African Prose
BAY° ADEMOWALE: Lonely Days
Comment on the writer’s narrative style in the Novel.
Explanation
The writer tells his story from the well-known third person view point, with this omniscient perspective, he demonstrates his skill in observing people and events very closely and passing appropriate comments on them. One remarkable feature of this style is his drawing very deeply from the African oral tradition in his narrative.
This is evidenced in Yaremi's folk tales about such animals as the tortoise that often over-reaches itself in its own wiles and cunning; the antelope that often falls on its own pride and the gluttonous baboon that dies from its rapacious greed. There is also the use of incantation as shown by both Ajumobi and Yaremi to neutralize the evil machinations of their perceived enemies. The writer employs flashback as Yaremi, on a good number of occasions recalls the haleyon days with her late husband and eulogizes his sterling qualities as a husband hos prowess as a hunter. Dialogue is also employed in the narration. Instances are the exchanges between Yaremi and Woye, Yaremi and Ajumobi, Yaremi and her suitors, the widows on their way from the river, etc. author also gives some characters the chance to it convictions, thus making them use the first arration as seen in the toasting by Anyanwale, d Lanwa. The number game (which takes more than one page) also contributes a child's perspective to the narration, coming Woye.
Also significant is the use of local influence, which comes from tradition, folklore and setting.
Points to note ;
(a) The writer adopts the omniscient perspective.
(b) He draws largely from oral tradition.
(3) He uses the flashback technique.
(d) The use of dialogue
(e) He uses local terms to add colour to the setting