Reviews for The African Quest for Freedom and Identity: Cameroonian Writing and the National Experience

The average rating for The African Quest for Freedom and Identity: Cameroonian Writing and the National Experience based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2009-02-22 00:00:00 Bradley Culpepper African Literature as Political Philosophy is a fascinating read that I would recommend for anyone interested in understanding how philosophical and literal thoughts marry each other. The primary thesis of this exciting read is to highlight the close link between literature and philosophy, both 'essentially [considered as] theoretical disciplines'. Dr Okolo then presents literature as political philosophy, defined as a reflection on the ideal standard for society and government, with African writers assessing political situations and moulding or redirecting their readers' thoughts. The first substantive chapter lays out a theoretical framework in which various criteria as to what counts as political philosophy are identified - dealing with universal themes, clarifying arguments, formulating a worldview. This discussion is followed with a prolonged debate about various leading philosophers including Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Gandhi and Marx political, philosophical exploration to the exclusion of any reference to literature, with the rest of the book interspersed with substantial. The book then introduces Achebe and Ngugi as political thinkers, with Anthills of the Savannah (1987) and Petals of Blood (1977) selected as most representative of this viewpoint. There is also a comparative analysis of the two writers' views on the African condition, with supportive quotes from Achebe's and Ngugi's essays, notably Trouble with Nigeria (1983) and Writers in Politics (1981). The last chapter, which serves as a conclusion, reflects on the possible harmonization of the two writers' views, offering a middle course for social reconstruction in Africa. Dr Okolo's chosen approach is not without its insights, but it does tend to lead to the assumption that novels are best read as if they were political treatises, philosophical tracts, or manifestoes, rather than as novels.

Review # 2 was written on 2014-10-17 00:00:00 Luke Collins Bloom offers criticism Of Things Fall Apart,the Igbo culture, duality in Igbo mythology,and...