Sunday, 18 September 2016
Tuesday, 13 September 2016
SYNOPSIS OF 'AN ECHO IN THE BONE' BY DENNIS SCOTT
SYNOPSIS OF 'AN ECHO IN THE BONE' BY DENNIS SCOTT
The Play has two Acts.
Act 1 begins with the preparations for a 'Ninth night wake ' ceremony in honor of a man named Crew by his wife Rachel, his two sons Sonson and Jacko and his daughter-in-law who is two months pregnant. His wife Rachel invites their friends Madam, Stone, Mas P, Lally, Dreamboat and the Rattler. At the Wake, the Spirit of Crew possesses Dreamboat first after he breaks an unblessed bottle of Rum. The Spirit leaves him after a ritual is carried out. The arrival of Jacko from the police station officially opens the Wake ceremony. They smoke weed and talk about Crew. They describe him as a handsome, well built blacksmith and farmer. Crew's spirit possesses Sonson and searches for his cutlass; the rest of the Characters fall into a 'dream-like' state where they are on a slave ship in 1792.Aboard the Ship, they are naked, beaten, dehumanized, tortured physically and emotionally and the Rattlers tongue is cut of for spitting on a White slave trader. The scene immediately shifts to two days before the wake in Madam's shop where it is revealed that Crew's blood stained machete, shirt and a bottle of Rum have been discovered by Lally by the river but the items are confiscated by the Police to use as a proof that Crew killed Mas Charlie, a White Man.
The scene suddenly shifts to 1820 where three slaves are sold out in dehumanizing conditions but are made to believe that they should be happy.
The scene again shifts to 1833 in a bush where a White man is chasing his run-away slave who has run to the hills. Jacko intercepts him, he tries to kill Jacko but Sonson arrives in time to save Jacko and tries to kill the White man. Jacko intervenes and the finally tie the White Slave master's hands and feet and stuff a handkerchief into his mouth to humiliate him.
Act 2 opens still in the Wake ceremony with the characters describing the harrowing experiences of slavery and the 'false' freedom they have earned due to the fact that they are still treated as 'dirt' because they are Blacks. They also criticize the Mulattoes who side they Whites against the Blacks because of their fair skin.
There is a flashback here. Rachel remembers four years before the Wake ceremony when Mas Charlie returns from England and requests to employ her as a House keeper in the 'Great house.' She rejects his offer though he reminds her of their sexual intimacy and her adoration of the Whites. Brigit and Jacko become engaged and plans for their marriage begins.
The scene shifts to 1934 when slave trade is abolished. A slave girl flees from her master after she realizes that she is now free. Her master moans his love for the Island and his loss.
The scene again shifts to 1937 on Crew's farm. Sonson still possessed by Crew's spirit complains about the sufferings of the Black particularly about the drying up of the River that flows into his farm. Rachel tells him that due to their poor financial state she would work in the Great House for Mas Charlie. Crew sees this as a loss of dignity and pride and rejects this vehemently. He decides to talk to Mas Charlie to channel some of the River's water flowing through the Great House to his farm. He is a bit drunk and Mas Charlie turns his request down abusively and in a degrading manner. To retain his pride, Crew strikes Mas Charlie on the chest with a sharp cutlass and he dies. Crew immediately plans to commit suicide to prevent jail terms and possible hanging.
Sonson still possessed by Crew's spirit climbs to the roof of the house and tries to jump. Jacko persuades him to climb down so he would not kill himself. Sonson climbs down and as soon as he washes his face, Crews spirit leaves him. The characters who were formally in dispute are brought together by the revelation of the secret behind Crew's death and murder of Mas Charlie. They all realize that their past experiences, present events and future occurrences can not be reversed but that together, they can overcome. They celebrate this unity though they are mourning.
The Play has two Acts.
Act 1 begins with the preparations for a 'Ninth night wake ' ceremony in honor of a man named Crew by his wife Rachel, his two sons Sonson and Jacko and his daughter-in-law who is two months pregnant. His wife Rachel invites their friends Madam, Stone, Mas P, Lally, Dreamboat and the Rattler. At the Wake, the Spirit of Crew possesses Dreamboat first after he breaks an unblessed bottle of Rum. The Spirit leaves him after a ritual is carried out. The arrival of Jacko from the police station officially opens the Wake ceremony. They smoke weed and talk about Crew. They describe him as a handsome, well built blacksmith and farmer. Crew's spirit possesses Sonson and searches for his cutlass; the rest of the Characters fall into a 'dream-like' state where they are on a slave ship in 1792.Aboard the Ship, they are naked, beaten, dehumanized, tortured physically and emotionally and the Rattlers tongue is cut of for spitting on a White slave trader. The scene immediately shifts to two days before the wake in Madam's shop where it is revealed that Crew's blood stained machete, shirt and a bottle of Rum have been discovered by Lally by the river but the items are confiscated by the Police to use as a proof that Crew killed Mas Charlie, a White Man.
The scene suddenly shifts to 1820 where three slaves are sold out in dehumanizing conditions but are made to believe that they should be happy.
The scene again shifts to 1833 in a bush where a White man is chasing his run-away slave who has run to the hills. Jacko intercepts him, he tries to kill Jacko but Sonson arrives in time to save Jacko and tries to kill the White man. Jacko intervenes and the finally tie the White Slave master's hands and feet and stuff a handkerchief into his mouth to humiliate him.
Act 2 opens still in the Wake ceremony with the characters describing the harrowing experiences of slavery and the 'false' freedom they have earned due to the fact that they are still treated as 'dirt' because they are Blacks. They also criticize the Mulattoes who side they Whites against the Blacks because of their fair skin.
There is a flashback here. Rachel remembers four years before the Wake ceremony when Mas Charlie returns from England and requests to employ her as a House keeper in the 'Great house.' She rejects his offer though he reminds her of their sexual intimacy and her adoration of the Whites. Brigit and Jacko become engaged and plans for their marriage begins.
The scene shifts to 1934 when slave trade is abolished. A slave girl flees from her master after she realizes that she is now free. Her master moans his love for the Island and his loss.
The scene again shifts to 1937 on Crew's farm. Sonson still possessed by Crew's spirit complains about the sufferings of the Black particularly about the drying up of the River that flows into his farm. Rachel tells him that due to their poor financial state she would work in the Great House for Mas Charlie. Crew sees this as a loss of dignity and pride and rejects this vehemently. He decides to talk to Mas Charlie to channel some of the River's water flowing through the Great House to his farm. He is a bit drunk and Mas Charlie turns his request down abusively and in a degrading manner. To retain his pride, Crew strikes Mas Charlie on the chest with a sharp cutlass and he dies. Crew immediately plans to commit suicide to prevent jail terms and possible hanging.
Sonson still possessed by Crew's spirit climbs to the roof of the house and tries to jump. Jacko persuades him to climb down so he would not kill himself. Sonson climbs down and as soon as he washes his face, Crews spirit leaves him. The characters who were formally in dispute are brought together by the revelation of the secret behind Crew's death and murder of Mas Charlie. They all realize that their past experiences, present events and future occurrences can not be reversed but that together, they can overcome. They celebrate this unity though they are mourning.
APOLOGY
Hi Literary lovers,
I would first apologize for being away for so long. I missed this sphere and I am very happy to be back. This platform is one of the most exciting and educative.
I would first apologize for being away for so long. I missed this sphere and I am very happy to be back. This platform is one of the most exciting and educative.
Tuesday, 6 September 2016
LITERARY ICON: ISIDORE OKPEWHO DIES AT AGE 74!
AFRICA'S FOREMOST AFRICAN ORAL LITERARY ICON DIES AT AGE 74!!!
Prof. Okpewho who was a prolific novelist and an African Oral Literature researcher has passed on peacefully on the 4th of September, 2016 at a hospital in Binghamton, New York in the United States of America.
FEW FACTS ABOUT ISIDORE OKPEWHO
1. He was born on 9th of November, 2016.
2. He is from Abraka in Delta State in Nigeria.
3. He was born in Agbor, Delta State in Nigeria.
4. He attended St. Patrick's College, Asaba.
5. He had a Ph.D in Comparative Literature from the University of Denver.
6. He has been living in Binghamton, a town in New York, United States since 1991.
7. He has taught in the University of New York at Buffalo (1974-1976), University of Ibadan (1976-1990), Havard University (1990-1991).
8. He is a first rate scholar and pioneer of Oral Literature in Africa.
9. He won the 1976 African Arts Prize for Literature and 1993 Commonwealth Writers' Prize Best Book Africa.
10. He died on 4th September, 2016.
11. He is survived by his wife Obiageli, his children - Ediru, Ugo, Afigo and Onome.
Farewell Beloved Icon of Africa!!!
Sunday, 4 September 2016
THE CONCEPT OF LITERATURE
THE CONCEPT OF LITERATURE
To understand literature, two basic postulations come to mind by RENE WELLECK and AUSTIN WARREN in their book titled, The Theory of Literature. Their argument is that literature can be examined from two perspectives.
i. The Open Perspective: This view sees literature as the work of the imagination or a fantastic creation of fiction that has a semblance to reality. This is why literature is related to verisimilitude, that is to say that literature is not the truth but very similar to the truth. "The Writer is the greatest liar who speaks the truth."
ii. The Close Perspective: This view supposes that for anybody to produce literature, that person must be literate. That is, a person must be able to read and write to create literature.
Thursday, 1 September 2016
FOOD: ROASTED PLANTAIN AND CHICKEN
ROASTED PLANTAIN AND ROASTED CHICKEN (BOLI AND CHICKEN )
This is another 'street food' in Nigeria. It is popularly called "boli and chicken". It is prepared both in the day and night at street corners and is a cheap and yet filling, tasty combination. Go grab a bite, it is hotter and tastier on the street. Catch the fun!!!
Recipe for Roasted Plantain
1. Prepare equipment for roasting (hot charcoal,etc) and wash and peel the plantain.
2. Cut the Plantains into the shape desired
3. Spread the plantain on a baking sheet.
4. Brush plantain with little vegetable oil.
5. Add salt, garlic powder, ginger, and pepper and Sprinkle mixture on the plantain.
6. Roast for about 5-10 minutes. turning them over about after 3 minutes.
Note: Be careful not to burn the plantain.
Recipe for Roasted Chicken
1. Prepare equipment for roasting (hot charcoal,etc) and wash and cut the chicken.
This is another 'street food' in Nigeria. It is popularly called "boli and chicken". It is prepared both in the day and night at street corners and is a cheap and yet filling, tasty combination. Go grab a bite, it is hotter and tastier on the street. Catch the fun!!!
Recipe for Roasted Plantain
1. Prepare equipment for roasting (hot charcoal,etc) and wash and peel the plantain.
2. Cut the Plantains into the shape desired
3. Spread the plantain on a baking sheet.
4. Brush plantain with little vegetable oil.
5. Add salt, garlic powder, ginger, and pepper and Sprinkle mixture on the plantain.
6. Roast for about 5-10 minutes. turning them over about after 3 minutes.
Note: Be careful not to burn the plantain.
Recipe for Roasted Chicken
1. Prepare equipment for roasting (hot charcoal,etc) and wash and cut the chicken.
2. Place chicken in a pan, and season generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Sprinkle inside and out with onion powder.
3. Heat for about 6 minutes or till it is soft and hot.
4. Put a little vegetable oil in the pan and place the chicken in it.
5. Roast uncovered for about 30 minutes.
3. Heat for about 6 minutes or till it is soft and hot.
4. Put a little vegetable oil in the pan and place the chicken in it.
5. Roast uncovered for about 30 minutes.
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