Assignment -Contemporary Literatures in English

 

"Gun Island"- Climate Fiction

Name: Emisha Ravani

Paper: 207:Contemporary Literatures in English

Roll no: 07

Enrollment no: 4069206420210031

Email id: emisharavani3459@gmail.com

Batch: 2021-2023(M.A. Sem 4) 

Submitted to: S. B. Gardi Department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

Introduction 

Gun Island, Amitav Ghosh continues to explore the familiar themes of cross-cultural exchange and migration that are present in his earlier works. Environmental concerns such as climate change and pollution are also highlighted, reflecting a continuity from his previous novels, including The Hungry Tide and The Great Derangement. The book follows the journey of Deen, a rare book collector and scholar, who travels from his home in New York to the Sunderbans in West Bengal to uncover the legend of Bonduki Sada-gar, a seventeenth-century merchant known as "The Gun Merchant," and his encounter with Manasa Devi, a mythical snake goddess who represents the conflict between profit and the natural world. In a talk in New Delhi, Ghosh explained that the merchant serves as a metaphor for trade and the pursuit of profit, while the goddess represents the need for restraint and the recognition of the interconnectedness of all living things.

Amitav Ghosh's novel, Gun Island, explores a range of cross-cultural patterns familiar in his previous works. The story uncovers a fascinating piece of history, revealing that the Arabic name for Venice was al-Bunduqevya, which means guns. As a result, Deen, a rare book collector and scholar, sets out on a journey to the Sunderbans in West Bengal to uncover the mystery and legend of the seventeenth-century merchant, Bonduki Sada-gar, translated as "The Gun Merchant." However, Deen soon realizes that the name might not have meant the Gun Merchant, but the Merchant who went to Venice.

Ghosh juxtaposes the Gun Merchant's past with the current reality of illegal Bangladeshi migrants who face strong opposition from Italian authorities. The second part of the novel reveals the hazardous journey of these migrants across the Middle East and Africa. In contrast, the Gun Merchant's journey to Venice was prosperous and devoid of such obstacles. Unlike Ghosh's previous works, women play a more significant role in Gun Island. Cinta, a scholar from Venice, conducts research on the role of Venice in the medieval spice trade from India, while Piya Roy, the cetologist from The Hungry Tide, reappears in the novel as a romantic interest for Deen. Nilima Bose runs a charitable organization called the Badabon Trust, and Lubna, a Bangladeshi immigrant, advocates for illegal migrants' rights.

In Gun Island, Ghosh skillfully blends myth and history, fact and fiction, and creates a diverse set of characters from various countries. The novel contrasts nostalgia for a lost past with the concerns of the present. The story raises environmental issues such as climate change and the dumping of chemical waste into rivers by factories, which is a continuation of the themes in Ghosh's previous works.

Amitav Ghosh

Amitav Ghosh is an Indian author who explores themes of national and personal identity in his novels, using intricate narrative techniques. Born on July 11, 1956, in Calcutta (now Kolkata), Ghosh spent his childhood in various countries due to his father's career as a diplomat, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Iran. He earned his Bachelor's degree in 1976 and Master's degree in 1978 from the University of Delhi, while also working as a journalist. Later, he pursued a Ph.D. in social anthropology at the University of Oxford, graduating in 1982. Throughout his career, Ghosh has taught at several institutions, including the University of Delhi, the American University in Cairo, Columbia University in New York City, and Queens College of the City University of New York. After joining Harvard University in 2004, he eventually transitioned to full-time writing and divided his time between India and the United States.

Amitav Ghosh is an acclaimed Indian author whose novels explore themes of postcolonialism, identity, and history. His debut novel, The Circle of Reason (1986), follows an Indian protagonist who is falsely accused of terrorism and must flee to northern Africa and the Middle East. The Shadow Lines (1988), a family saga set against the backdrop of India's independence from Britain in 1947, blends postcolonial and postmodern elements and was widely translated.

Ghosh ventured into science fiction with The Calcutta Chromosome: A Novel of Fevers, Delirium, and Discovery (1995), which presents an alternate history of the discovery of malaria. He continued to explore historical and familial narratives in The Glass Palace (2000), a story of Burma's occupation by the British and The Hungry Tide (2004), set in Bengal. The Ibis trilogy, beginning with Sea of Poppies (2009), returns to historical fiction, tracing the journeys of characters aboard a ship carrying indentured laborers and opium during the first Opium War. The series continued with River of Smoke (2011) and Flood of Fire (2015). Ghosh's nonfiction work includes In an Antique Land (1992), a genre-bending memoir that draws on his experiences in a rural Egyptian village, and Dancing in Cambodia, at Large in Burma (1998), The Imam and the Indian (2002), and Incendiary Circumstances: A Chronicle of the Turmoil of Our Times (2005). In his latest novel, Gun Island (2019), Ghosh weaves together myth and contemporary issues such as climate change. With a diverse range of literary styles and subject matter, Ghosh has earned an international readership and critical acclaim.

Cli-fi Novels

Cli-fi, a subgenre of fiction literature, explores the theme of a changing or changed climate. While rooted in science fiction, it also draws on realism and the supernatural to create stories that often feature accelerated pacing punctuated by crisis, an anxious and fearful mood, and settings undergoing dramatic transformations. Unlike traditional science fiction, cli-fi often centers on the emotional arcs of the characters rather than on the action. By exploring fictional solutions to the climate crisis, cli-fi encourages readers to imagine real-life solutions and to emotionally connect with the issue.

The power of storytelling to build emotional resilience is one of the main benefits of cli-fi. Through connecting with characters experiencing the effects of climate change, readers can better imagine themselves experiencing similar effects in the future. Research has shown that a lack of emotional connection to one's future self can prevent individuals from taking actions to mitigate climate change. By presenting potential consequences of climate change, cli-fi can help readers connect emotionally to the issue and potentially drive them to action. Additionally, cli-fi can serve as an alternative starting point for discussions about climate change, making the issue more approachable and relatable to a wider audience. Ultimately, cli-fi has the potential to play an important role in helping society prepare for and address the climate crisis.

In recent decades, literature has embraced eco-criticism, an interdisciplinary movement that delves into critical writings about human-caused environmental damage. As climate change becomes an increasingly pressing topic, fiction writers are addressing it through the popular genre of "cli-fi", or climate fiction. Cli-fi stories use symbols, narratives, and concepts to represent and give meaning to climate change in our society. These works often present apocalyptic views of environmental changes, such as floods, fires, and storms. However, they also reflect on political and social failures to address climate change by framing it in a tangible and concrete narrative that emphasizes the urgency of collective action.

While some cli-fi novels rely solely on apocalyptic narratives, this approach is problematic when it fails to explore the potential for collective action to reverse environmental deterioration. To avoid this pitfall, authors like Amitav Ghosh offer compelling examples of climate fiction that do not shy away from the gravity of climate change, but also highlight the power of individual and collective action. His 2019 novel, Gun Island, is a powerful example of cli-fi that emphasizes both the urgency of the climate crisis and the potential for transformative change through collective action.

Cli-fi - Gun Island

Gun Island, a novel by Amitav Ghosh, intertwines history, culture, and nature in a striking way. The protagonist, Deen Datta, is a Bengali antique book dealer living in New York who, during a trip back home, learns of a Bengali legend from a relative that challenges his knowledge of Indian folklore. This legend, about the Gun Merchant, leads Deen to a temple in the Sundarbans, the mangrove forests in the Bay of Bengal, where he uncovers the full story of the Gun Merchant's travels to escape persecution from the Goddess Manasa Devi. This discovery sets off a personal and literal journey for Deen, who is joined by a marine biologist, Piya, and two teenagers, Tipu and Rafi. Later, his university advisor, Cinta, an Italian professor, also joins the expedition. Their journey takes them from India to Los Angeles and Venice, testing Deen's rationality while exposing the environmental consequences of capitalism. Throughout the novel, Ghosh puts history, culture, and nature on an equal plane, creating a rich and complex narrative that explores the intersection of these three elements.

Climate fiction often uses apocalyptic narratives to convey the urgency and horror of environmental changes. This is also evident in Amitav Ghosh's Gun Island, which briefly references the 2009 cyclone Aila that devastated the Sundarbans. Ghosh highlights the impact of human activity on exacerbating the destruction caused by natural disasters, resulting in permanent social change in the area.

The effects of climatic changes are also evident in Deen's travels to Los Angeles and Venice, where wildfires and rising water levels threaten the cities. Ghosh portrays the disruption of various animal species' distribution patterns due to ecological chaos, particularly with Piya's concern for the dolphins she studies and Deen's encounters with non-native venomous creatures in Venice and LA. These species' migration north is a result of rising temperatures and habitat destruction. It's not only animals that are impacted by climate change; people are also forced to migrate due to a complex interplay of colonial history, capitalism, and environmental degradation. Ghosh deftly weaves these themes together, creating a powerful narrative that explores the devastating consequences of our actions on the planet. Despite the apocalyptic backdrop of Gun Island, Ghosh's central theme revolves around the importance of cultivating a shared sense of humanity that transcends species boundaries. The author posits that humanity's ability to care for and love Mother Earth can only be rekindled by first caring for and loving one another.

Throughout the novel, Ghosh highlights the struggles faced by displaced and migrating humans, particularly through the story of Tipu and Rafi. These two young men, who meet through Deen, embark on a treacherous journey to Europe in search of a better life. Tipu is ambitious and driven, while Rafi has always lived a simple life in a small village in the Sundarbans. The two pay smugglers to transport them from Bangladesh to Turkey, traversing India, Pakistan, and Iran in overcrowded minibuses. Along the way, they are forced to stop at connection houses near borders, where they are extorted for more money to continue their journey.

Ghosh's portrayal of the hardships faced by migrants sheds light on the complex web of socioeconomic and political factors that drive human displacement. Through Tipu and Rafi's story, he challenges readers to confront the harsh reality faced by millions of people around the world and to consider the importance of cultivating a more compassionate, trans-species sense of community.

Gun Island highlights the harsh reality of migration and the plight of those who risk everything for a chance at a better life. This is exemplified by the story of Tipu and Rafi, whose dangerous journey to Europe through multiple countries mirrors the experiences of many migrants. The struggles of migrants do not end when they reach their destination, as they often face discrimination and hostility. In the novel, the Blue Boat episode showcases the ongoing migration crisis in Europe, with the fate of climate refugees left in the hands of policymakers. The atmosphere surrounding the Blue Boat's arrival is tense, with activists and the media on one side and the Navy and anti-immigrant protesters on the other. Ghosh's vivid portrayal of the terrified migrants and their stories adds an emotional depth to the scene, underscoring the urgency of finding humane solutions to the migration crisis.

In Gun Island, Ghosh acknowledges that an apocalyptic narrative can be limiting if it doesn't provide room for transformation and renewal. Thus, his characters are not passive victims of circumstances but rather empowered agents of change. Deen, Piya, Rafi, Tipu, and Cinta travel great distances, braving perilous journeys, in search of better lives. When faced with the most harrowing situations, they do not stand idly by but choose to take action. They come together with other like-minded individuals, determined to help others and create a better future.

Ghosh tackles various pressing issues, such as xenophobia, immigration, climate change, and environmental degradation, in Gun Island. Despite the bleakness of the scenario, the author presents a vision of interconnectedness and collective action that encourages mutual awareness and cooperation. Rather than succumbing to despair and inaction, the characters' ability to connect with one another and form alliances allows them to move beyond their initial passivity and apathy.

Through his portrayal of characters who take responsibility, care for others, and act, Ghosh highlights the potential for social and political projects that prioritize the well-being of individuals and the environment. The novel suggests that by connecting with others and acting collectively, we can create positive change and overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges.

Conclusion

Gun Island is a work of fiction that belongs to the emerging genre of climate fiction or cli-fi. This genre encompasses a wide range of literary works that address the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation on individuals, societies, and the planet. The novel presents a dystopian vision of the world, where natural disasters and human actions have caused irreversible damage to the environment and led to the displacement of people and species. The narrative of Gun Island is centered around the interconnectedness of humans and the environment and how human actions have affected the natural world. The novel highlights the devastating consequences of climate change and environmental degradation, such as rising sea levels, floods, and droughts. It also explores the social and political implications of these environmental changes, such as forced migration, xenophobia, and social inequality.

Works Cited

Farrar, Straus, et al. “Cli-Fi (Climate Fiction) - Climate in Arts and History.” Clark Science Center, https://www.science.smith.edu/climatelit/cli-fi/. Accessed 29 March 2023.

Ghosh, Amitav, and Allison Hedge. “Gun Island by Amitav Ghosh.” World Literature Today, 2019, https://www.worldliteraturetoday.org/2019/autumn/gun-island-amitav-ghosh. Accessed 28 March 2023.

“"Gun Island": When a Climate Novel Speaks to Our Sense of Humanity.” By Arcadia, 28 January 2022, https://www.byarcadia.org/post/gun-island-when-a-climate-novel-speaks-to-our-sense-of-humanity. Accessed 29 March 2023.

Luebering, JE. “Amitav Ghosh | Biography, Books, & Facts | Britannica.” Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Amitav-Ghosh. Accessed 28 March 2023.

Assignment - The Mechanics of Writing

 

The Mechanics of Writing

Name: Emisha Ravani

Paper: 209:Research Methodology

Roll no: 07

Enrollment no: 4069206420210031

Email id: emisharavani3459@gmail.com

Batch: 2021-2023(M.A. Sem 4) 

Submitted to: S. B. Gardi Department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

Introduction 

Research methodology is the systematic and structured approach to conducting research. It refers to the techniques, procedures, and rules that researchers use to design, carry out, and analyze their studies. Research methodology involves defining the research problem, developing a research plan, selecting appropriate data collection methods, analyzing the data, and drawing conclusions. The methodology used in research may vary depending on the nature of the research problem, the research questions or hypotheses, and the type of data that is being collected. Common research methodologies include qualitative research, quantitative research, mixed-methods research, case study research, action research, and experimental research. In addition to selecting an appropriate methodology, researchers must also consider ethical considerations when conducting research, such as obtaining informed consent from participants, maintaining confidentiality, and minimizing harm or discomfort to participants.

The mechanics of writing refer to the technical aspects of writing, such as spelling, punctuation, grammar, capitalization, and formatting. These mechanics are important because they help ensure that writing is clear, concise, and easy to understand.Mastering the mechanics of writing is essential for effective communication, whether it's for academic or professional purposes. It helps convey ideas more clearly and accurately, and can make a significant difference in how well a piece of writing is received and understood by its intended audience.

What is Research?

“Investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws.”

“The collecting of information about a particular subject.”

“Careful or diligent search.”

What is Research Methodology?

“A body of methods, rules, and postulates employed by a discipline : a particular procedure or set of procedures”

“The analysis of the principles or procedures of inquiry in a particular field”

Writing mechanics refer to the set of rules and conventions that govern the technical aspects of writing, such as spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and abbreviations. While it can be challenging to organize your main points, one helpful solution is to create a preliminary draft of your ideas before starting to write. Additionally, some writing resources group topics related to organization and usage under the umbrella of mechanics. In essence, the fundamentals of writing mechanics are essential for both students and writers alike.

"Teachers using a traditional, product-oriented approach tend to focus on the formal mechanical and technical aspects of writing while paying little attention to the individual writer's communicative purposes. Thus with this approach there is a danger that, for many children, writing will become an exercise in formal mechanics divorced from personal content and intentions."

Spelling 

Consistency in spelling, including hyphenation, is necessary, except for quoted material, which should be reproduced exactly as it appears in the original. Please refer to §9 for guidance on selecting and using a dictionary.

1. Word division: It is preferable to avoid dividing words at the end of a line. However, if necessary, North American practice is to divide words according to pronunciation (e.g., "rep-re-sent"), while British practice is to divide according to word derivation (e.g., "re-pre-sent"). Other languages have their own rules for dividing words. For example, French usually divides on a vowel (e.g., "ho-me-rique"; in English, "Ho-mer-ic"). If you are unsure, consult a dictionary.

2. Accents: When quoting, reproduce all accents exactly as they appear in the original. Note that in French, capital letters are not always accented when followed by lowercase letters (e.g., always "école," but "Ecole" is acceptable). While it is never wrong to place an accent over a capital letter that would require one if it were lowercase, the practice of French printers varies when words appear entirely in capital letters. À, É, È, Ù, and capital letters bearing a circumflex are often accented, but often not. When transcribing words that appear in all capitals and changing them to lowercase, insert the necessary accents.

3. Dieresis: For German words, use the dieresis (ä, ö, ü) instead of "e" with umlauts, even for initial capitals (e.g., "Über"). However, observe common usage for names (e.g., Götz, but Goethe).

4. Digraphs: A digraph is a combination of two letters that represents only one sound (e.g., "th," "oa" in "broad"). In many languages, some digraphs appear united in print (æ, œ, ß). They may be transcribed in typescript without any connection between them (e.g., ae, oe, ss). In North American English, the digraph ae has been almost completely abandoned in favor of the letter "e" alone. Therefore, "encyclopedia" and "archeology" (instead of "encyclopaedia" and "archaeology"), as well as "esthetic" and "medieval," are now the norm.

Punctuation 

Punctuation is primarily used to ensure clarity and readability in writing. While there are some optional practices, consistency is crucial in avoiding confusion. The following remarks focus on punctuation conventions in research papers. For more detailed discussions, refer to standard handbooks of composition.

1. Apostrophes are used for contractions (which are rarely acceptable in scholarly writing) and possessives. Monosyllabic proper names ending in a sibilant sound (s, z, sh, zh, ch, j) form their possessive by adding an apostrophe and another s (e.g., Keats's poems, Marx's theories), except for names in classical literature (e.g., Mars' wrath). For words with more than one syllable ending in a sibilant, only an apostrophe is added (e.g., Hopkins' poems, Cervantes' novellas), except for names ending in a sibilant and a final e (e.g., Horace's odes). The possessive of a name ending with a silent s is formed by adding an apostrophe and another s (e.g., Camus's novels).

2. Colons introduce examples, explanations, or elaborations of what has just been said. They are commonly used to introduce quotations (see §§ 14b, 14c, and 14f), and their usage in documentation and bibliography can be found in §§ 31c, 31h, and 41c. Always leave one space after a colon.

3. Commas are usually required between items in a series (e.g., blood, sweat, and tears), between coordinate adjectives (e.g., an absorbing, frightening account), before coordinating conjunctions that join independent clauses, around parenthetical elements, and after fairly long phrases or clauses preceding the main clause of a sentence. They are also conventional in dates (e.g., January 1, 1980), names (e.g., W. K. Wimsatt, Jr., and Walter J. Ong, S.J.), and addresses (e.g., Brooklyn, New York). A comma and a dash should not be used together in modern English usage. If a comma is required (as it is here), it should follow a closing parenthesis, but it should never precede an opening parenthesis. Refer to §§ 31, 33, 35, and 41 for the usage of commas in documentation and bibliography, and to §14f for commas with quotation marks.

• dashes should only be used sparingly and have specific legitimate uses, such as to set off parenthetical elements with multiple commas or before a summarizing appositive.

• Exclamation marks should be used sparingly in scholarly writing.

• Hyphens are used to form certain types of compound words, such as compound adjectives and joining prefixes to capitalized words, and en dashes are used to connect numbers indicating a range.

• Italics should be used with caution and not overly used for emphasis, but are used for foreign words used in English text and linguistic examples.

• Parentheses are used to enclose parenthetical remarks and some items in documentation.

• Periods end sentences and are placed within parentheses when the parenthetical element is independent.

• Quotation marks are used to enclose words to which attention is being directed and single quotation marks are used for definitions or translations that appear without intervening punctuation.

• Semicolons are used to separate items in a series and between independent clauses that are not joined by a coordinating conjunction.

• Slashes are used to separate lines of poetry and elements of dates, enclose phonemic transcription, and occasionally separate alternative words.

• Square brackets are used for unavoidable parentheses within a parenthesis, interpolations in a quotation or incomplete data, and phonetic transcription.

Capitalization 

1.  English. Capitalize the first letter of the first word, the last word, and all principal words in English titles, including divisions of works such as chapters, but excluding articles, prepositions (except as adverbs), conjunctions, and "to" in infinitives. The initial definite article is typically not considered part of the title when referencing magazines or newspapers (e.g., Washington Post). "Series" and "edition" are capitalized only when part of an exact title (e.g., the Norton Critical Edition). Capitalize titles like Preface, Introduction, and Appendix when they refer to a specific work or when formally cited in notes and bibliographies. Abbreviate and capitalize a noun followed by a numeral indicating place in a sequence (e.g., Vol. II of 3 vols., Pl. 4, No. 20, Act V, Ch. iii, Version A), but do not capitalize col., fol., l., n., p., or sig. (see §48 for the meanings of these and other abbreviations). Never capitalize entire words in titles cited in text or notes.

2.  French. In French prose or verse, do not capitalize subject pronoun je 'I', months or days of the week, names of languages and adjectives derived from proper nouns, or titles of people or places, unless they begin a sentence or line of verse. In titles of books, stories, poems, chapters, and the like, capitalize the first word and all proper nouns. If the first word is an article, capitalize the first noun and any preceding adjectives. In titles of series and periodicals, capitalize all major words.

Abbreviations

An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase, such as "D.C." for "District of Columbia."

Mechanics in writing encompasses several aspects such as spelling, usage, hyphenation, and the use of italics. It also includes conventions like when to capitalize words and how to abbreviate them. In essence, mechanics is a set of rules to follow while writing.

Conclusion 

The importunateness of mechanics in writing cannot be overstated. Mechanics, which includes spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and abbreviation rules, provides a framework for clear and effective communication. Without proper mechanics, writing can be confusing, difficult to understand, and may even convey a message that is unintentionally different from what the writer intended. Mechanics help ensure that the intended message is conveyed accurately and effectively to the reader, and it can significantly improve the quality and impact of the writing. Therefore, mastering the mechanics of writing is essential for effective communication in various fields, including academics, business, and everyday life.

Works Cited

“Mechanics of Writing - Keir Armstrong.” Carleton University, https://carleton.ca/keirarmstrong/learning-resources/essay-guidelines/mechanics-of-writing/. Accessed 28 March 2023.

“Methodology Definition & Meaning.” Merriam-Webster, 24 March 2023, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/methodology. Accessed 28 March 2023.

Nordquist, Richard. "The Mechanics of Writing Composition." ThoughtCo, Jul. 19, 2020, thoughtco.com/mechanics-composition-term-1691304.

“Research Definition & Meaning.” Merriam-Webster, 24 March 2023, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/research. Accessed 28 March 2023.

Assignment African Literature - ‘You Laughed and Laughed and Laughed’ by Gabriel Okara

 

‘You Laughed and Laughed and Laughed’ by Gabriel Okara 

Name: Emisha Ravani

Paper: 206: The African Literature

Roll no: 07

Enrollment no: 4069206420210031

Email id: emisharavani3459@gmail.com

Batch: 2021-2023(M.A. Sem 4) 

Submitted to: S. B. Gardi Department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

About the Gabriel Okara

Gabriel Okara was a Nigerian poet and novelist who gained international recognition for his works, with some of his poems being translated into multiple languages in the 1960s. Despite being mostly self-educated, he had a talent for writing and began producing plays and radio features after working as a bookbinder. In 1953, he won an award for his poem "The Call of the River Nun" at the Nigerian Festival of Arts. Okara's poems were published in the influential magazine Black Orpheus, and he became widely acknowledged as a skilled literary artist by 1960.

Okara's poetry employs a contrasting style where symbols are delicately counterbalanced against each other. His poems frequently explore the struggle to reconcile extreme experiences, with common themes such as life and death. Typically, his poetry takes the reader on a circular journey from ordinary reality to a moment of happiness before returning to reality.

Okara's literary works incorporate African ideology, religion, folklore, and imagery into both his poetry and prose. His first novel, The Voice (1964), is an impressive linguistic experiment where Okara translated directly from the Ijo (Ijaw) language, utilizing Ijo syntax in English to express African concepts and imagery literally. The novel presents a symbolic landscape in which the forces of traditional African culture and Western materialism contend. The novel's tragic protagonist, Okolo, is a figure who embodies both individual and universal qualities, and the elusive "it" he searches for could represent various moral values. Okara's skilled depiction of his hero's internal tensions distinguished him from other Nigerian novelists. For a significant part of the 1960s, Okara worked in civil service, and from 1972 to 1980, he was the director of the Rivers State Publishing House in Port Harcourt. He continued writing throughout his life, including a poetry collection titled The Fisherman's Invocation (1978) and two books for children, Little Snake and Little Frog (1981) and An Adventure to Juju Island (1992).

African literature 

African literature is a vast collection of traditional oral and written works, created in Afro-Asiatic and African languages, as well as works written by Africans in European languages. While written literature is more common in sub-Saharan cultures that have been influenced by Mediterranean cultures, such as the scholars of what is now northern Nigeria who produced written literatures in both Hausa and Arabic, and the Somali people who have a traditional written literature, there are also works in Geʿez (Ethiopic) and Amharic from Ethiopia, the only part of Africa where Christianity has been practised long enough to be considered traditional. In contrast, literature written in European languages emerged mainly in the 20th century.

The relationship between oral and written traditions, particularly between oral and modern written literatures, is not a simple evolutionary process, but a complex one. Modern African literature emerged in the educational systems imposed by colonialism, which drew models from Europe instead of existing African traditions. Nevertheless, African oral traditions have influenced these literatures in their own way.

The poem 

In your ears my song

is motor car misfiring

stopping with a choking cough;

and you laughed and laughed and laughed.

In your eyes my ante-

natal walk was inhuman, passing

your ‘omnivorous understanding’

and you laughed and laughed and laughed

You laughed at my song,

you laughed at my walk.

Then I danced my magic dance

to the rhythm of talking drums pleading, but you shut your eyes

and laughed and laughed and laughed

And then I opened my mystic

inside wide like the sky,

instead you entered your

car and laughed and laughed and laughed

You laughed at my dance,

you laughed at my inside.

You laughed and laughed and laughed.

But your laughter was ice-block

laughter and it froze your inside froze

your voice froze your ears

froze your eyes and froze your tongue.

And now it’s my turn to laugh;

but my laughter is not

ice-block laughter. For I

know not cars, know not ice-blocks.

My laughter is the fire

of the eye of the sky, the fire

of the earth, the fire of the air,

the fie of the seas and the

rivers fishes animals trees

and it thawed your inside,

thawed your voice, thawed your

ears, thawed your eyes and

thawed your tongue.

So a meek wonder held

your shadow and you whispered;

‘Why so?’

And I answered:

‘Because my fathers and I

are owned by the living

warmth of the earth

through our naked feet.’

Interpretation 

The poem is comprised of ten stanzas where the poet employs a tone of sarcasm to critique the treatment of African people. He addresses the lack of attention given to their plight by white people, highlighting the disparities in societal treatment. 

The poet titled his work "You Laughed and Laughed and Laughed" to highlight the mockery and discrimination faced by black Africans at the hands of white people. The cultural norms of black people, such as their songs, dances, and music, were belittled and considered abnormal by the dominating white society. Throughout the poem, the poet portrays the white people's control and domination over the native Africans. The central theme of the poem is racism and the suffering faced by black Africans as a result of white supremacy. The poet brings to light the pain and challenges faced by black people, who were not understood by their white oppressors. The introduction of the European language in Africa paved the way for white people to enslave Africans and treat them as inferior beings.

White people ridiculed and laughed at black natives for everything they did, including their emotional songs that expressed the pain and struggles of their people. Unfortunately, the white people failed to understand the depth of these songs and dismissed them as harsh sounds resembling a car that had stopped running.

In your ears my song

is motor car misfiring

stopping with a choking cough;

and you laughed and laughed and laughed.

The black natives were unfairly deemed as less stylish and modern compared to their white counterparts, with a perceived clumsiness in their physical appearance. White people mocked their gait, describing it as resembling that of an immature man's walk, or "Ante natal." This mockery overlooked the natural power and grace inherent in the natives' physical form, which was unfortunately disregarded and dismissed by the white observers.

In your eyes my ante-

natal walk was inhuman, passing

your ‘omnivorous understanding’

The black natives were subject to teasing and ridicule for their traditional and cultural rituals, such as their mad and furious dance accompanied by the beating of heavy drums. Unfortunately, the curious and wild drumming was perceived as barbaric by white observers, despite the fact that the sound produced revealed the deep emotions and moods of the native people. The drumming had the power to evoke a strong response within the black natives, who would dance in a way that expressed their innermost feelings. The white people closed their eyes and ears to the beauty and power of this tradition, instead labelling it as clumsy and uncivilized, and thus further perpetuating the unjust treatment of the native Africans.

You laughed at my dance,

you laughed at my inside.

You laughed and laughed and laughed.

The white people's treatment of the native Africans was marked by a disturbing lack of empathy and understanding, driven by their preoccupation with appearance, skin colour, and behaviour. Black natives were consistently subjected to mockery and ridicule by the white people. In response to the ongoing injustices he witnessed, the narrator launched a scathing attack on white people, describing them as "frozen" in all aspects of their being. Their eyes, ears, tongues, and hearts were all stilled and unresponsive, demonstrating a complete lack of awareness or concern for the inner feelings of the native Africans. The black natives drew strength and bravery from their interactions with the natural world, basking in the warming rays of the sun, plunging deep into the sea, and even facing down the searing heat of a raging fire. The white observers, bewildered by the native people's seemingly carefree joy, were slowly melted by the warmth of their merriment, and became eager to unlock the secrets of their strength and resilience.

The whites were amazed by the manual dexterity of the black individuals whom they had previously ridiculed. They expressed curiosity about the source of their incredible strength. The black individuals explained that they had a strong connection to the natural elements, including the sun, sea, air, and fire. They walked barefooted across the land, allowing their bodies to absorb the energy of the earth. In contrast, the whites primarily interacted with machines and had limited exposure to the natural world.

And I answered:

‘Because my fathers and I

are owned by the living

warmth of the earth

through our naked feet.’

\

Thus, Okara's poetry serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of social justice and equality, particularly for those who have historically been disenfranchised and oppressed.

Racism  in African Literature 

Racism is a prevalent theme in African literature, as it is in the literature of many regions that have experienced colonialism and the exploitation of their people. African writers have used their works to explore and expose the experiences of racism and its impact on individuals and societies. Some African writers have focused on the dehumanizing effects of racism, particularly the way it diminishes the value of black lives and perpetuates inequality. For example, Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart" portrays the impact of colonialism on an African society and the destruction of traditional culture and values. Wole Soyinka's "The Interpreters" addresses the struggles of black people to achieve social and political equality in a white-dominated society.

Other African writers have explored the psychological effects of racism on individuals. In Tsitsi Dangarembga's "Nervous Conditions," the main character struggles to reconcile her African identity with the Western ideals imposed on her by colonialism, leading to a sense of cultural dislocation and alienation. Similarly, in Nadine Gordimer's "July's People," the white protagonist grapples with his own sense of guilt and privilege as he navigates his relationship with his black servant during a period of political upheaval. African literature has been a powerful tool for exploring and confronting the experiences of racism and its enduring impact on African societies and individuals.

Conclusion

This poem is a very good example to give justice to African literature. As well as the way poet portrayed, all the things are very important and remarkable too. Colonised people were suffering not by their beliefs only but mentally and psychologically also. The ill treatment is the core point which we could find here by the poet.

Another question we found here is that the poet is putting his native people and his culture higher than the white people and blaming them for their way of treatment towards them. So can we interpret it in way that poet is doing same thing by his act of writing in this way. Does the poet raise the same tone which white people poured into them? 

We can interpret it in many other ways too. We can see here one thing is that when western people want black people as a benefit in their trades and how black people had to suffer by various aspects in social discourse as well as individually. 

Work Cited 

“African literature | History, Writers, Books, Characteristics, Themes, & Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/art/African-literature. Accessed 28 March 2023.

Ajitha, M. “Racism Faced by Natives with Reference to Gabriel Okara’s You Laughed And Laughed And Laughed.” Language in India, vol. 19, no. 9, 2019, pp. 08-11. www.languageinindia.com, http://languageinindia.com/sep2019/mkuliterature2019/ajitha.pdf. Accessed 28 3 2023.

Echeruo, Michael J. C. “Gabriel Okara: A Poet and His Seasons.” World Literature Today, vol. 66, no. 3, 1992, pp. 454–56. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/40148369. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Okara, Gabriel. “You Laughed And laughed And Laughed By Gabriel Okara – Pick Me Up Poetry.” Pick Me Up Poetry, 2 April 2022, https://pickmeuppoetry.org/you-laughed-and-laughed-and-laughed-by-gabriel-okara/. Accessed 28 March 2023.

Smith, Charlotte. “Gabriel Okara | Biography, Books, & Poems | Britannica.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 March 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gabriel-Okara. Accessed 28 March 2023.