The Dark Child -Cmr Ly - Novel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Dark Child -Cmr Ly - Novel - Essay ExampleThe story is told by a grown-up narrator-protagonist who recalls his years as a untried boy. The autobiographical characteristic of the novel leads the reader to assume that this youthful boy (Fatoman), who is the main character of the book, is Camara Laye himself. Laye traces the development of his cultural and personal values as a young man coming of age within the Malinke tribe. He portrays nostalgically his happy childhood, his parents, education, initiation of Malinke culture, ritual circumcision, and the suppress of his youth. He then goes to Conakry for higher education after completing it, he gets a erudition to go to Paris for further higher studies.The story starts with the young 6 year old Fatoman (Laye himself) playing in his village Kouroussa. I was a little boy playing around my fathers hut (Laye 17). The relationship with his parents, especially his mother, is the link between the boy and his African roots. Laye is ver y proud of his parents, depiction both as outstanding characters. His father, a reputed blacksmith in the village, is also endowed with spiritualistic powers. His father tells Laye The serpent is the guiding spirit of our race. Can you understand that? (Laye 69).Although theirs is a patriarchal society where the father is the head of the family, in Layes household it was his mother who was dominant. I realize that my mothers authoritarian attitudes may come on surprising generally the role of the African woman is thought to be a ridiculously low-spirited one, but Africa is vast, with a diversity equal to its vastness. (Laye 69). His mother had spiritual powers as well. It was due to the strange powers she possessed. (Laye 69). Among these powers was the major power to persuade animals to obey her commands and being able to approach crocodiles without being harmed. Laye lays great emphasis on