WAEC Literature in English 2022 Theory — Question 11

Model answer

Points to develop: i. Relation to theme; ii. Character identification; iii. Role of Baroka; iv. Roles of Sidi and Sadiku; v. The resolution. The play The Lion and the Jewel centres on the theme of conflict between tradition and modernity which produces humorous and ridiculous effects. African tradition is represented by the characters of Baroka, Sidi and Sadiku while Lakunle represents the Western culture. In the long run, African tradition triumphs over the Western culture as Lakunle loses Sidi to Baroka. Baroka is the Bale of Ilujinle, aged sixty two. He is wily and polygamous. Sadiku is Baroka's eldest wife. She is susceptible to gossip. She also can be described as Baroka's match-maker attempting to patronize Sidi to marry Baroka. Sidi is the village Belle. She is slim; she has plaited hair; she is vain and gullible. She can be described as a traditional woman. Lakunle is the village school master, nearly twenty three years. He looks ludicrous in Western attire. He is much opposed to the African tradition as this is evident in his use of bombastic language. One sees Baroka as the representative of tradition. As the Bale, he is the custodian of the culture and traditions of his people. He believes in and practices polygamy. Baroka is portrayed as an opponent of modernity when he pays surveyors to re-route a railway track that was to pass through the village. His positive attitude to the establishment of postal service in the village suggests that he is not totally against modernity but wants to proceed more cautiously, and on his own terms. Lakunle's ideas of 'modern marriage' do not convince Sidi. He sees women as the weaker sex and having smaller brains which puts Sidi off. Sidi realizes that she would have less and fewer rights as Lakunle's wife than she would in a traditional marriage. The conflict between tradition and modernity also shows in the way Sadiku woos Sidi for Baroka. She wards off Lakunle from attracting Sidi. She is instrumental in winning Sidi over to tradition and killing Lakunle's ambition. Lakunle represents modernity. However, his representation of modernity is shallow and not convincing. Rather, he cuts a poor figure. Baroka is a strong, confident traditionalist who has his way with his people, particularly, his women. Sidi, by virtue of her youth and relative inexperience could have been swayed by Lakunle away from tradition, but Lakunle's persuasions are not convincing enough. The pull of tradition, aided by Sadiku, proves too strong for her, especially her insistence that Lakunle pay the bride price. The play suggests that an outright rejection of tradition for the sake of joining the modern world is ill-advised. Baroka's triumph suggests that progress must be made when it truly benefits the village and its people.