English and Foreign Languages

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Browsing English and Foreign Languages by Author "Esther, Koros Jeruto"

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    A Critical Analysis of the Ogre Motif: A Thematic Approach to Purple Hibiscus and Petals of Blood
    (International Journal of Management Studies and Social Science Research, 2023) Esther, Koros Jeruto; Mwihia, Margaret Njoki
    Ogre narratives have for a long time been a didactic, entertaining and historical tool in the preliterate Africa. It served as the curricula for both informal and non-formal education of the mentioned era. The postcolonial period that ushered in a literate Africa did not extinguish the existence of this genre but instead integrated it into its modern written materials such as the short story, the novel and the play. A close study of the modern African works reveals a consistency between the African novel and the oral narrative. The objective of this study was to critically analyse the themes in Purple Hibiscus and Petals of Blood with the aim of highlighting and relating them to the ogre motif. Such themes include; greed, cruelty, destruction, heroism, sexism, vengeance and victimization. This study benefited from descriptive research design that adopted a qualitative approach, its target population being all the texts authored by both Ngugi Wa Thiongó and Adichie Chimamanda. Purposive sampling was used to select the two texts of interest and from which primary data was collected. Close textual analysis was done with a view of getting enough data for the study and to describe the arguments relating to thematic trends of the ogre motif. The study revealed in its findings that modern African writings borrow heavily from the orate African literature. It revealed a consistency between the modern African writings and the preliterate orate African literature (otherwise known as orature) in terms of themes.