ABSTRACT
The study aims at finding out why more students shy away from Literature in English in the Secondary Schools, using the analysis of some African novels from different African regions to show how close Literature is to life and why students should develop interest in it and study it.
The sociological approach to criticism was employed in the analysis of the prose writings of some selected novelists from four African regions, namely: Anglophone, Francophone, Eastern and Southern Africa. The regional peculiarities of these novels was looked at, pointing out the relationship between them and the socio-cultural background of the students and how this can positively influence their interest in the learning of Literature in English.
Apart from taking cognisance of the benefits derivable from the study of Literature in English, the study began by taking a look at literature in general; its functions and the implications for the study of Literature in English and the novel as an aspect of prose literature.
A visit was paid to schools to collect relevant data which was analyzed appropriately. Conclusions were then drawn and recommendations made.
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Literature is so important in our everyday life, but we all take it for granted. The ordinary man hardly bothers about finding out the role of literature in the society or what role it plays in his own personal life. This complacent attitude is perhaps responsible for the success of the advocates of technological development in undercutting the values traditionally attached to literature and other subjects in the arts.
Today, few parents encourage their children to choose literature in English as a subject. Even government policy does not favour the subject as it is regarded as a “less useful” subject. Admission quotas in higher institutions for literary studies have similarly suffered radical reduction.
The logical outcome of this kind of attitude is the ultimate removal of this subject from the school curricula, thereby bringing the socio-cultural values it propagates into extinction. Though, this possibility is actually remote, it nonetheless raises some fundamental questions like: What, for instance, would happen to society should literature cease to exist? Why in the first place did the traditional society develop literature to the extent that even today, the modem society is the rich inheritor of both oral and written forms of literature? What does literature do for society to make some society so proud of their literary achievements and so committed to the continued promotion of their national literature? In other words, what are the socio-cultural, educational and other functions of literature?
1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
This research project is predicated upon the discovery that many students shy away from Literature in English, and their ignorance of the benefits derivable from the subject and its relationship with their lives has further led to other socio-cultural problems in the society.
A depressingly large number of those who study the subject approach it with a wrong opinion. They may simply be studying Literature in English in order to obtain a credit pass as one of their combinations for higher studies in other disciplines. In other words, Literature in English to them is a means to an end and not an end in itself.