International Journal of Language & Literature

Thematic Concerns in the African Short Story
Owen G. Mordaunt

Abstract
Although suggestions havebeen made thatthe African short story and the traditional folktale belong to the same genre, reputable scholars renounce such a notion, claiming that the African short story is rooted in reality and, therefore, does not draw any moral.Motifs in the African short story are tantamount to the needs, aspirations and anxieties of the characters. This paper highlights two themes underlying the African short story: (1) the conflict between tradition and modernity and (2) the city, which is ever present in African literature. Tradition and modernityare locked in never-ending conflict, never coming to terms with each other. The city, on the other hand, according to the authors, has not improved the lot of characters, but has, instead, swallowed and entrapped them with false hopes of wealth and happiness. In this paper, reference is made to exemplary stories depicting the conflict between rural values and modernity, and the effects of the lure of the city.

Full Text: PDF      DOI: 10.15640/ijll.v3n2a3