Segu Literary Analysis - 1926 Words

Marlon Molinare Black Studies 49A Prof. Meischer Wednesday @ 1:00pm March 10 2009 Segu Literary Analysis The historical novel Segu by Maryse Condà © is set in the African country of Segu during a time of great cultural change. The African Slave Trade, the spread of Islam, and personal identity challenges were all tremendous and far-reaching issues facing Africa from the late 1700s to early 1800s. Condà © uses the four brothers of the Traore family, Tiekoro, Malobali, Siga, and Naba, to demonstrate the impact that the issues of Islam, slave trade, and identity had on African people through the development of each character. The oldest of the sons, Tiekoro exemplifies the influence and spread of Islam through out Africa at the time. When†¦show more content†¦When in the presence of the woman Romana trying to attack him, Condà © writes, â€Å"He was about to throw himself on her, knock her down, kill her perhaps, when a voice reminded him of his difficulties in the Ashanti kingdom after the rape of Ayaovi. What would happen if he now committed murder? (Condà © 265).† In two ways here, Malobali has grown up. First he realizes that all his actions have consequences and that he must realize them before making unwise decisions. In realizing this, Malobali represents Africans evolving as a whole to recognize that they must work together as a people. Secondly, Malobali realizes that Women are people too who can be reasoned with and respected rather than literally beat into submission. On a grand scale, Malobali’s second revelation represents a change in attitude toward women by African people. Still, more important is Malobali’s evolution in the context of the African Slave Trade. Later in the story Malobali gets involved in the slave trade. Condà © writes, â€Å"So Malobali was to be seen being rowed out to the slave ships, coming back with their captains†¦ and going with them to inspect human cattle whom he himself had made presentable beforehand by various tricks (Condà © 271).† Here, by a ssisting the slave ship captains, Malobali is playing an active role in the propagation of the African Slave Trade. Malobali’s actions and active