Masters Dissertations

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Browsing Masters Dissertations by Subject "African fiction (English)"

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    Religious syncretism in mmasi s satanic tortures and hokororo s salma spirit
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2012) Kassim, Mtumwa
    This study examines the presentation of syncretism between traditional and foreign religions in Mmasi s satonic tortures and Hokororo s salma s spirit. Guided primarily by the postcolonial approach, the study examines the ways the novels exploit the beliefs of these two religions for characterization and advancement of themes. In particular, the study examined how the novel exploited the combination of traditional and foreign religious beliefs complicate the experiences of characters in the two novels. The study has established that the characters commitments and decision making in the two novels are informed and complicated by beliefs and values drawn from both traditional and foreign religion. However, it comes to crunch time; traditional belief takes precedence over the newly introduced foreign religions. Character’s in satanic tortures and salma s spirit are close to their traditions and consider foreign religions as peripheral in dealing with their specific everyday problems. On the whole, the novels depict the influence of beliefs on societal change through characterization and development of socio-economic themes. The two novels represent society (ies) whose characters have to negotiate between a mixture of foreign and traditional beliefs. This is evident in characters thoughts and actions as they strive to come to term with the problems they face. The novels appear to suggest that traditional beliefs are an integral part of society which need not be discarded even as foreign religions take hold since traditional beliefs are an integral part of African societies and social dispensation. In fact the novels shows that certain problem can only be comprehended and talked about by deploying traditional beliefs and practices.