African Literature and English Language: A Political Literary Discourse

A political literary discourse is important at this moment, given the political upheavals that have engulfed African countries. The writer is often seen as an emancipator of the masses therefore, the imaginative writer can, through his work, offer critical appraisal of existing political situations in order to mould and redirect the actions of society, its belief and values. Literature can therefore influence people‟s perception about politics and how to effect a political change. Using the structural-functional approach to literature, an analysis of some selected works has been undertaken in the paper to show how political issues have been re-current motifs in both pre-independence and post independent Africa. The paper also analyzes English language usage in political circles and the different literary devices that African writers have employed in their works over the years to confront the menace of repression and bad leadership in post independent Africa.