Ferdinand oyono, who has died aged 80, wrote some of the most important anticolonial literature in africa. Provides information on the novels of author ferdinand oyono which focuses on french colonialism in africa. His works typically satirised the colonial experience through the. It acted as a symbol of domination in the colonial period when it signified the power of the colonizers, and only a. While all three types of violence are apparent in houseboy, this post analyzes how oyono constructs epistemic or symbolic violence and the humiliation it perpetuates. Oyono depicts the english hypocrisy of the african perception of colonialists.
The main actor is a young boy, who leaves his family where he was mistreated, and ends up with the french. Lovemore ranga mataire the reader houseboy by ferdinand oyono is a novel that can be read as a text depicting the most passionate denunciation of the french colonial rule in africa. Oyonos houseboy exposes white hypocrisy the herald. The use of satirical techniques in ferdinand oyonos. In his novels, oyono uses satire to denounce the colonial system, the abuse africans suffer in the hands of the european. Sexuality is also very important to the short novel, especially in the writings related to madame and how she interacts with the men around her.
Houseboy kindle edition by oyono, ferdinand, john reed. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. The old man and the medal satirizes colonialism through the eyes of a godfearing and loyal. Colonial violence and psychological defenses in ferdinand. Oyonos protagonists finally come to the realization that they have been duped. Houseboy is ferdinand oyonos first work, an anticolonial narrative that takes place during the last years of the french control of his native cameroon.
Ferdinand oyono was born in 1929 in cameroon, and educated there and in france. This technique is used in the novel houseboy written by ferdinand oyono. The theme of colonialism in reference to houseboy, novel by ferdinand oyono just a moment while we sign you in to your goodreads account. This 29page guide for houseboy by ferdinand oyono includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. Cameroon 1956 toundi is a houseboy in colonial cameroon. Conflict and the black servant in oyonos houseboy and. Opinion ferdinand oyono belongs to that group of african writers who writes about the african colonial experience in a different way. Specifically, it looks at how the black servant is forced to balance the loyalty he has for the white employer and for his african roots. Houseboy displays in the most personal details the lack of power and control africans have under colonialist morality and that any connection with colonialist whites will by the nature of things persuade to death and demolition. A discussion of houseboy, mission to kala and waiting for the rain zuvalinyenga dorcas. Literary analysis houseboy by ferdinand oyono cameroon. Houseboy is an anticolonial novel which with the help of satire reveals the flaws in the colonial period which includes the christianity spread and supposed policy of assimilation. Nadine gordimers july people and ferdinand oyonos houseboy show how.
This is a novel that softly, softly got its hooks into me. This means he works as a servant in the home of french colonial officials. This ebook was only downloadable to my netbook, not to my new kindle. Houseboy provides students with a vivid portrayal of the underside of colonialism, tragic to be sure, but also sparkling with moments of wit. In reading houseboy and discussing the text in section. The theme of colonialism in reference to houseboy, novel by ferdinand oyono. The objective of the research is to appreciate the authors use of satirical techniques to depict the plight of characters in a colonial situation. Cameroonian novelist and diplomat, oyono, was visiting guinea during the time it was the colony spanish guineawhen he came across one of his countrymen.
It also raises awareness about child abuse as depicted in the life of toundi. There are several themes in houseboy by ferdinand oyono, including christianity and oppression. Oyonos first book, houseboy, is written in the form of a diary. In this paper an attempt is made to focus on toundi entirely as an evolving.
Writing in french in the 1950s, oyono had only a brief literary career, but his anticolonialist novels are considered classics of 20th century african literature. He is forced from the brutality at his fathers hands into the arms of a catholic missionary named father gilbert because of his curiosity with the colonials. The unfolding discussion of houseboy and mission to kala supposes that these texts lay bare the sufferings of the colonised under the french whilst waiting for the rain exposes the effects of british colonialism on the colonised. This is akind of novel with so much to sayi find out something new evey time i read it. Houseboy by ferdinand oyono the analysis of this book is coming up in 2 weeks timethank you for visiting my blog. In houseboy by ferdinand oyono, the protagonist, toundi onduo struggles with his social identity and writes about his experiences in a diary which is the style of the novel. Professor hunt outlined three types of violence upon which the colonial project was grounded. Ferdinand oyono ur scholarship repository university of. Through his eyes, we gain a nuanced and awefilled account of what it is like to work for racist whites. Once again, i will say ferdinand oyono is a great author with so many texts he has published such as the old man and the medal, and so on. Colonialism in cameroon through the eyes of a houseboy.
This study intends to compare the portrayal of conflict in ferdinand oyonos houseboy and nadine gordimers julys people. This study investigates the use of satire in ferdinand oyonos novels. As i started, i thought the opening plot device of finding the diaries of the dying protagonist, toundi, and then recounting them was trite. Featured content includes commentary on major characters, 25 important. Were considering expanding this synopsis into a fulllength study guide to deepen your comprehension of the book and why its important. The french language acted as a symbol of domination in the colonial period when it signified. What are the themes of houseboy by ferdinand oyono. It is enhanced through the authors social vision, themes and character portrayal. Set in the colonial era, houseboy explores the imbalance of power that existed between the blacks and whites in that time, and the psychological torture colonialism had on the native africans. Get houseboy ferdinand oyono pdf file for free from our online library pdf file. Ferdinand oyono 1929 novelist, statesman published first novel 1 criticized european colonialism 2 put writing aside to serve 3 selected writings 4 sources 5 although ferdinand leopold oyono 6 served his native cameroon 7 for several decades in diplomatic posts and other civil serv. Waveland press houseboy by ferdinand oyono translated.
Pdf this essay analyzes the traumas induced by colonial violence in ferdinand oyonos houseboy and maryse condes crossing the. There is something really profound and moving about. It depicts honestly but with humour the often brutal life of a houseboy in the service of a french commandant. Little scholarly work has been done on the analysis of colonial trauma in the creative texts written by francophone postcolonial writers. The old man and the medal, written while he was studying law and administration in parisreflect the growing sentiment of anticolonialism. This summary of houseboy includes a complete plot overview spoilers included.
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