African Literature Term Paper

Total Length: 996 words ( 3 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 0

Page 1 of 3

Devil on the Cross, War?

nga exhibits meekness and self-hatred. Her self-loathing prompts her to bleach her black skin and iron her hair. When she interacts with her fellow passengers in the taxi, War?

nga lacks the resolve she has following her encounter with the Devil on the golf course immediately prior to the Njeruca revolt. Witnessing the circumstances and listening to the speeches at the Devil's Feast was not enough to spur her on to eventually wield a deadly weapon. War?

nga needed her visions to empower her and awaken her to the injustices of her people and her nation. War?

nga kills the Rich Old Man, her fiance's father, for five solid reasons: her conversation with the Devil alerted her to the realities of life; M-turi's call to arms and his entrusting War?

nga with the gun; her newfound self-confidence and transformed personality; War?

nga's anger at the oppression of women; and her hatred of hypocrisy and determination to find the "third world" suggested by Satan. The Rich Old Man exemplified evil; this twist at the end of Ng-g?'s novel adds a realistic, albeit pessimistic tone. War?

nga experienced her moments of bliss with Gatu-ria before Kenya's realities shattered her happiness.

War?

nga's conversation with Satan transformed her personality; the Devil led War?

nga to the truth. The "voice of the roaming spirit" informed her of the "catechism of slavery," and on the use of religion to make oppression acceptable to the masses. Ironically, the souls of the robbers and thieves belonged to Satan, but his words instigated War?

nga against them. Prior to her vision, War?

nga was merely a spectator.
She witnessed the gross extravagance and celebration of gluttony at the Feast, but was powerless to act. Her own life had been a sell out, for she had allowed herself to participate in the black-and-white vision of reality than Satan warns her against. The Devil's lecture enlightens War?

nga to the possibility of revolt, even a revolt that includes violence. Violence against the poor is condoned, for the poor are brainwashed into believing that their suffering is divinely ordained. The Devil's pep talk enables War?

nga to have more faith in herself and her abilities to affect positive change.

Soon after her vision, War?

nga and Gatu-ria meet M-turi, who it turns out is a rebel and a key leader in the workers' strike. His words inspire War?

nga, even before he entrusts her with his firearm. For the first time, War?

nga feels like a participant and not just an observer: "the voice of a worker was urging them to enter the arena," (p. 205). M-turi hands K-haahu's gun to War?

nga and spurns her on: "guns like this should really be in the hands of the workers so they can defend the unity and freedom and wealth of their country," (p. 211). This is the gun she uses on the Rich Old Man, who tempts her into selling her soul….....

Show More ⇣


     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"African Literature" (2002, July 15) Retrieved May 20, 2024, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/african-literature-134477

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"African Literature" 15 July 2002. Web.20 May. 2024. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/african-literature-134477>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"African Literature", 15 July 2002, Accessed.20 May. 2024,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/african-literature-134477