The West African Novel: Achebe and Soyinka (1950-1970)

Throughout the last decades the impact of modern critical theory on world literature has been conspicuous. The prevailing view has become to reconsider and redefine the once entrenched Eurocentric terms and views in writing. The West African novels: Achebe and Soyinka (1950-1970) excavates into the origin of the West African novel and presents a comparative study in African literature by taking A man of the People and The Interpreters as sample novels of Achebe and Soyinka respectively. The authors of the two works search to protect their peoples' dignity that was once trampled on as well as to assert the sovereignty of their societies. Both writers experienced hell as a result of the word they bore, leading them to oppression and threat, persecution and exile.