Literature and culture: A critique of selected works of Kofi Awoonor and Ama Ata Aidoo

Main Article Content

Nathaniel Glover-Meni
Samuel Bewiadzi Akakpo

Abstract

Humans strive to attain excellence by instituting norms that guide the conduct of constituent members. This effort is the basis of culture. One of the key mediums for transmitting culture is literature because it possesses the capacity to influence the way people think, shaping their attitudes. This paper, however, underscores the relationship between language and culture, sings some selected works of Awoonor and Aidoo as illustrations. For Aidoo, the focus is on her play “Anowa”, while for Awoonor, two of his poems, namely “The Weaver Bird” and “The Cathedral” are used in unravelling the ways that literature helps the reader to achieve excellence in his or her endeavours. The paper attacks the monopoly of Western culture, exposing its hideous aspects, favouring multiple cultures, not one globalised culture. It calls for changes in aspects of Ghanaian culture that tends to suppress the attainment of full rights by women.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article Details

How to Cite
Glover-Meni, N., & Akakpo, S. B. (2020). Literature and culture: A critique of selected works of Kofi Awoonor and Ama Ata Aidoo. Hybrid Journal of Literary and Cultural Studies, 2(3), 47-61. https://doi.org/10.58256/hjlcs.v2i3.252
Section
Articles
Author Biographies

Nathaniel Glover-Meni, Department of General and Liberal Studies, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana

Nathaniel Glover-Meni has worked variously as a university lecturer, communications specialist, and journalist over the last twenty years. He lectures at the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ho, Ghana. He holds an MPhil and Bachelor’s degree from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and, at the moment, completing his doctoral studies. He worked as Communications/Media Specialist with Nestlé Central & West and, after that role, served as Communications Manager with Stratcomm Africa, a total/strategic media communication concern based in Accra. His research interests include Literary Journalism, Eco-Critical Journalism, and Environment, Literature and Communication. He was formerly the Public Relations Officer of Takoradi Technical University, Ghana.

Samuel Bewiadzi Akakpo, Department of General and Liberal Studies, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana

Samuel Bewiadzi Akakpo is a Senior Member in the Department of General and Liberal Studies, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana. He is currently the Acting Head of the Department. He holds a Master of Philosophy degree in African Studies from the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon. His research interests span History and Politics, Governance, Culture and Medical Anthropology. He is currently a Doctoral Candidate at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon and also the Honourable Assembly Member for the Hofedo Electoral Area in the Ho Municipality of the Volta Region.

How to Cite

Glover-Meni, N., & Akakpo, S. B. (2020). Literature and culture: A critique of selected works of Kofi Awoonor and Ama Ata Aidoo. Hybrid Journal of Literary and Cultural Studies, 2(3), 47-61. https://doi.org/10.58256/hjlcs.v2i3.252

References

Achebe, C. (2001). An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's Heart of Darkness. In V. B. Leitch (Ed.). The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. New York: Norton.

Afful-Boachie, M. (2000). Anatomy of West African poetry. Accra: Akonta Publications.

Aidoo, A. A. (1983). Anowa. Suffolk: Longman.

Allan, T. (1999). Afterword. In A. A. Aidoo (Ed.). Changes. Accra: Sub-Saharan Publishers.

Angmor, C. (1996). Contemporary literature in Ghana (1911-1978): a critical evaluation. Accra: Woeli Publishing Services.

Arnold, M. (1869). Culture and anarchy. London: Cambridge University Press.

Awoonor, K. (1985). The weaver bird. In I. Donatus (Ed.). West African verse. Essex: Longman.

Awoonor, K. (1988). We have found a new land. In K. E. Senanu & K. Vincent (Ed.). A selection of African poetry. England: Longman Group Limited.

Barret, M. (1991). The Politics of Truth: From Marx to Foucault. Stanford: Stanford University Press.

Behrent, M. (1997). Matriliny and Slavery in Aidoo’s Anowa. Brown University.

Bertens, H. (2001). Literary theory: The basics. London: Routledge.

Bodley, J. H. (2008). Culture. In Microsoft Student 2009 [DVD].

Foss, A.K. & Littlejohn, S. W. (2009). Encyclopedia of Communication Theory. London: Sage Publications Inc

Frey, L., Botan, C., & Kreps, G. (1999). Investigating Communication: An Introduction to Research Methods. Boston, Allyn and Bacon.

Ghana National Commission on Culture (2004). Cultural policy of Ghana. Accra: NCC.

Herder, G. (1877). Complete Works. Berlin: Hg. V. B Suphan 13.

Lyons, J. (2009). Language and Linguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Mazrui, A. (1996). Perspective: The Muse of Modernity and the Quest for Development. In Microsoft Corporation.

Newell, S. (2006). West African literatures: ways of reading. New York: Oxford University Press.

Organization of African Unity (1969). Pan-African cultural manifesto. Algiers: OAU.

Sarpong, P. (1974). Ghana in retrospect: some aspects of Ghanaian culture. Tema: Ghana Publishing Corporation.

Sellnow, D. & Sellnow, T. (2001). The Illusions of Rhetorical Perspective: An Integrated Approach to the Study of Music in Media Communication. Critical Studies in Media Communication, 18, 395-415.

Tylor, E. B. (1871). Primitive Culture. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Williams, R. (1976). Keywords: A vocabulary of culture and society. London: Fontana/Croom Helm.