further proof of how the white men don't rate the Africans at all. Toundi working under the commandant who is a superior over most of the whites there at that time just shows that whe is the king to all other Africans or in other words dogs.
The prelude set the tone for the story that was about to unfold. The tone of the Houseboy was a somber, sad, and reflective one-however it all stemmed from the events that transpired in the prelude of the book: when Toundi, who is the protagonist of the story laments about how his greed had come back to get him and dies a tragic death with a semi-decaying body. So from the start- the story that is about to unfold will be a morose and tragic one because the main character even from the inception of the book is destined to die a horribly horrendous death, and it’s the reader’s job to fully realize and evaluate the choices and decisions Toundi made in order to die such an excruciating death
a. The prelude also creates suspense because after reading it we will like to know the history of the sick man b.It also reveals the setting and tells us a little information of what is going in Spanish guinea and in Cameroon (page 7) c.I t shows the culture of the people that is the hospitality of the Cameroonians through the prelude that is the sharing of food(page 4. when the man gave toundi arki and when he also helped him to sit up). We also see that Toundi's parents invited their relative to hsve diner with thrm
to set the ball the rolling I will like to talk a little about the background of the writer. Ferdinand Oyono was born on 14th September 1929 and died 10th June 2010. Writing in French in the 1950s, Oyono had only a brief literary career, but his anti-colonialist novels are considered classics of 20th century African literature; his first novel, Une vie de boy—published in 1956 and later translated as Houseboy had famous Beginning in the 1960s, Oyono had a long career of service as a diplomat and as a minister in the government of Cameroon. As one of President Paul Biya's top associates, he ultimately served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1992 to 1997.
ReplyDeleteFerdinand Oyono's experiences are reflected in Houseboy and it's very apparent that his views on colonialsm influenced how the novel was written. Oyono used a certain technique to mock the whites which would be seen as controversial to many. Satire is the main technique that he incorporates in the book to express his views in the book. A phrase like White killers' is imagery created in the book to represent a tree. Oyono uses other techniques but satire proves to be most effective in terms the way the whites are percieved by I as the reader.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot
Delete•A satire can also be referred to as a novel, play, or entertainment, in which topical issues, folly, or evil are held up to scorn by means of ridicule and irony.
ReplyDelete•A common feature of satire is strong irony or sarcasm but parody, burlesque, exaggeration, juxtaposition, comparison, analogy, and double entendre are all frequently used in satirical speech and writing.
A common feature of satire is strong irony or sarcasm .However exaggeration, comparison, analogy, and are all frequently used in satirical speech and writing. For instance we see that Father Vandermayer likes to beat Christian natives who commit adultery and ironically we also later find out in the text that the commandants wife is having an affair with “M. Moreau
ReplyDeleteSome instances of satire are as follows:-
ReplyDeleteØ “You must look bloody. We’ll pour some ox blood over your shorts and jersey. Can you cry? We began to laugh ...when Gullet and the lover of Sophie came to the police camp. I had splashed myself with ox blood and was lying down groaning...” -PAGE 108
Ø“ There go all my water jugs again, moaned my sister.... ‘Don’t let him eat my bananas,’ she persisted. ‘Don’t let Gullet eat my bananas.’ Laughter spread among the crowd.” -PAGE 111
I don't understand the satire on page 111
DeleteCould you explain further?
especially the "bananas"
DeleteWere the houseboys really the kings of the dogs?To what extent do you agree with this?
ReplyDeletei don't think that referred to all the houseboys, but rather to Toundi alone. In that phrase, all houseboys are dogs but the dog that served the king ranked higher than the rest hence became the king of the dogs.
Delete"The dog of the king is the king of the dog" this serves to emphasize how Toundi behaved. Since he was the commandant's houseboy he thought he was unofficially given or indirectly given the 'prestige' of being the prime houseboy of the commandant . However this was indicated that he did not really care for it and was only saying that to portray his bitterness due to the nature of his people and how they were considered as less of humans
ReplyDeleteThe illusion to digs just shows how the white people viewed the Africans because in the Africa culture most dogs are used to provide security and are not seen as best friends to humans. Hence dogs are not treated very well instead they are made to feed from the leftovers of their master's table. Therefore Toundi's reference to dogs is further proof of how the white men don't rate the Africans at all. Toundi working under the commandant who is a superior over most of the whites there at that time just shows that whe is the king to all other Africans or in other words dogs.
ReplyDeleteAbout The prelude and its effect on the book
ReplyDeleteThe prelude set the tone for the story that was about to unfold. The tone of the Houseboy was a somber, sad, and reflective one-however it all stemmed from the events that transpired in the prelude of the book: when Toundi, who is the protagonist of the story laments about how his greed had come back to get him and dies a tragic death with a semi-decaying body. So from the start- the story that is about to unfold will be a morose and tragic one because the main character even from the inception of the book is destined to die a horribly horrendous death, and it’s the reader’s job to fully realize and evaluate the choices and decisions Toundi made in order to die such an excruciating death
ReplyDeletea. The prelude also creates suspense because after reading it we will like to know the history of the sick man
ReplyDeleteb.It also reveals the setting and tells us a little information of what is going in Spanish guinea and in Cameroon (page 7)
c.I t shows the culture of the people that is the hospitality of the Cameroonians through the prelude that is the sharing of food(page 4. when the man gave toundi arki and when he also helped him to sit up). We also see that Toundi's parents invited their relative to hsve diner with thrm
What does banana and the color red symbolize?
ReplyDeletewhat other literary devices were used in the novel?
ReplyDelete"Brother what are we?"he said
ReplyDeleteBrother what are we black men called French?"
What does the statement mean?
"Brother what are we?"he said
ReplyDeleteBrother what are we black men called French?"
What does the statement mean?
YESSS HERE IS NEW
ReplyDelete