Ken,
I have been meaning to respond to your post but between social media and my professional obligations, I simply have been too tired to attempt anything. Your post has been on my mind, and tonight after dragging myself to bed from dragging my 14-year old away from his Halloween party at close to midnight, I fell upon a brilliant idea, I will simply cut and paste my opinions on the subject this week, on Facebook. Here goes:
1. Writers should write what they want and readers should read what they want. African writers and readers do protest too much. But on balance, readers have the upper hand in this matter. Our writers tend to take themselves too seriously. We do make love in "Africa" you know? Try to convince a child today anywhere in the world to read your favorite African novel. Good luck. They mostly find it boring, perhaps abusive. No one is saying don't talk about these issues, if we need an NGO report, we know where to get one. Givem that there is a [Western] readership out there that loves the single story, and many African writers do oblige them for fame and money. there will always be this debate. I think it is fair to ask for a balance in the stories.
2. In any case, Helon Habila doesn't really have much in terms of moral authority to call NoViolet Bulawayo on her choice of subjects, he is being quite disingenuous, his novels have not been exactly "Halleluyah Nigeria is going through a renaissance!" They are the very definition of poverty porn. Talk about the kettle calling the kettle black. Everything has to have context, many of us worry about the politics of literature, the slanted representation of a single Africa. Writers are right to be concerned about the growing chorus of skepticism about the constant portrayal of Africa in a certain light to the detriment of other aspects of the continent's storied existence. But then, much of this is academic Ken. The traditional writer is waning in influence. The book is dying a long slow death. And for my money, the best African novels are Twitter and Facebook. Reading anything else is a chore. And not as authentic.I find that I have to discipline myself hard these days to read a book.
3. Brian Bwesigwe's frustrations are almost understandable but then, Habila is not an Afropolitan, whatever that means these days. Perhaps we should all relax, Habila has every right to his own opinions. NoViolet Bulawayo is living the dream of most writers - to be celebrated and honored with glowing reviews accolades and awards. The occasional bad review is ok. Anyone would take that. I don't understand Bwesigwe's rage in that respect; why are you writers primed to look only at the empty half of a glass?
4. Perhaps the problem is that we are swinging at the symptoms of an ongoing gentrification - the evolving/dwindling role of the book as a tool for advocacy. You don't need to write a book/short story to advocate for change. There are faster tools. If you are going to engage today's readers, the question is, how, what, when, where?
5. I do miss the books of my childhood. I was raised without TV and the Internet. I read the stories nonstop. And they were not really that single. Somehow they managed to make us dream. I remember Weep Not Child by James Ngugi as he was then called. Ah! When Njoroge fell in love with Mwihaki, I "swooned" and 'fainted.* I almost changed my name to Njoroge sef! And when they moved apart, I did not eat for days. Now, that is how to write the single story. LOL!
I have been meaning to respond to your post but between social media and my professional obligations, I simply have been too tired to attempt anything. Your post has been on my mind, and tonight after dragging myself to bed from dragging my 14-year old away from his Halloween party at close to midnight, I fell upon a brilliant idea, I will simply cut and paste my opinions on the subject this week, on Facebook. Here goes:
1. Writers should write what they want and readers should read what they want. African writers and readers do protest too much. But on balance, readers have the upper hand in this matter. Our writers tend to take themselves too seriously. We do make love in "Africa" you know? Try to convince a child today anywhere in the world to read your favorite African novel. Good luck. They mostly find it boring, perhaps abusive. No one is saying don't talk about these issues, if we need an NGO report, we know where to get one. Givem that there is a [Western] readership out there that loves the single story, and many African writers do oblige them for fame and money. there will always be this debate. I think it is fair to ask for a balance in the stories.
2. In any case, Helon Habila doesn't really have much in terms of moral authority to call NoViolet Bulawayo on her choice of subjects, he is being quite disingenuous, his novels have not been exactly "Halleluyah Nigeria is going through a renaissance!" They are the very definition of poverty porn. Talk about the kettle calling the kettle black. Everything has to have context, many of us worry about the politics of literature, the slanted representation of a single Africa. Writers are right to be concerned about the growing chorus of skepticism about the constant portrayal of Africa in a certain light to the detriment of other aspects of the continent's storied existence. But then, much of this is academic Ken. The traditional writer is waning in influence. The book is dying a long slow death. And for my money, the best African novels are Twitter and Facebook. Reading anything else is a chore. And not as authentic.I find that I have to discipline myself hard these days to read a book.
3. Brian Bwesigwe's frustrations are almost understandable but then, Habila is not an Afropolitan, whatever that means these days. Perhaps we should all relax, Habila has every right to his own opinions. NoViolet Bulawayo is living the dream of most writers - to be celebrated and honored with glowing reviews accolades and awards. The occasional bad review is ok. Anyone would take that. I don't understand Bwesigwe's rage in that respect; why are you writers primed to look only at the empty half of a glass?
4. Perhaps the problem is that we are swinging at the symptoms of an ongoing gentrification - the evolving/dwindling role of the book as a tool for advocacy. You don't need to write a book/short story to advocate for change. There are faster tools. If you are going to engage today's readers, the question is, how, what, when, where?
5. I do miss the books of my childhood. I was raised without TV and the Internet. I read the stories nonstop. And they were not really that single. Somehow they managed to make us dream. I remember Weep Not Child by James Ngugi as he was then called. Ah! When Njoroge fell in love with Mwihaki, I "swooned" and 'fainted.* I almost changed my name to Njoroge sef! And when they moved apart, I did not eat for days. Now, that is how to write the single story. LOL!
this is very interesting.
here's my view.
(first, habila criticizes noviolet bulawayo for writing about all the bad things in africa; he says, it's as though she has a checklist, and ticks off one horrible thing after another)
i hate this kind of criticism. not because it says we should be concerned with ugly representations of africa. not because she wrote a pretty great book that does what he says. but because the criticism is misguided.
if she wrote about things he liked, would that make the book any better? is there a checklist of good topics that provide some kind of quality, regardless of the writing?
here is the truth: she could have written badly about the topics she chose, or she could have written well. most of the writing is excellent. there is maybe one chapter where the writing is not so hot.
the book is great in terms of character, style, and voice, and in the overall narrative it creates.
whether it deals with positive or negative images of africa is not the issue, is not relevant, and, in fact, doesn't carry the political valence that should concern us with the term afropessimism. i think if we are politically retrograde, and still wrote only about positive aspects in africa, with poor writing, we do more damage than if we write about bad things, but do so with a voice and vision whose goal is not simplistic.
however, come to think of it, it is also possible, i believe, to criticize good writing, but on the grounds of its politics. i think of naipaul's racial representations and shudder. The Bend in the River does inexcusable things in its representation of africans. alas, he is a good writer. so was shakespeare, and i can't say i like the figure of shylock.
how far can we push this logic?
not sure. The Birth of the Nation was repulsive in its representations of african americans. it revolutionized filmmaking. but there are scenes i can't stomach.
i guess i'd have to return to habila's point, and simply argue that the foundation for her critique is not based in racist denigrations of zimbabweans or africans, but contains a critique of the conditions and politics of mugabe's govt.
after all--if you read the review you'll see he mentions mugabe's takeover of the whites' lands and houses, but not his crushing of the democratic opposition. and if we can accept that that is legitimate, we can then say, well, Anthills of the Savannah, and, well, most of soyinka's fiction and drama also critiques much in nigerian society.
ken
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here's my view.
(first, habila criticizes noviolet bulawayo for writing about all the bad things in africa; he says, it's as though she has a checklist, and ticks off one horrible thing after another)
i hate this kind of criticism. not because it says we should be concerned with ugly representations of africa. not because she wrote a pretty great book that does what he says. but because the criticism is misguided.
if she wrote about things he liked, would that make the book any better? is there a checklist of good topics that provide some kind of quality, regardless of the writing?
here is the truth: she could have written badly about the topics she chose, or she could have written well. most of the writing is excellent. there is maybe one chapter where the writing is not so hot.
the book is great in terms of character, style, and voice, and in the overall narrative it creates.
whether it deals with positive or negative images of africa is not the issue, is not relevant, and, in fact, doesn't carry the political valence that should concern us with the term afropessimism. i think if we are politically retrograde, and still wrote only about positive aspects in africa, with poor writing, we do more damage than if we write about bad things, but do so with a voice and vision whose goal is not simplistic.
however, come to think of it, it is also possible, i believe, to criticize good writing, but on the grounds of its politics. i think of naipaul's racial representations and shudder. The Bend in the River does inexcusable things in its representation of africans. alas, he is a good writer. so was shakespeare, and i can't say i like the figure of shylock.
how far can we push this logic?
not sure. The Birth of the Nation was repulsive in its representations of african americans. it revolutionized filmmaking. but there are scenes i can't stomach.
i guess i'd have to return to habila's point, and simply argue that the foundation for her critique is not based in racist denigrations of zimbabweans or africans, but contains a critique of the conditions and politics of mugabe's govt.
after all--if you read the review you'll see he mentions mugabe's takeover of the whites' lands and houses, but not his crushing of the democratic opposition. and if we can accept that that is legitimate, we can then say, well, Anthills of the Savannah, and, well, most of soyinka's fiction and drama also critiques much in nigerian society.
ken
On 10/29/13 12:59 PM, Ikhide wrote:
--"It is now a trend, that any story out of Africa that deals with deprivation, misrule and suffering is met with loud outcries of poverty-porn from a group of Africans Taiye Selasi defined as Afropolitans. Writing in Lip Magazine in 2005, Taiye described Afropolitans as "the newest generation of African emigrants … (known by a) funny blend of London fashion, New York jargon, African ethics, and academic successes."The Nigerian writer and academic Helon Habila is one such Afropolitan. Born and raised in Nigeria, Habila teaches in a North American university, has achieved success in the literary world, with a slew of writing prizes to his name. His review in The Guardian of NoViolet Bulawayo's Booker prize shortlisted book We Need New Names represents the classic Afropolitan response to any story dealing with a reality many Africans living on the continent are familiar with."- Brian Bwesigwe- IkhideStalk my blog at http://www.xokigbo.com/Follow me on Twitter: @ikhideJoin me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ikhide
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-- kenneth w. harrow faculty excellence advocate professor of english michigan state university department of english 619 red cedar road room C-614 wells hall east lansing, mi 48824 ph. 517 803 8839 harrow@msu.edu--
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