ABSTRACT
This project work deals with a critical analysis of characters and their journey using the novels of Amos Tutuola’s The Palm- wine Drinkard and Gabriel A. Ajadi’s The Forest of God annotated translation of D. O. Fagunwa’s Igbo Olodumare.
This study tends to explore man and his adventurous life as a result
of his quest. Sociological approach was adopted in this study to show
that man in indispensable in the society and Journey (adventure) is
essential to man. Journey varies depending on the quest of an individual
coupled with determination and encouragement from people around.
Characters and Journey applies to everybody in life; you and I, our
quests and journeys through life void of fear.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Purpose of the Study
1.3 Justification
1.4 Scope of the Study
1.5 Research Questions
1.6 Research Methodology
Notes
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Reviews on the Authors
2.3 Sociological Approach
2.4 African Belief
2.5 Characters and Characterization
2.5.1 Types of Characters
2.6 Journey and Its Allegorical Interpretations
2.6.1 Allegory
2.6.2 Allegorical Interpretation for Journey
Notes
CHAPTER THREE
3.1 Amos Tutuola’s Biography
3.2 Tutuola And His Works
3.3 Summary of the Novel
3.4 Character Analysis
3.5 Analysis of the Palm-Wine Drinkard’s Journey in and Tutuola’s the
Palm-wine Drinkard
3.6 Notes
CHAPTER FOUR
Biographies of the Authors
O. Fagunwa’s Biography
A. Ajadi’s Biography
Fagunwa and His Works
Gabriel Ajadi’s Translation of Igbo Olodumare to Forest of God
Summary of the Novel
Character Analysis
The Analysis of Olowo-Aiye’s Journey in Ajadi’s the Forest of God
Notes
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY AND FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary and Findings
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendation
Bibliography
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Fiction can be defined as a true to life story or experience, written
out of imagination. Fiction is made – believe in as much as it does not
claim that events or character it presents are historically real.
African fiction can be defined as a true story written out of
imagination viz-a-viz cultural heritage and ideas introducing characters
and their environment. Most fictions especially Africans are about
people and how they interact. Fiction generally presents conflicts and
its resolution. Conflict can be between a person and nature but
generally, it is between two or more individuals. Occasionally, conflict
involves three individuals with different patterns of two – against –
one.
African fiction writers choose to create ‘facts’ in accordance with
the patterns of human behaviour or condition which he sets out to
present. So therefore, fiction or African fiction is not false or untrue
most of the time.
African writers use ‘characters’ and what the characters does or is
in their work to pass their messages across and the characters take the
position of the mind of the writers by acting upon the mind and the
imaginations of the writer which will be the main subject of this work.
The word ‘character’ is derived from the Greek word ‘charassein’ meaning to mark wit a cut or a furrow.
Characters can be defined as fictional persons or agents who carryout
the action in a story that is, they are the created being who undergoes
the experiences which fiction concern itself with.
The Uvic writers guide (1995) defines characters as the persons
presented in a work of narrative or drama who convey their personal
qualities through dialogue and action by which readers or audience
understand their thought, feelings, intentions and motives.
Character development is very important in a character – driven
literature. This is a well characterization of characters with many
traits in the narrative where the story does not focus on the events but
on individual personalities. A well developed character is one that has
thoroughly characterized with many traits shown in the narrative. He
acts according to the past instances provided by his invisible traits
unless more information about the character is provided. The better the
audience know the character, the better the character’s development.
Characterization can be defined as the method by which an author
creates or characterizes his character’s exposition, description,
narration and action rarely occur in pure form, but are intermixed with
one another. When an author portrays his characters almost entirely by
revealing the character’s recess and turns of words without any
authorial comments, he is simply inviting us to what is going on in the
character’s mind as indication of his personalities. He presents the
impact of action and events on character’s inner self. The internal or
unspoken processes of the character’s mind and emotions are revealed
inform of interior monologues.
Characters in fiction can be conveniently classified into major or
minor characters, static and dynamic characters. A major character is a
centre figure at the centre of a story’s action or theme while a minor
character occupies the minor areas of a story. Usually a character’s
status as a major or a minor character is clear on occasion. However two
characters dominate a story and their relationship matter most.
Characters either remain stable in their attitude through out a story and they are called static characters or they under go personal development or changes whether through a gradual process or crises of which they are called dynamic characters but in any case remain consistent in their basic nature.
Journey can be defined as an act of traveling from one place to
another especially when they are far apart. One can also go for a trip
which is somewhat a short journey that one embarks upon. According to
the free dictionary by farlex Collins English dictionary (2003) and
thasarus – farlex (2003-2008), Journey is the act of traveling from one
place to another; trip or voyage. According to Kemerman English
Multi-Lingual Dictionary (2006-2010), Journey is a distance traveled
especially over land etc.
Journeys mean several journeys to different places at each point of
the journey especially when they are far away or take a longer time to
get to or return.
Life is a journey; everyone is bound to travel on the path of life.
People in the society embark on a journey to find solution to their
problems. Journey may be a guest for knowledge, greener pasture,
solution to problems etc and there is no journey or adventure without a
reason and a target to where one is going. A journey embarked upon
without a target is an endless journey; a journey without a map and the
person is bound to get lost at any point in the course of his journey.
Everyone in life has one or two thing he/she wants to achieve in life.
While some may take a shorter journey to get there, others may take a
longer journey to get there. So individual quest in life varies.
According to the American Heritage, fourth edition (2000 updated in
2009), Journey is a process or course likened to traveling; passage: the
journey of life.
Characters and Journey which is the case study of this work in the
two texts; Gabriel Ajadi’s “The Forest of God” and Amos Tutuola’s “The
Palm-wine Drinkard”. These features were prominent and it is the main
subject of the books. The characters embarked on a journey, one (The
Palm-wine Drinkard) has the quest for solution while the other (Olowo
aiye) has the quest for knowledge and a quest for an opportunity to
prove himself as a powerful hunter who cannot be daunted by the awe of
the unknown.
The main characters embarked on a journey meeting with different
types of challenges on their way but they were not swallowed up. Each of
them was able to satisfy their inquisitiveness about where they went;
‘the Palm-Wine Drinkard’, to deads’ town in search for his palm-wine
Tapster while Olowo aiye, to Igbo Olodumare (The Forest of God) out
sheer love for adventure and a quest for an opportunity to prove himself
as a powerful hunter who cannot be daunted by the awe of the unknown.
They went, they saw and they conquered.
1.2 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to examine characters and their journey
to their respective destination in their adventurous life which is the
main features in Amos Tutuola’s The Palm- wine Drinkard and Gabriel A. Ajadi’s The Forest of God and also to examine and critically analyze the journey archetype or motif used by the authors to enrich their imaginations.
It is to explore the reasons for their Journey, the challenges faced
during their Journey and how they achieved their aims at the end of
their journey or adventure.
Finally, it is to have a cross examination of how characters and
their journeys go in line with the concept of life and the rich societal
and cosmological beliefs of African culture.
1.3 JUSTIFICATION
This study is embarked upon because no study of this nature to my
knowledge has focused specifically on characters and journey in Amos
Tutuola’s The Palm-wine Drinkard and Gabriel A. Ajadi’s. This Forest of God but a lot have been written about the books.
There is no doubt that a lot have been written about the books but
this topic is set to broaden human knowledge and fill the vacuum that
have been left unfilled in this field of study.
Finally, it is expected that after this, literature students will
have an insight and understanding about the text of different authors
and the character analysis of their works.
1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This research work will be limited to the selected texts by Amos
Tutuola and Gabriel A. Ajadi and due to the constraints of space and
time; the characters to be considered in the novels will be limited to
the protagonist which are The Palm-wine drinkard and Olowo aiye in Amos Tutuola’s The Palm – Wine Drinkard and G. A .Ajadi’s The Forest of God respectively and the journey they embarked upon with few minor characters in the novels.
There will also be an appraisal of author’s creativity and the
effective exploration of imagination which helped in the composition of
the events and the sequential arrangement of the story(s) and a brief
appreciation of the authors: Amos Tutuola and Gabriel A. Ajadi, the
writers of the Palm-wine Drinkard and The Forest of God respectively, and of course D.O Fagunwa will not be left out.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The research questions which will guide to properly analyzing the texts for a clearer understanding are as follows:-
Who are the Characters? What are the journey archetypes or motifs?
What are the motives of their journey? What were the challenges faced by
them in the course of their journey and how did they achieve their aims
at the end of their journey?
All these are the questions that this work will be providing answers to as the work progresses.
1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This study will be majorly based on both primary and secondary
sources. The approach that will be adopted in this research work is
sociological approach which will guide in vividly analyzing the texts
understudy. Sociological approach applies to the society and those who
inhabits in it because no work of art is written in vacuum and character
exploration in any literacy text is the representation of man in the
society at large. Also to show the functional relevance of characters
(man) and the (life) journey he embarks upon due to his quest in the
life (society).