Devil on the Cross free essay sample

An examination of the use of oral styles in this novel by Ngugi wa Thiongo. The writer of this paper shows how Kenyan author Ngugi wa Thiongo in his novel Devil on the Cross uses at least five different oral styles that contribute volumes to the complexity of his seminal work. These styles are each analyzed by quoting various lines from the work. Each oral style is examined for what it contributes to the novel. The narrator begins and ends the novel with a unique oral style, as the Prophet of Justice, providing poignant social and existential commentary: The voice of the people is the voice of God, (p. 8). This particular narrative oral style becomes evident again from Chapter Ten onwards, at the close of the novel. Throughout Devil on the Cross, Ngugi wa Thiongo; speaks directly to the reader, acting as a third-person omniscient point of view. The narrator thinking and talking to himself forms a second key oral style in Ngugis work. We will write a custom essay sample on Devil on the Cross or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This voice is more subtle and literary than the Prophet of Justices oral style. A third distinct oral style is used for Waringa, the protagonist of Devil on the Cross. From the time she tells her story to the stranger at the beginning of the novel till the end after her characters transformation, Waringas oral style is central to Ngugis novel. Throughout the description of the Devils Feast, Ngugi employs a religious, biblical tone, filled with allegory, allusion and symbolism. The oral style is preachy and if read aloud would fill an auditorium (or a cave). Finally, the oral style hearkening to African song is used to evoke a sense of timelessness, rhythm, and mythology. Any Kenyan novel must be filled with verse in order to truly capture Kenyan cultural history and heritage.