“The Young Shall Grow”: Violence, Conflict and Coming of Age in Ben Okri’s Laughter beneath the Bridge

Abstract

Although Ben Okri’s work has been much acclaimed for its stylistic innovation and the social and political issues it raises , the coming of age aspect of his short stories  have not been processed in detail. I aim to look at one of his stories “Laughter beneath the Bridge” as a narrative that traces the influence of the female rebel on the developing consciousness of a young child who gain exposure to social and political injustice by coming into contact with her. I will specifically look at the way exposure to violence, sexual awakening and initiation into adulthood intersect to shape the growing consciousness of the adolescent child in the story.

Keywords: Ben Okri, Laughter beneath the Bridge, coming of age fiction