Negritude Rediscovered: A Reading of Andre Brink’s States of Emergency

Abstract

-Negritude is a literary and ideological movement lead by francophone black intellectuals, writers and politicians. The doctrine of Negritude is the intellectual paraphrasing of the whole range of reactions of the world of black people against foreign oppression, against foreigner‟s dehumanising infliction of colourcomplex. It basically projects the essential human values of man, transcending all superficial barriers that divide human beings. Although there are acute national differences among the African nations, the spirit of Negritude cuts across the whole body of African literature. Andre Brink is acknowledged as one of the prominent novelists in South Africa. Through his work, he has prompted an awareness of the problems of his society, explored their roots and expressed opposition to repressive authorities. The present paper attempts to present Negritude as reflected in Andre Brink‟s novel,States of Emergency. In the novel, Brink attempts to subvert the repressive and oppressive apartheid system. It is a serious appeal to humanity for a reflection upon the marginalization of black as a racially discriminated class of second-rate citizens. As a white South African writer, the contribution of Brink to the liberation of the Blacks is remarkable.