LITERARY PERSONALITY: RICHARD WRIGHT

HEY! WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT RICHARD WRIGHT?

1. His full name is Richard Nathaniel Wright
2. He was born on 14th September, 1908

3. He died on 28th November, 1960
4. He was an African American author
5. He wrote mostly on Racism and Class discrimination
6. His place of birth is Natchez Mississippi
7. His most popular work is a collection of short stories titled Uncle Tom's Children
8. His novel Black Boy is an Autobiography. It tells about Richard's life from 1912-1936
9. He wrote and published his first story at age 15, "The Voodoo of Hell's Half Acre."
10. He was a communist
11. The FBI had him under surveillance from 1943
12. Wright move to France in 1946
13. In 1953, Wright traveled to the Gold Coast (now Ghana)
14. He contracted amoebic dysentery during the time he spent in the Gold Coast in 1957 and became very ill on June 26, 1959
15. He was interested in cultural studies, he wrote a book on the Indonesian cultures during his brief stay in Indonesia
16. He revolted against America and so much hated America. Even when he had financial problems, he refused to join in the programs done on the Canadian radio because he suspected American control
17. Wright's very last public appearance as a healthy man was on the 8th of November, 1960 in a polemical lecture, "The Situation of the Black Artist and Intellectual in the United States."
18. He died at age 52 in Paris of a heart attack
19. His daughter Julia Wright continues to claim that Richard (her father) was murdered
20. He wrote over 4000 poems in the last days of his life
21. His first wife is Dhimah Rose Meidman and the marriage lasted a year. He married Ellen Poplar in 1941
22. He had two daughters - Rachel (1949) and Julia (1942)
23. His wife Ellen died at age 92 in 2004
24. His best selling work remains Black Boy
25. His works have won many awards.

LITERARY GIST

TOUGH COMPETITION FOR "BROOKLYN EAGLE LITERARY PRIZE" 2016

       The Brooklyn Eagle literary prize honors works of fiction and nonfiction written "by authors who have lived in Brooklyn, portrayed the borough in their work or addressed themes relevant to its life and culture," according to Brooklyn Public Library as the shortlist was announced.

This literary prize was awarded to Atticus Lish for "Preparation for the Next Life" in the fiction category and "The Edge Becomes the Center: An Oral History of Gentrification in the 21st Century" by D.W Gibson, in non-fiction category.

The nominations for the Award were submitted earlier this year by local bookstores and libraries in Brooklyn, USA and then the shortlist was prepared during the summer. A selected panel of authors and critics will have to critically examine and review the shortlisted books.

The judges will be unveiled at a reading by shortlisted authors held on 13th September, 2016 at Franklin Park, located 618 St. Johns Place.

The winners will be announced on 21st October, 2016 at the BROOKLYN CLASSIC which is the Brooklyn Eagles' fundraising event. The winning fiction and nonfiction author will be awarded with $2,500.

These are the books both in the categories of  fiction and non-fiction that have been shortlisted for the prize:

Shortlist for the fiction category:

1. "Don’t Let My Baby Do Rodeo" by Boris Fishman

2. "Bright Lines" by Tanwi Nandini Islam

3. "Ways to Disappear" by Idra Novey

Shortlist for the non-fiction category:

1. "Lockdown on Rikers: Shocking Stories of Abuse and Injustice at New York's Notorious Jail" by Mary E. Buser

2. "Kill ’Em and Leave" by James McBride

3. "Sunny’s Nights: Lost and Found at a Bar on the Edge of the World" by Tim Sultan.

A BEAUTIFUL LETTER FROM MY DAD TO ME

I received this letter in 1999 from my Dad who was in Germany at that time and my Mum has been keeping this letter for a time when I would be old enough to reply.

"Hi, my little Princess
Hope you're fine each day
I trust the care of Mum for you
She will surely satisfy you
But whatsoever is left undone
Should be kept for Dad's return
Or sent to him by mail or phone.

ADA IS A LITTLE PRINCESS
PRETTY AS THE MUM AND DAD
A LITTLE BEAUTY HERE AND THERE
MAKING HER PRETTIER THAN THE PRETTIEST
YOUR LITTLE CRY AT DEAD OF NIGHT
CALLING US FOR FOOD OR PLAY
SEEMED A LITTLE TROUBLE TO BEAR
BUT HOW I LONG TO SHARE FROM IT AGAIN
O, LITTLE PRINCESS
EXCUSE MY ABSENCE AT BREAKFAST
LUNCH AND DINNER FOR NOW
I WILL BE WITH YOU SOONER OF LATER
IT IS FOR THE GOOD OF ALL OF US I TOIL"

From: Dad
To: His little Princess

I replied this letter today in 2016. I am old enough now to reply.

"Hi, my lovely Dad
I know you are doing great
I know you are happier with each passing day
As you are doing whatsoever was left undone
Now you have returned
You are nearby now and there's no need for mail or phone

MY DAD IS THE BEST DAD IN THE WORLD
HIS LOVE IS WIDE AND HIS SMILE IS SO BROAD
SO MANY YEARS HAVE GONE BY
AND I NO MORE CRY AT THE DEAD OF THE NIGHT
NO MORE FUNNY TROUBLES TO BEAR
BUT HOW I LONG FOR THOSE TIMES AGAIN
YOU ARE NOW AVAILABLE AT BREAKFAST
LUNCH AND DINNER
AND I NOW REALIZE THAT YOU ALWAYS TREATED US RIGHT
I BELIEVE THAT SOMEDAY I WOULD HELP YOU TOO
FOR ALL THE TOIL YOU PASSED THROUGH FOR US"

From: Ada
To: Her great Dad

THE ORIGIN OF MEDIEVAL DRAMA

HOW DID IT BEGIN?

    The origin of medieval drama can be traced to man's search for a father-like figure. Drama started by imitation of the real life and when man discovered religion, he incorporated ritual into it. Soon, man began to imitate the ritual ceremony and drama developed. Some scholars argue that drama started when man sought for a means to create aesthetics through the beauty and art in what is common around us, and through our every day lives man was able to create drama.

     Medieval drama originated from religious festivals and colorful presentations which were part of the English cultural life in the medieval era. The advent of Christianity in the British isles brought about changes in the lives of the British. Their traditional festivals were condemned as pagan and were immediately replaced by Christian festivals. The Christian festivals were a means through which Bible doctrines could be taught to the people. The Mystery plays and miracle plays were extracted from the Bible and based on church doctrines; they were acted out during the festivals.

    The Catholic mass is considered to be the first Christian drama acted. Medieval drama originated from Church doctrines and festivals.

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

     This is an aspect of literature which has not been sufficiently looked into. In this branch of literary production, books are published largely with children's interests and gains in mind. The mode of writing children's literature is different from that of the adult literature. Children's literature focuses on children and portrays children in their innocence and in a view that makes them respond with imagination and pleasure. The writer of children's literature must bear in mind that the psychology of children is different from that of the adults and that their understanding of words and perceptions of situations is different from those of the adults. The aim of most children's literature is to teach morals and entertain the children.
     A literature designed for children must draw its settings, actions and events from the things the child is familiar with, like using the house, the school, the church, etc. Values must be inculcated in the child through the literature and the literature must arouse the child's creativity and imagination. Children books must have pictures to aid understanding.

STYLE OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

1. SIMPLE LANGUAGE: Simple words and sentences should be used to aid understanding.
2. PICTORIAL REPRESENTATION: Pictures of the actions and events in the book capture the child's attention.
3. It must teach morals.
4. PLOT STRUCTURE: The linear plot should be used. use of complex plot structure would confuse the child.
5. Familiar characters, settings, events, actions and language should be used.
6. It must be entertaining to arrest the children's attention.

AFRICAN LITERATURE

WHAT MAKES A LITERARY WORK AFRICAN?

        African literature is an old branch of literature. Many scholars have presented their views on African literature but I abide with those who believe that Africa has always had literature though it was in the oral form. With the emergence of modernism and the need to present literature that is wide spread, African literature is now seen in the written form. However, there has been many arguments on 'how to identify African literature.' Simply writing about Africa doesn't make a literary work an African text.

What makes a text to be called 'African'?

1. The author must be of African descent by birth or naturalization

2. The experiences in the text must be the experiences of Africans

3. African literature is "literature written by an African, for an African audience, in an African language and it communicates the African experiences."

     In an African language means there should be use of local color. The characters' mode of speech and the actions should reflect African sensibility.

     When looking at the African prose, the elements to look out for are: 

 1. Witchcraft and belief in supernatural beings/deities

 2. Proverbs - "proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten"

 3. Local color

 4. Magic

 5. Mysticism

 6. colonialism

 7. Women degradation

 8. Love, marriage and child birth

 9. Physical prowess as economic advantage, etc. 

      The above elements highlight the 'Africanness' of a literary work.

SHORT STORY ANALYSIS

"LEAVING" by M.G. Vassangi

      The story is a satire. It criticizes an East African society where nepotism is at its best. The story explores social injustice in a society where having a godfather is the only way to gain benefits and possess rights. Aloo, a young intelligent boy gets a scholarship to study at the California Institute of Technology but his mother is unwilling to let him go because she fears that she would lose her son to the 'Western society and its mannerisms' such as drugs, cultism, etc.The peak of her fears is the thought of her son marrying a White woman.
   The story also reveals the pitiable plight of widows who are not among the wealthy in the society. They are neglected and insulted. Aloo's mother is really lonely because her children are gradually leaving home and moving away from her. This is also one of the reasons she is reluctant to release Aloo for overseas studies.
    However, despite the odds, Aloo's dreams of schooling abroad are fulfilled.

POINT OF VIEW
First person point of view.

DICTION/LANGUAGE
There is a tone of lament and the author uses words that spark the imagery of uncertainty, fear of the unknown, ignorance, determination, sympathy and hope

PLOT STRUCTURE
The plot is the linear plot structure

SETTINGS
The era is the post colonial era in Eastern Africa. The geographical locations are Upanga and London.

CHARACTERIZATION
Aloo is the main character and the narrator of the story.