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The role of the Heinemann African writers series in the development and promotion of African literature

The role of the Heinemann African writers series in the development and promotion of African... African Studies, 58, 1, 1999 The Role of the Heinemann African Writers Series in the Development and Promotion of African Literature1 Phaswane Mpe University of the Witwatersrand "The world is like a Mask dancing. If you want to see it well you do not stand in one place." (Chinua Achebe, Arrow of God) Introduction For many observers, Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart marks the beginning of what is today generally regarded as the origin of 'modern' African literature. Craig MacKenzie, for example, remarks in an article that Achebe's was the first African novel to examine the "conflict between tradition and modernity" (1993:111), while Edward Sackey regards the novel to be a pioneer with regard to its inscription of oral art forms in the African novel (1991:390). MacKenzie does not clarify what modernity in this case means, although the overall thrust of his discussion seems to suggest some of the cultural practices and political ideas that came with the advent of colonialism. While MacKenzie's assertion is perhaps rather reductionist — in an otherwise fascinating piece on Bessie Head's novels — Sackey's view is simply uninformed and at best misleading. Re- searchers and critics have shown that there have been earlier http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png African Studies Taylor & Francis

The role of the Heinemann African writers series in the development and promotion of African literature

Mpe, Phaswane
African Studies , Volume 58 (1): 18 – Jul 1, 1999
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References (13)

Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Copyright
Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
ISSN
1469-2872
eISSN
0002-0184
DOI
10.1080/00020189908707907
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

African Studies, 58, 1, 1999 The Role of the Heinemann African Writers Series in the Development and Promotion of African Literature1 Phaswane Mpe University of the Witwatersrand "The world is like a Mask dancing. If you want to see it well you do not stand in one place." (Chinua Achebe, Arrow of God) Introduction For many observers, Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart marks the beginning of what is today generally regarded as the origin of 'modern' African literature. Craig MacKenzie, for example, remarks in an article that Achebe's was the first African novel to examine the "conflict between tradition and modernity" (1993:111), while Edward Sackey regards the novel to be a pioneer with regard to its inscription of oral art forms in the African novel (1991:390). MacKenzie does not clarify what modernity in this case means, although the overall thrust of his discussion seems to suggest some of the cultural practices and political ideas that came with the advent of colonialism. While MacKenzie's assertion is perhaps rather reductionist — in an otherwise fascinating piece on Bessie Head's novels — Sackey's view is simply uninformed and at best misleading. Re- searchers and critics have shown that there have been earlier

Journal

African Studies – Taylor & Francis

Published: Jul 1, 1999

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