The Dialectic of Myth-Making in Contemporary African Novel: The Example of Ayi Kwei Armah.

Abstract

This essay analyses Ayi Kwei Armah’s novels from the perspective of contemporary myth-making process. By highlighting the synergy or affinity between classical and African mythological patterns of Armah’s symbolic narratives, I contend that Armah’s novels within the corpus of African literature are exemplars of the dialectical process of myth-making from the standpoint of socio-cultural construction. Anchoring my exposition on the close reading of Armah, I contend that the core of Armah’s narrative novels lies in his use of myth as the structural organizing principle of his literary form which serves as provocative catalysts of positive change for the African continent.