Acceptance of the Past and Adaptability in the Present Human capability to move on from the past and change according to their situation allows them to live genuine lives. In “The Pig," an old, sad man found unlikely companionship and even friendship in a pig given to him by his grandson to raise. When the pig died, he was upset at first, but eventually took part in eating it with his neighbors. The story’s author, Barbara Kimenye, a Ugandan writer, published a number of books for children and tends to shows her characters in a positive light despite their negative environment (“Barbara Kimenye”). This aspect of her writing is seen in the man and pig in their oppressive and judgmental society. In “And of Clay Are We Created," a young
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From around 1881 to 1914, major European empires began their exploration and colonization of the south, this movement became known as the scramble for Africa (Bulliet 744). The cultures that took hold of these African countries in the past played a big role in establishing the cultural identity of those same African states today, like the British who claimed Uganda, where both the story and Kimenye are from. Around the time of the 1950s and 60s, when the African states gained their political independence from their colonizers, writers began to “rediscover their own history and culture [by searching] through oral traditions and written archives to understand their past and build their national futures” (“The Literature of Africa” 257). This reshaping of identity with keeping the past in mind demonstrates the importance of a culture’s or person's past to their identity. In the story, after his pig dies, Kibuka, “realized he was eating and thoroughly enjoying the succulence of his late friend … smiling to himself at the knowledge that there would be no need to take a walk” (Kimenye 323). Kibuka had to accept his companion's death in order to continue on with his life and to even enjoy a meal. By coming to terms with the past, it becomes to move on and establish a …show more content…
A major component of African literature is Negritude, the expression of a pure African culture. Negritude, present in Kimenye’s words, is “literature inspired by the socialism of nostalgia” (Mwaria 223). This art form centers around being true to the culture's history by protecting the African identity through literature and human expression. African writers “ insisted that the increasingly complex, industrial societies of Europe and America has much to learn from the rich and vibrant culture of Africa” which was clearly demonstrated through their self-asserting literature (“Literature of Africa” 257). Writers portrayed the importance of their rich, deeply-rooted culture that had become a part of who they were and guided them forward in their lives. In the story, the pig represents the protected and cherished African culture. Kibuka expresses that “there were occasions where [he] actually entertained the notion of parting with his pet at the first good offer” and even his reluctance to leave his cherished pet alone at times symbolizes the efforts of Africans to preserve their innate culture that had become ingrained as a part of them and who they are from being degraded by outsiders (Kimenye 318-322). Through the story, it can be denounced that through the preservation of the past, one is able to move on using those
From around 1881 to 1914, major European empires began their exploration and colonization of the south, this movement became known as the scramble for Africa (Bulliet 744). The cultures that took hold of these African countries in the past played a big role in establishing the cultural identity of those same African states today, like the British who claimed Uganda, where both the story and Kimenye are from. Around the time of the 1950s and 60s, when the African states gained their political independence from their colonizers, writers began to “rediscover their own history and culture [by searching] through oral traditions and written archives to understand their past and build their national futures” (“The Literature of Africa” 257). This reshaping of identity with keeping the past in mind demonstrates the importance of a culture’s or person's past to their identity. In the story, after his pig dies, Kibuka, “realized he was eating and thoroughly enjoying the succulence of his late friend … smiling to himself at the knowledge that there would be no need to take a walk” (Kimenye 323). Kibuka had to accept his companion's death in order to continue on with his life and to even enjoy a meal. By coming to terms with the past, it becomes to move on and establish a …show more content…
A major component of African literature is Negritude, the expression of a pure African culture. Negritude, present in Kimenye’s words, is “literature inspired by the socialism of nostalgia” (Mwaria 223). This art form centers around being true to the culture's history by protecting the African identity through literature and human expression. African writers “ insisted that the increasingly complex, industrial societies of Europe and America has much to learn from the rich and vibrant culture of Africa” which was clearly demonstrated through their self-asserting literature (“Literature of Africa” 257). Writers portrayed the importance of their rich, deeply-rooted culture that had become a part of who they were and guided them forward in their lives. In the story, the pig represents the protected and cherished African culture. Kibuka expresses that “there were occasions where [he] actually entertained the notion of parting with his pet at the first good offer” and even his reluctance to leave his cherished pet alone at times symbolizes the efforts of Africans to preserve their innate culture that had become ingrained as a part of them and who they are from being degraded by outsiders (Kimenye 318-322). Through the story, it can be denounced that through the preservation of the past, one is able to move on using those