Discrimination and Oppression in Peter Abraham’s Mine Boy and Ngugi WA Thiongo’s Devil on the Cross

Discrimination and Oppression in Peter Abraham’s Mine Boy and Ngugi WA Thiongo’s Devil on the Cross

Abstract

This research work examines discrimination and oppression in Peter Abraham’s Mine Boy and Ngugi Wa Thiongo’s Devil on The Cross. From the analysis of the novels, the study shows that discrimination and oppression are considered as hindrance to the Blacks who live in South Africa. The study has also shown that the white who are even the minority oppress and discriminate against the Blacks because of racism.

The authors therefore portray these problems of the Blacks like poverty, economic problems, political and social problems of the masses, less privilege and the poor. Again, the study also shows that, the Blacks die of starvation while some contract diseases and sent away without payment. Consequently, this make their fellow Blacks fight for what is called the survival of the fittest as they protest through resistance to oppression in the novels.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background to the study

The assimilation of Africa into western civilization has been a painful process involving much struggle and hardship for African tribal society. Europe was successful in conquering Black African because she was superior in aims and technology; but World War II undermined the authority of European colonial powers in African by revealing their internal weaknesses and by engaging their attention elsewhere. Since then, increasing numbers of Africa states have achieved their independence, and the world has become very aware of Africa.

Africa is no longer merely the site for commercial exploitation; it is seen now as an immense complex of cultural energies, and of agricultural and mineral resources, with a destiny closely linked to the future of all mankind. Africa is present a continent undergoing vast changes; the growing sense of an African consciousness, and the conflict and tensions she is experiencing, inevitable find expression in the writing of her people literature becomes a means of interpreting Africa both to her own people and to the outside world. The South African writers, because of his country’s unusually tense and confused situation to deal with; and he therefore has a special obligation to deal with responsibly. In his speech at two conferences on English and literature in South African in 1956, Alan Paton asserted that a South African writer:

Can interpreted South African in such a way that countless readers will respond to his vision, they will be existed by a revelation, not of something they do know, revealed to them in such a way that what they dimly sense is suddenly illuminated, sometimes brought, sometime by an arrow of light that pierces the very heart, causing an emotional storm of grief and joy (28).

Discrimination and Oppression in Peter Abraham’s Mine Boy and Ngugi WA Thiongo’s Devil on the Cross

When two different cultures come into contact, the people they influence compare them and have to choose between different values. In South African, the black people are becoming more separated from certain aspect of traditional tribal life a have to adapt rapidly to the influence and demands of white civilization. Modern Africa literature is expressive of the tensions and conflicts created between the black people’s indigenous tribal experience and the western colonial experience.

The European setters with their long stay evolved a culture of their own and their language too. The European came to be called the bores of the Africaners. Due to their population increased, and so their farmers explored new frontiers in search of fertile land for their cattle, they came into clash with the Bautu race which was expanding south wards. Hence, the origin of the bitterness between the blacks and the whites by 1820 administration of South Africa passed from the Dutch to the English people and the abolition of slave trade in 1807 place the whites and the black on equal footing, a situation which the whites recanted.

In the light of this situation, “black circuit” was established in 1828 through an ordinance. By these ordinances a white could be tried for the charges brought forward by his Hottentots servants. Many whites regarded this as abomination, being as they believed contrary to the law of God which stipulated that the Africans should sense the whites.

The discovery of diamond increased their number and gave them economic dominance. In their migration to be free, the blacks still ended up as slaves because of their now qualification, so they involve in all sorts of crime in order to survive.

The fact of discrimination is present in South and East African life. The doctrine of Apartheid presupposes and proposes separate worlds for the different people; but in fact these do not exist. The fact of racial interaction and interrelation is all encompassing and omnipresent is not merely the material for a plot or structural pattern, or an obsession; it is the stuff of life in South Africa. The South African novelists naturally turn to discrimination as the dominant theme; he is drawn to the drama and conflict inherent in the subject of discrimination and oppression.

1.2     Statement of the problem      

Discrimination and oppression has been the major concern of South African writers. In their works, they portray the challenges faced by the Black race South African. The fact of race is ever-present in South African life. The doctrine of Apartheid presupposes and proposes separate worlds for the different people’ but in fact these do not exist. The fact of racial interaction and interrelation is all-encompassing and omnipresent in South African life. Race is not merely the material for a plot or structural pattern,

or an obsession; it is the stuff of life in South Africa. The South African novelist naturally turns to discrimination and oppression as his main theme; he is drawn to the drama and conflict inherent in the subject of discrimination and oppression.

South African writers, and particularly black, South African writers frequently writer from their own personal and tragic experience. These experiences demand expression. Most South African literature, by both blacks and whites, revolves around conflicts, complexities and tragedies of South African way of life.

1.3     Purpose of the study       

The main purpose of this study is to examine discrimination and oppression in Peter Abraham’s Mine Boy and Ngugi Wa Thiongo’s Devil On The Cross and expose it effect or implication in our Nigeria society with the aim of correcting it.

1.4     Significance of the study     

This study shall be significance in the following ways: this research is meant for awareness and to enlighten Nigerians on the need to refrain from act of oppression so that Nigeria can attain it height and be a better place to live.

It will help Nigerians to develop self-wroth, peace, brotherly love and the need for equity and justice. It will help Nigerians to unite and live together without class discrimination. Also, it will help the reader of this work to eradicate racism and colour discrimination.

1.5     Research Methodology

A descriptive research method is adopted for this study. The novels Mine Boy and Devil on the Cross will serves as primary texts. Materials from the library will serve as secondary sources of information. Other sources such as internet will be explored for more information.

 1.6     Scope and limitation of the study

This study is delimited in scope to discrimination and oppression in Peter Abraham Mine Boy and Ngugi Wa Thiongo’s Devil On The Cross.

However, this research is limited to the study of two literary text books from South and East Africa (Peter Abraham’s and Ngugi Wa Thiongo’s) so as to be able to examine the subject closely.

1.7     Objectives of the study  

          This study aims at the following:

2. to examine the problem of discrimination and oppression in Peter Abraham’s Mine Boy and Ngugi Wa Thiongo’s Devil On The Cross by Carefully lighting the conflicts between the whites and blacks.
3. to create awareness on the danger of discrimination and oppression to the reader of this work so they can refrain from it.
4. to reveal to Nigerians their dignity in order to help them develop their self worth.

1.8     Definition of Terms

Discrimination: This is the act of treating a person or particular group of people differently, especially in a worse way from the way in which you treat other people, because of their skin colour.

Oppression: This means the exercise of power or authority in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner. It is an act or instance of oppressing or subject to cruel of unjust imposition or restraint.   

1.9     Bio-Data of Abrahams

Peter Henry Abrahams Deras was born on 3rd March, 1919 at Vrededorp, South Africa. He died on 18 January, 2017 at the age of 97 years. His father was from Ethiopia and his mother was coloured. In 1939 Abraham’s left South Africa and worked first as a sailor and then as a journalist in London.

Abrahams settled in Jamaican in 1956. In 1994, he was awarded the Gold medal for his writings and journalism by the institute of Jamaica. Abraham’s was one of the four most African prominent writers whose works deal with political and social issues, especially with racism and

apartheid. Abrahams was found dead at his home town in Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica, on 18th January, 2017 aged 97 years. According to research Abrahams was a victim of foul play. A local 61 years old man Norman Tomlinson, was later charged with murder. His works include: Dark Testament    (1942)Song of the City(1945)The Path of Thunder     (1945)Wild Conquest (1953)A Wreath for Udomo (1954)A Night of their Own (1965)This Island Now (1966)The View from Coyaba      (1985)The Black Experience in the 2Oth: An Autobiography And Meditation (2000) Reality Check (2009).

1.10   Bio-Data of Ngugi Wa Thiongo     

Ngugi Wa Thingo was born in the year 1938 at, the Limuru, Central Kenya.  He was the fifth child of the third of Thiongo’s four wives. Ngugi attended Makerere University in Uganda where he was exposed to west Indian-born social theorist, Franz Fanon’s the wretched of the earth, in which Fanon argues that political independence for oppressed people must be won often through violence before genuine social and economic change could be achieved.

In 1968, Ngugi became an instructor at the University of Nairobi and several colleagues successfully campaigned to transform the University’s English department into the department of African languages and literature. Ngugi then was named chairman of the new department. He became a vocal advocate of African literature written in African languages. He was also a visiting professor in African literature at North Western University in Evanston, Illinois, before returning to University College in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1971.

In 1982, he left his country for a self-imposed exile, during his exile, he lectured at Auckland University in new-Zealand and those lectures were published as De-colonising the midi the politics of language in African literature (1986). Ngugi’s works include: Weep Not Child (1964), his second novel. The River Between (1965), A Grain of Wheat (1967), The Trial of Dedan Kimathi (1976), Petals of Blood (1977), Devil on the Cross (1982), Wizard on the Crow (2006).