Sundiata Analysis

The Interesting Narrative conveys the first-hand experiences of an African who is stripped of the basic rights given to humans and is forced into slavery, while at the same this individual fights for freedom. This autobiography is a reliable source for historians, educators, and students. After analyzing the literature, I concluded that the autobiography’s main criteria included content, tone, perspective, and the structure of his writing. The authors ability to manipulate this criterion, allows for the successful creation of an environment that builds a connection between the audience and his journey.

The West African bardic tradition refers to the passing on of empirical knowledge from elders, known as griot, via a media of rapping, which occurs as a tradition where “the grandfather...bring[s] all the immediate children around him to rap.” This tradition is the expression of historical culture and lessons via a media of poetry, rhythm, and music. The role of

Olaudah Equiano’s “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavas Vassa, the African” was first published in 1789 in London, England (687). Equiano’s narrative is informative; however, it is critical of the treatment of slaves and persuasive in its appeals to end the brutal treatment of African Americans. His intended audience was his friends and the public. Regarding the purpose of his narrative, Equiano wrote in Chapter I, “If it affords any satisfaction to my numerous friends … or in the smallest degree promotes the interests of humanity, the ends for which it was undertaken will be fully attained” (688). His narrative also offered a first-hand (first-person narrative) account of slavery and shared the story of his journey towards freedom. Equiano’s narrative is in chronological order after a brief introduction in Chapter I, which explained his purpose for writing his story along with providing background information on his childhood and the culture of his birthplace in Essaka, Africa. Furthermore, although much of Equiano’s story centered on his extensive sea travel, his harmonious mixture of formal and informal word choices along with the lack of the technical terminology commonly associated with sailors helps the general audience

The Life of Olaudah Equiano focuses on the various scenes to which Equiano or otherwise known as Gustavus Vassa was a witness too. Equiano’s story allows for an in depth perspective of slave trade and the way it functioned. Equiano takes the reader upon his journey as an African Slave beginning with his experiences in his native village, his numerous amounts of masters, cruelties and oppressions across the globe, and all the way to his success as a freeman. Equiano strongly focuses on the fact that almost every event in his life made an impression on his mind and influenced his conduct. Hence, making sense of the importance of his status and growth despite of his roots. Equiano always remained aware of his race and culture however he was in search of a freedom that no matter whom he was told to be his identity of obtaining this as well as soon gaining control of his own life always remained the same.

The griot ends the epic by praising Sundiata and his rule of the golden age of the Mali Empire. He tells the audience that Mali is eternal and that reminders of history are everywhere, but only the griot can know

The Epic of Gilgamesh has its place as one of the first examples of epic poetry in recorded history. The epic describes the adventures of the demigod-king Gilgamesh who, after the death of his close friend Enkidu, seeks immortality but is ultimately unsuccessful. This story arc is not dissimilar to those found in the epics of the ancient Greeks centuries later. This excerpt from The Epic of Gilgamesh clearly demonstrates Gilgamesh’s reckless lust for pride and fame at all costs.

In the story “Stop the Sun” by Gary Paulsen the theme is some people have problems that sometimes we can’t understand because it isn’t something that can’t be understood, but the knowledge that we obtain when we ask questions is more beneficial than when we don’t try to seek understanding. The story “Stop the Sun” by Gary Paulsen is about a boy named Terry that has a father and sometimes his father’s “eyes go away,”. This worries Terry and causes him to want to know more about what’s happening to his Father. He looks for answers to his questions everywhere because he justs wants to understand.

The fact that Sundara does not understand the teasing from Jonathan’s friends indicates that she has not quite fully assimilated into American culture. It serves as further indication that even though Sundara has lived in the United States for four years now, she has not had the time to really become American due to the difficult times that she was faced with just to survive.

Have you ever been raised by a single parent? If so was it your mom or your dad? In the stories Confetti Girl and Tortilla Sun kids have tension with their parents. In Confetti Girl the girl has a tension with her dad because he annoys her by asking how school is. In Tortilla Sun a girl has tension with her mom because she feels like she is powerless. In both stories they argue with there parents. In the passages from Confetti Girl and Tortilla Sun both narrators argue with their single parents.c

The tale of Gilgamesh is widely regarded as the first of the world's great works of literature. It currently is the world's oldest example of “Epic Poetry”, though the story also carries with it a heavy element of tragedy. To readers, the tragic elements of the narrative can often be put to the back burner by it's epic proportions. But, the complimentary and contrasting nature of these two literary elements are what gives the story the gravitas that has kept it relevant for 3800 years.

Years and years ago in Africa, certain customs and traditions were set in place that governed different regions and tribes. People in Mali had a unique tradition bearer. In the first chapter of Niane’s “Sundiata An Epic of Old Mali,” the reader is introduced to a “griot” who explains his role and his ancestor’s knowledge on ancient Mali. “The art of eloquence has no secrets for us; without us the names of kings would vanish into oblivion,… by the spoken word we bring to life the deeds and exploits of kings for younger generations.” (Page 1) In a humble but guaranteed tone, the griot assures the reader that he is the keeper of all. His knowledge expands beyond what is now and covers what has been. Everything that has occurred in the kingdom of Mali is imperative for the griots to remember so the future kings would understand their heritage. They are the overseers of knowledge and without them there is no way the kings of Mali would have flourished.

Storytelling is an essential part of building a ‘nation,’ Anderson says that novels and newspapers are key tools for creating an ‘imagined community.’ Novels, newspapers and films all work to archive the nation’s history. Yet, verbal storytelling is no different. In The Kingdom of This World Macandal is seen as the storyteller. He is the one with all the tales to tell and “the disappearance of Macandal was also the disappearance of all that world evoked by his tales. With him had gone Kankan Muza, Adonhueso, the royal kings and the Rainbow of Whidah. Life had lost its savor…” (pg.

The story, “Stop the Sun”, introduces the concept of negative emotions that are caused by the actions of others. Especially, in Terry’s case, where his father has ‘vietnam syndrome’ or post-traumatic stress disorder. Terry’s father randomly blanks out at random times, and it happens often throughout the day. When one day it happens in the mall, Terry becomes extremely embarrassed and confronts the situation. Although, he realizes the hardships that his father went through and promises not to be embarrassed of him anymore. Throughout the story, the main character goes through a lot to truly learn a deeper side to his father’s illness.

While today history is taught through textbooks in classrooms across the world, history, before written language even existed, was passed down orally and conveyed by stories told around a fire; the histories and cultures of entire peoples were passed down by word of mouth. Even once written language came to be, stories remained the primary source of recounting history and culture to future generations. Mario Vargas Llosa’s The Storyteller revolves around this idea of storytelling as a means to shape and form culture as Llosa describes an outsider who takes on the role of the main orator of a tribe in Peru. Llosa both alternates between insider and outsider narratives in The Storyteller and presents an unreliable narrator in a position of power

What is history? Who gets to writes it? Can you be a part of it? History is an array of fragmented stories clustered together to form a whole and power is the driving force of storytelling, that is, those with a voice can be part of history. Michael Ondaatje’s 1987 novel, In the Skin of a Lion, challenges the notion that our great human narrative is just singular written story and suggests, through a post-colonial context, that it is actually the micro-narratives that create our collective history.