Written Assignment
"How does Ferdinand Oyono use symbolic devices to illustrate the character development of the main character, Toundi, in Houseboy?"
With aspiration towards material and his fascination of the white man's world, during the French colonisation of Cameroon in the 1950's, Toundi Ondoua escapes his home and starts to reject native upbringing to be part of the white man's world. mad'. As Toundi, the protagonist of Ferdinand Oyono's novel Houseboy goes to discover his fascination of the white man's world and what it means to be part of it, he quickly adopts to white customs. However, Toundi's naivety and ignorance, results in him asking too many questions, and thereby he and thereby he struggles to adapt as a houseboy. Toundi indiscretion, …show more content…
The first thing that Toundi mentions in his first exercise book is that Father Gilbert has taught him to read and write, and therefore he can now write a diary, just like his master. However, he does not keep a diary with the knowledge towards what it means to keep a diary, “Keeping a diary is a white man's custom and what pleasure there is in it, I do not know. But I shall try it out.” (Oyono, 9). The diary is a symbol of how Toundi gradually adopts white customs. Through Oyono use of the diary as a symbol for Toundi's fascination of the white, the reader gets a clearer understanding for how Toundi rejects his native …show more content…
For the reader, the symbol of the sugar lumps creates further acknowledgment for the unawareness that Toundi has for what it means for him to Father Gilbert's “boy”. The irony that the reader notices through Oyono is built on the naivety in Toundi rejecting his native upbringing. This can also be seen through the pride that Toundi holds when he is given Western clothing by Father Gilbert (Oyono, 15). Father Gilbert treats Toundi as a mixture of a son and a slave, and because of Toundi's unconsciousness of how Father Gilbert is demeaning Toundi's humanity, as Toundi is being treated more as both a pet and an object, than he is as a person, Toundi values the kindness that Father Gilbert shows him. The Western clothing is a symbol of how Toundi gradually gets drawn closer to the white man's world, and how he is gradually adopting the white man's custom. The clothing also symbolizes Toundi pride and aspiration to live among the whites. For the reader there is a sense of irony in this, Toundi feels privileged to be a part of white man's world, and he truly believes that is a splendid honour to be Father Gilbert's “boy” (Oyono, 15). As the reader acknowledges how unaware Toundi of what it means to be a boy, the reader ends up fearing what troubles might face Toundi due to his
"How does Ferdinand Oyono use symbolic devices to illustrate the character development of the main character, Toundi, in Houseboy?"
With aspiration towards material and his fascination of the white man's world, during the French colonisation of Cameroon in the 1950's, Toundi Ondoua escapes his home and starts to reject native upbringing to be part of the white man's world. mad'. As Toundi, the protagonist of Ferdinand Oyono's novel Houseboy goes to discover his fascination of the white man's world and what it means to be part of it, he quickly adopts to white customs. However, Toundi's naivety and ignorance, results in him asking too many questions, and thereby he and thereby he struggles to adapt as a houseboy. Toundi indiscretion, …show more content…
The first thing that Toundi mentions in his first exercise book is that Father Gilbert has taught him to read and write, and therefore he can now write a diary, just like his master. However, he does not keep a diary with the knowledge towards what it means to keep a diary, “Keeping a diary is a white man's custom and what pleasure there is in it, I do not know. But I shall try it out.” (Oyono, 9). The diary is a symbol of how Toundi gradually adopts white customs. Through Oyono use of the diary as a symbol for Toundi's fascination of the white, the reader gets a clearer understanding for how Toundi rejects his native …show more content…
For the reader, the symbol of the sugar lumps creates further acknowledgment for the unawareness that Toundi has for what it means for him to Father Gilbert's “boy”. The irony that the reader notices through Oyono is built on the naivety in Toundi rejecting his native upbringing. This can also be seen through the pride that Toundi holds when he is given Western clothing by Father Gilbert (Oyono, 15). Father Gilbert treats Toundi as a mixture of a son and a slave, and because of Toundi's unconsciousness of how Father Gilbert is demeaning Toundi's humanity, as Toundi is being treated more as both a pet and an object, than he is as a person, Toundi values the kindness that Father Gilbert shows him. The Western clothing is a symbol of how Toundi gradually gets drawn closer to the white man's world, and how he is gradually adopting the white man's custom. The clothing also symbolizes Toundi pride and aspiration to live among the whites. For the reader there is a sense of irony in this, Toundi feels privileged to be a part of white man's world, and he truly believes that is a splendid honour to be Father Gilbert's “boy” (Oyono, 15). As the reader acknowledges how unaware Toundi of what it means to be a boy, the reader ends up fearing what troubles might face Toundi due to his