Spring 2007

FR 358 • African Francophone Literature

Course Description

European colonial rule broke up cultures throughout the African continent, imposing Occidental laws, languages and concepts. In turn, writers from North and sub-Saharan Africa appropriated colonial languages to denounce many injustices.

Over the course of the term, we will be reading key literary African novels which appeared during the 1950s in order to discuss Pan-African struggles, the use of French and their political impact. We will engage in their views on colonization and in their philosophical concepts; seeing a wide range of concerns. To better comprehend the texts analyzed, we will view films and read extracts from theoretical essays.

Grading Policy

Students will be asked to keep up with the reading and writing assignments and are asked to come well prepared to class.

Texts

Readings
Mouloud Mammeri- La colline oubliée
Mouloud Feraoun- Le fils du pauvre
Cheikh Hamidou Kane- L'aventure ambiguê
Ferdinant Oyono- Une vie de boy
Sembene Ousmane- Les bouts de bois de Dieu

Secondary Readings
Aimé Césaire- Discours sur le colonialisme (extracts)
Albert Memmi- Portrait du colonisé (extracts)
Frantz Fanon- Les damnés de la terre (extracts)

Films:
Gillo Pontecorvo- The Battle of Algiers
Sembene Ousmane- Camp de Thiaroye
Jean-Marie Teno- Afrique, je te plumerai

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