African Responses to European Literature about Africa

This chapter investigates the intricate intertextual discourse between African writers and their European counterparts, exploring their responses to the often distorted representations of Africa by European authors. From historical figures such as Luís de Camões and Joyce Cary to modern writers like Albert Camus and Louis-Ferdinand Céline, these encounters with Africa have had a significant impact on global literature. African writers, influenced by their European predecessors, navigate a nuanced relationship marked by both admiration and critique. They draw from similar literary traditions and styles while simultaneously challenging and subverting racist stereotypes. Through their narratives, they carve out a unique space, amplifying silenced voices and reclaiming agency over their own stories and identities. As agents of change, they reveal obscured truths and guide readers through the complexities of colonial and postcolonial histories. Ultimately, the African novelists discussed in this chapter demonstrate that just as imperialism is rooted in European history, modernism is an integral aspect of Africa’s narrative landscape, reshaping perceptions and reclaiming narratives for future generations.

Ethnic group · European union · Government (linguistics) · Work (physics) · Comparative and World Literature · German Colonialism and Identity Studies · Postcolonial and Cultural Literary Studies

• The Invention of Africa

  V Mudimbe•The invention of Africa•1988

  Add to list

• A Short History of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart

  Terri Ochiagha•Short History of Chinua Achebe's…•2018

  Add to list