WAEC Literature in English 2016 Theory — Question 4

Model answer

The author uses the third-person point of view. With this omniscient vantage point, he demonstrates his ability to observe people and events very closely and passing appropriate comments on them. The author likewise shows the thought flow of the characters as evident in Yaremi. This is similar to the stream of consciousness. Yaremi demonstrates this several times in the novel. Yaremi manifests this at the cap-picking ceremony as she inwardly denounces the caps laid on the bench: 'But Yaremi was already resolved. For her, there was no going back... Give this bage cap to the baboon swinging on the branches of tall trees to wear,' she mumbled to herself, as she moved away from the first cap, 'Not to Yaremi. Not to Yaremi.' The author also employs poetry in his narrative. The entirety of the novel could be summed as poetic. The novel is prefaced by a poetic prologue. The expressions in the novel are concise. There are instances of songs and folktales which are typical of African oral tradition. A good example of this interaction between Yaremi and Woye is where Woye needs to draw from Yaremi's poetic song to speed up his work. The Widows: the like of Dedewe, Radeke and Fayoyi are also expected to sing dirges to accompany the deaths of their husbands. This is evident in Radeke's widows' traditional song of innocence and lamentation. The author's leaning on African tradition also reflects on his use of myth and folktales. There are references to stories of tortoise who visited his in-law's house and 'messed himself up with a mess of hot pottage in the sitting room right in front of his new wife, Yanibo', the proud antelope who lived like a prince and who was eventually subdued by the hunter's bullet and many more. The author employs the use of incantation in the novel. As the language is poetic, the poet introduces words from his local language to communicate his message appropriately. This is evident in Yaremi's use of incantation to frustrate the efforts of her perceived enemies: 'Osibata floats tente on the surface of the river, she will float tente above enemies.' The author uses flashback to regale the readers with past experiences of Yaremi. Woye is enthralled by the flashback on Yaremi's childhood story of climbing the nine hills that separate Adeyipo village from the neighbouring villages like Aderogba, Orita, Kange, Kufi, Ladunni, Idiogun, Kelebe and so on. The author also uses flashback to recall the relationship between Yaremi and Ajumobi. Ajumobi is not an active character in the novel but through the use of flashback, the author brings his actions to life. There is also a use of suspense in the novel. The readers' interests are sustained by instances of Woye's illness, the cap-picking ceremony and the aftermath of Yaremi after her refusal to honour the picking of a cap at the cap-picking ceremony. The readers are made to seek desperately the aftermath of Woye's sickness. They are also eager to know whose cap Yaremi is going to pick at the cap-picking ceremony. The destination of Yaremi is also worth questioning in the novel. The author also makes use of dialogue in the narration. There are instances of dialogue between Yaremi and her suitors, Yaremi and the widows, Yaremi and Ajumobi, Yaremi and Woye.