A theme that runs through the poems in this unit is that a sense of pride is important to a sense of self-worth. What do you think is the connection between this theme and Africa's history of colonial rule? Support your view with details form the poems a meeting in the dark and marriage is a private affair.
The connection between the theme of pride and Africa's history of colonial rule can be observed through the poems "A Meeting in the Dark" by Ngugi wa Thiong'o and "Marriage is a Private Affair" by Chinua Achebe, both of which explore the impact of colonization on African identity.
In "A Meeting in the Dark," the protagonist John, a young African man, desires to pursue his education and achieve success. However, his father, influenced by the colonial mindset, believes that John should embrace traditional African values and become a farmer. This conflict arises from the clash between African cultural pride and the esteem attached to Western education during the colonial era.
John's sense of self-worth is intrinsically tied to his desire for education and upward social mobility. He sees education as a means to escape the limitations imposed on him by colonial rule and to prove his worthiness in the larger world. However, his father symbolizes the traditional African perspective, rooted in pride and self-worth derived from an understanding of and connection to one's cultural heritage.
Similarly, in "Marriage is a Private Affair," the theme of pride in one's identity is explored through the protagonist Nnaemeka's struggle to reconcile his love for Nene, a woman from a different ethnic group, with his father's traditional values. Nnaemeka's father, influenced by the colonizers' ideas of superiority, disapproves of the intertribal marriage, emphasizing the importance of pride in one's cultural background.
Nnaemeka's decision to marry Nene goes against his father's beliefs, but it is driven by his own sense of self-worth, identity, and love. He prioritizes his own happiness and autonomy over societal and traditional norms imposed by the colonial regime. This demonstration of individual pride, despite the resistance faced, reflects the resilience of African identity and the importance of self-worth in the face of colonial rule.
Overall, the theme of pride being crucial to one's sense of self-worth is connected to Africa's history of colonial rule in the sense that this historical context forced Africans to confront an external perspective that often devalued their culture and identity. The poems highlight the tension between traditional African values and the desire for upward mobility and personal happiness, showing how deeply entrenched ideas of pride and self-worth can be.