ENG2603 Assignment 3 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) 2024 - DUE 13 September 2024 ;100% TRUSTED workings, explanations and solutions. for assistance Whats-App
In Welcome to Our Hilbrow, Refentše is depicted as a creative writer who notes a problem with the suppression of writing literature in African langu...
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,ENG2603 Assignment 3 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) 2024
- DUE 13 September 2024 ;100% TRUSTED workings,
explanations and solutions. for assistance Whats-
App
3 ESSAYS PROVIDED
Language and Identity in African Literature: A Critical Exploration
of Phaswane Mpe's Use of Language in Welcome to Our Hillbrow
The debate surrounding the language of African literature remains an
enduring conversation among African writers and scholars. At the heart
of this debate lies the question of whether African writers should write
in their indigenous languages or in the languages of former colonial
powers. This discourse can be traced back to early debates led by writers
such as Chinua Achebe, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, and Obiajunwa Wali, who
offered distinct perspectives on the role of language in shaping African
identity and literature. Phaswane Mpe's Welcome to Our Hillbrow adds
an important dimension to this debate, particularly in its depiction of the
struggles African writers face when writing in African languages.
This essay will explore how Phaswane Mpe uses language in Welcome
to Our Hillbrow, specifically focusing on the tension between writing in
African languages and colonial languages. It will draw on the views of
Achebe, Ngugi, and Wali to contextualize Mpe’s approach to language
and consider whether the debate over language use remains relevant in
the 21st century.
The Struggles of Writing in African Languages in Welcome to Our
Hillbrow
, In Welcome to Our Hillbrow, Phaswane Mpe presents Refentše as a
creative writer who grapples with the difficulties of writing in African
languages, particularly Sepedi. In the passage cited, Refentše reflects on
the challenges posed by the suppression of African languages in
literature, lamenting that the use of African languages can be seen as
vulgar and unsuitable for literature. Mpe's depiction of this struggle is
significant as it highlights the lingering effects of colonialism on
language and the barriers that still exist for African writers.
The passage emphasizes how the colonial legacy continues to shape
attitudes towards African languages, with publishers and reviewers
adhering to norms that criminalize the use of African languages in
literature. This is a direct reflection of the broader debate on the role of
language in African literature—a debate that has been extensively
explored by scholars such as Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Chinua Achebe, and
Obiajunwa Wali.
Obiajunwa Wali: The Dead End of African Literature in Colonial
Languages
Obiajunwa Wali’s essay, The Dead End of African Literature?, offers a
provocative critique of African literature written in colonial languages.
Wali argues that literature written in European languages by African
writers is a dead end because it fails to authentically capture African
experiences and identities. He asserts that African writers must write in
their indigenous languages in order to preserve and promote African
cultures.
Wali’s argument resonates with the struggles depicted in Welcome to
Our Hillbrow, where the suppression of African languages is portrayed
as a form of cultural and creative censorship. The fact that Refentše's
work in Sepedi is labeled as vulgar for using proper terms for bodily
functions underscores Wali’s point that African literature in colonial
languages lacks the depth and authenticity of literature in African
languages. The language of colonization continues to impose limitations
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