Claiming History

By looking at African novels - in French and English - of both the colonial and postcolonial periods, this text places African literature in its proper context within this field. The author shows how historical narration not only "answers back" to Europe's colonialist legacy, but also serves as a complex form of dissent among Africans themselves. Exploring subjects such as human sacrifice, as portrayed in the historical novels of Rene Maran, Chinua Achebe, Paul Hazoume, Yambo Ouolguem and Ben Okri, the author argues that these writers are part of a tradition of dissent, shattering the myth of national unity. Rather than focusing on resistance to Europe, these works reflect a variety of voices among Africans. By exploring dialogue between literature and history, this book aims to give voice to African novelists' defiance of colonialism and nationalist ideology.