LITERATURE AND REFORMATION IN CHILDREN IN UMOINYANG UMOINYANG’S THE SACRED COW AND JOSEPH AKPABIO’S SUCCESSFUL FAILURE

Abstract: This research work examines literature and reformation in children in Umoinyang Umoinyang’s the sacred cow and Joseph Akpabio’s successful failure. It is discovered in the study that literature is a work of art that examines a people’s culture, tradition their historical and experiences. While reformation means making changes to something with the intention of setting it back on the right path. The study also shows that literature and reformation play a vital role in every society. Looking at the two plays for instance, Umoinyang uses literature to portray what goes in every family on the issue of bareness as well as perseverance from the two couple.  While Akpabio on the other hand portrays the effect and consequences of immorality among some youths as seen in the characters under investigation.  The study therefore recommends that husbands and wives should always have hope on God no matter any circumstances in terms of barrenness. In the same vein, children should always be sincere to their parents in aspects of their education.

LITERATURE AND REFORMATION IN CHILDREN IN UMOINYANG UMOINYANG’S THE SACRED COW AND JOSEPH AKPABIO’S SUCCESSFUL FAILURE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background to the study

Literature generally evolves from a people’s historical and cultural experiences. Both male and female African writers explore their culture as sources of inspirations in their literary writings. This point justifies by Ngugi Wa Thiongo’s Home coming that:

Literature is primarily concerned with what any political and economic arrangement does to the spirit and the values governing human relationships. Who nobody has passed through the major cities of Europe and America, where capitalism is in full bloom, can ever wish the same fate in Africa as far as human relationships are concerned. He cannot have failed to see the abject of poverty, the mood and psychological degradation and the cultural impoverishment of large masses of the population…amidst plenty and luxury enjoyed by so few (xvii).

No doubt, literature contains people’s images of their history and of their place in the universe. It is for this reason that Ngugi argues that the images that were represented to Kenyan children through the literature read in schools were not appropriate images. He went further to posit that… the children were made to look and analyse and evaluate the world as made and seen by Europeans. Worse, African children were confronted with a distorted image of themselves and their history as represented in European imperialist literature.

In the same vein, Ngugi calls all these cultural imperialism for reading and rethinking literature as he says:

It is time that we realized that the imperialist bourgeois experience of history as reflected in their art and literature is not the universal experience of history (38).

In this way, Ngugi developed a critical mentality in people and also setting himself as an example by writing literature that makes him to be “regarded today by the younger generation as probably transformed. It is while reflecting on the sociological importance of literature and reformation for children that the background to this research work intends to examine the two plays under investigation.

It is on this point this study aims at investigating literature and reformation in Umoinyang Umoinyang’s The Sacred Cow and Joseph Akpabio’s Successful Failure.

1.2       Statement of the Problem

African literature in general, is responsive for social phenomena, providing discussions over themes from cultural to political issues. Therefore, it is characterized by linguistic diffusion and significant cultural diversity within regions and countries.

In the twentieth century, most African writers preoccupied themselves with issues affecting the masses like: colonialism, oppression and disillusionment by the colonial masters. Still, the problem of discrimination is still affecting African society today. It is on this point that the study examines literature and reformation in the two novels under study.

1.3       Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study is to critically examine literature and reformation in Children inUmoinyang Umoinyang’s The Sacred Cow and Joseph Akpabio’s Successful Failure.

1.4       Significance of the study

This research work will be of immense benefits to researchers on the important of literature and how it reforms the society. The study will also help students of literature to understand the important and the usefulness of literature to the society.

LITERATURE AND REFORMATION IN CHILDREN IN UMOINYANG UMOINYANG’S THE SACRED COW AND JOSEPH AKPABIO’S SUCCESSFUL FAILURE

1.5       Objectives of the study

This study aimed at examining the following objectives:

(i)         to examine the important of literature and reformation in Umoinyang Umoinyang’s The Sacred Cow and Joseph Akpabio’s Successful Failure

(ii)        to understand the meaning of literature and reformation in children in our society

(iii)       to analyze the importance of literature and how it reforms the children in our society as portrayed  by Umoinyang’s The Sacred Cow and Joseph Akpabio’s Successful Failure.

1.6       Scope and Delimitation of the study

The scope of this research work is delimited to Umoinyang Umoinyang’s The Sacred Cow and Joseph Akpabio’s Successful Failure

1.7       Research Methodology

The primary sources for the material in the writing of this project work will be restricted to Umoinyang Umoinyang’s The Sacred Cow and Joseph Akpabio’s Successful Failure while novels from library, academic magazines and internet sources will be used in the study as secondary information.

Originally posted on April 26, 2021 @ 9:46 am