The Portrayal of Working Class People in African Novels: A Study of Festus Iyayi’s Violence

Abubakar Mohammed Sani ,Manimangai Mani

doi:10.7575/aiac.alls.v.5n.4p.38

Abubakar Mohammed Sani , Manimangai Mani

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.alls.v.5n.4p.38

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Abstract

This essay investigates the depiction of the condition of working class people in African novels with particular reference to Violence by Festus Iyayi. The paper examines, first of all, the concept of violence from a Marxist perspective of Franzt Fanon. Furthermore, the paper relates the view of Fanon on violence to what is depicted in the primary text of the paper. The paper argues that the portrayal of the working people in the novel by Iyayi tallies with the view of Fanon in his definition of the concept of violence. The paper exposes how the working people class are presented in the novel as those people who are always in the process of asserting their existence through struggling for survival by selling their labour to the capitalists in order to earn a living. The paper blames this act of suffering on colonialism and neo-colonialism imposed on the African people.

Highlights

This paper aims at examining the portrayal of working class people in Violence by Festus Iyayi of Nigeria
The concept of violence according to Franzt Fanon’s definition of violence are multifaceted. These are physical harm and mental harm. The former was the vital backbone of the colonialism
In a neo-colonial situation, the presence of physical violence is attenuated and diffused. It continues as the vital instrument of the local comprador – bourgeoisie in its collaboration with the foreign capitalist in exploiting more surplus value from African working class

Summary

Introduction

In a neo-colonial situation, the presence of physical violence is attenuated and diffused Despite the diffusion, it continues as the vital instrument of the local comprador – bourgeoisie in its collaboration with the foreign capitalist in exploiting more surplus value from African working class. In colonial and neo-colonial societies, patriarchal values predominate, and women are the victims of these values, suffering from sexual discrimination and exploitation, when they are working class women Their social condition is worst when they live in feudal societies that have undergone foreign domination. In liberating themselves by counter – violence from all kinds of alienating mental and physical violence imposed by the colonial and neo-colonial exploiters, the working class would be working towards the dis-alienation of the exploiters, (Fanon, 1971: 228).

Over whom

Who paid the bill?

Conclusion