Reading Notes: African Lang Stories- Part A&B
Part A-
The story of Motikatika is a classic example of the theme I see most in African stories, which is the development of a very repetitive plot, that does not reveal whatsoever the correct way it is going to end. When I say repetitive plot, I mean the same conflict may occur several times before it is ever resolved. For example, in the story of Motikatika, the mother comes up with four (I counted) different ways that the ogre can obtain the child she has promised, and each plan failing after the other. As any reader, after the fourth time reading the same idea, you are going to start questioning where the story is going. When I say it does not reveal the correct way it is going to go, I mean that African stories are so good at twisting the ending around in a manner that is opposite of what the readers were lead to believe while reading the story. In the adventures of the Jackal, the story’s plot takes us on a wild goose chase (no pun intended) with events and details that seem so irrelevant throughout the story, only to bring us to the end where the main character is killed in a simple way, and boom the story is over just like that. At the same time, it is the most amazing and most confusing thing about African tales, which is their ability to tell a whole story, develop everything there is to know about a character, only to kill them off in the last line of the story, and have the entire story end right there. This style, however, is so enjoyable for me to read personally, and why I was so attracted to African stories in the first place. What is frustrating is how hard it is to mock this style of writing for your own stories. It is an element that I very much wish I could incorporate into my storybook, but I feel that there is no way I could replicate it without sounding silly.
The story of Motikatika is a classic example of the theme I see most in African stories, which is the development of a very repetitive plot, that does not reveal whatsoever the correct way it is going to end. When I say repetitive plot, I mean the same conflict may occur several times before it is ever resolved. For example, in the story of Motikatika, the mother comes up with four (I counted) different ways that the ogre can obtain the child she has promised, and each plan failing after the other. As any reader, after the fourth time reading the same idea, you are going to start questioning where the story is going. When I say it does not reveal the correct way it is going to go, I mean that African stories are so good at twisting the ending around in a manner that is opposite of what the readers were lead to believe while reading the story. In the adventures of the Jackal, the story’s plot takes us on a wild goose chase (no pun intended) with events and details that seem so irrelevant throughout the story, only to bring us to the end where the main character is killed in a simple way, and boom the story is over just like that. At the same time, it is the most amazing and most confusing thing about African tales, which is their ability to tell a whole story, develop everything there is to know about a character, only to kill them off in the last line of the story, and have the entire story end right there. This style, however, is so enjoyable for me to read personally, and why I was so attracted to African stories in the first place. What is frustrating is how hard it is to mock this style of writing for your own stories. It is an element that I very much wish I could incorporate into my storybook, but I feel that there is no way I could replicate it without sounding silly.
Bibliography: Andrew Lang, The Crimson Fairy Book, African Lang Stories
Reading Notes B-
For
this reading, the randomizer brought me to African Stories (Lang) Unit- shocker
right!? Something that I notice every time when I read stories from Africa, but
have never really commented on it, is the stories ability to jump from one odd
statement to another. Granted, I think part of it is the fault of translations,
but sometimes these stories jump from A to B so rapidly, and without context,
that it blows my mind. For example, in the story of Makoma we have the main
character who as a boy, threw himself into crocodile infested waters, only to
emerge a fully grown man that was now worshipped by the town. He then feels
compelled to set out on a journey, where he meets a huge giant making
mountains?? Sometimes I genuinely do not understand where the inspiration for
these stories may have come from, or what the meaning of them could possibly
be! It really is such a unique style of writing that I have only seen within
the African unit, where the story develops and develops to the point where
you’re no longer sure where it is going, and then it reaches the end and the
outcome is usually the opposite of what you were expecting, and most times very
anti-climactic may I add. In the story that I mentioned earlier, Makoma, the
main character spends the entire story growing stronger and stronger, and
collecting powers from the giants as he goes along. He becomes a stronger
fighter every time he encounters a new challenge and wins. This eventually
leads him to his final battle, against someone ten times bigger than him. They
end up battling for two days, until finally a great spirit from above comes
down and claims them both as great. This Great Spirit then decides he wants
them both for himself, and takes them to the clouds, making them invisible to
those on earth. Not the expected ending, right? However, if one can spot the
deeper spiritual meaning, then the whole story comes to make sense. Usually
however, this is not revealed until the very end!
Bibliography: Andrew Lang, The Orange Fairy Book, African Lang Stories
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