Aesthetic of africanism in camara laye’s the african child and the radiance of the king
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| CHAPTER FOUR
TOWARD A CULTURAL RAINBOW: A STUDY OF LAYE’S THE RADIANCE OF THE KING The novel, The Radiance of the King (1954) is unique in several ways. While the other early African novelists like Achebe and Ekwensi follow the traditions of the immediate imperialist, Camara base his work on French authors. The form of The Radiance of the King (1954) is the quest for identity, self realization and self-fulfillment. Also to Laye’s credit at the early stage in the development of the African novel, he makes a clean break from stock themes; the clash between the old and the new, the decay of traditional life and values, the impact of Westernization, the progress of urbanization and the evil of colonialism then wrote about the difficulty of white man encounters in African society in The Radiance of King (1954). Naturally the African novel must have it’s period of infancy, but it must grow up and abandon it’s sociological pre-occupations in favour of such fundamental human issues as love, death, temptation, sin, guilt and self sacrifice. Signs of such maturity have appeared early enough and Camara Laye is one of the writers who pointed the way as early as 1954 with The Radiance of the King (1954), a novel which deals with the individual and his quest for salvation and purification. Laye is outwardly concerned with the conflict between African and western civilization, yet his treatment in The Radiance of the King (1954) is unlike any other novel we have seen because in The Radiance of the King(1954), Laye talks about a white man who finds himself in an African society and searches for knowledge, self realization and salvation unlike his other works that talk about the evil of colonialism, oppression and so on. The Radiance of the King (1954) is also unique among African novels in having a whileman as it’s hero. And instead of recording the conflict that and African encounters in his exposure to the western culture, Laye in his lengthy African novel, has reversed the usual pattern, and present6ed instead an European and difficulty at coming to grips with Africa. However, The Radiance of the King (1954) is not simply a confrontation which ends in confusion of tragedy but a story which begins in chaos ends in understanding, grace and beauty. The white man may be the protagonist but an African (beggar) is the antagonist. It is the hero’s ability to comprehend the magnitude and the complexity of the African experience, to realize that he himself has not significant at all which leads up to basic aspect of what Senghor has seen as the final evolutionary stage of “reformed negritude”, a kind of world culture which embodies the best cultures: instead of being destroyed in the process of trapped forever between two cultures, Laye’s hero becomes assimilated into the African culture through this process achieves salvation. He thus learns the lesson of Senghor’s “reformed negritude” that for the white man, African experience may lead to a kind of rebirth. Clarence, Laye’s major character finds himself in an African society where he has gambled away his meagre resources and is thrown out of his hotel after being unable to pay his bills, Clarence is now determined to retrieve his fortunes by begging for the King’s favour to get a job. However, Clarence has not fully realized the change in his situation and behaves initially with the arrogance normally associated with a white man in more prosperous circumstance. He expects his colour to influence the King to grant him an immediate audience, and the beggar says: “Young man do you think the King receives just anybody? He replies, “I am not just anybody, I am a white man” (p.10).
A fine advertisement you would be. If the guards were going to stop him, a white man from approaching the King, with all the more reason they would stop this black man in his disgusting rags from addressing him. The man was obviously nothing more than an old fool (pg. 12 - 13). In this, Clarence demonstrates not only conceity but also ignorance of local custom which accords the beggar a position of priviledge denied to others. However the painful growth towards self-knowledge and adjustment begins. In the face of his growing in isolation, bewilderment and helplessness, Clarence is forced to acknowledge the beggar’s cunning a superiority and accepts his offers to intercede with the King on his behalf. When that fails he entrusts himself to their care in the long journey to the South. The growth towards self-knowledge is in three stages, in correspondence to three sections of the novel. At the start Clarence’s arrogance is obvious, but as the introductory part progresses, he realizes that he is a little better than an outcast, cast off by his countrymen, ignored by the indigenous people, and increasingly dependent on, of all people a beggar for sustenance and protection. In the second section Clarence disorders that in spite of his lofty inspiration, he is nothing but as sensual animal, wallowing more and deeply in lust. Finally at the conclusion, Clarence fully realizes the kind of person he is, and has attained deep humility as he prostrates himself at the feet of the King. The exposition of bewilderment, isolation and subsequent enlightenment and assimilation also follows three stages. In the first section, Clarence is mystified by an environment which is not only incomprehensible, understanding of his surrounding and of what has been done to him. In the final section, Clarence is not longer bewildered, he knows the custom of the black people and is ready to adapt. Initially, Clarence makes very slow progress in his bid to secure an audience with the King. The beggar therefore tells Clarence that the King will eventually go to the South and that if Clarence goes there too, his chances of meeting the King will probably be fulfilled. Having recovered his coat from the inn-keeper, the long trek to the South commence. It is important to note in this section that Clarence’s psyche is changing gradually as he has lost both his original personality and his will. Clarence, once the proud and arrogant European, is now without any power or choice and has to be borne along by two boys, literarily like a man in a dream. The journey to the South is an essential part of the process of adjustment, it makes the transition between Clarence’s early arrogance and the readiness with which he later settles down to African life. The journey through the forest represents a process of initiation. Certainly, the ritualistic overtone of Clarence’s wandering in circles around the forest without making any progress is a cyclic journey that has not end until he is totally desorbed of his garment of pride. The Naba of Aziana to whom Clarence is traded, uses him to satisfy the needs of his extensive harem, throughout the journey in the bush and during the whole of his stay in Aziana, Clarence waits for the King to come and redeem him. In the beginning he expects him to come as a duty. He feels that the King owes it to him to save him from his predicament. After the long journey and most especially after the protracted wait in the village, his arrogance is replaced by a feeling of humility and desperation. Clarence has come quite a long way in the process of self-knowledge and adjustment. From the superior arrogant European at the initial stage, he has come to realize that the colour of his skin cannot accord him any special treatment from the King as everybody, both white and black are equal before the King. This process of change is fully documented, and in a particular it is signalized by a number of events. The first is Clarence’s open confession “you know the custom of this land better than I do” (p.48) Clarence is telling the beggar that he (beggar) knows the custom of the land than he does, indicting that he is willing to be educated about local love and custom. This indicate that African culture is guided by a certain principle which the Westerners must know before they can be introduced fully to the society. Clarence is forced to adopt to the situation he finds himself in an African so as to conform to societal horns. He forgets the white man’s ways of life and learns the African ways which is the main aim of the blacks around him. The beggar also suggests to Clarence that he should give his jacket to the inn-keeper in lieu of payment for food and hotel. This is significant, because he has already been compelled to dress like the natives. In other words to modify his European personality in African context. Where are we going, it is not necessary to wear such complicated garments and if you gave some of them up, you would at once be dressed in a style suited to the country you’re in (p.63). At Aziana, he is already accepting African culture as it is and he is ready to perform the task normally performed by men locally, that is weaving of clothes. But when the cotton had finally been transformed into great hanks of course threads, he had begun to work, for at that moment it had become men’s work he had woven the cotton, and had even become expert at it (p.150). Clarence himself realizes that in a boubou, which is the mode of dressing in Aziana, he usually works like black and he doesn’t care any longer. It is important to note that clothes are symbols of assimilation. When Clarence agrees to give the inn-keeper his clothes, he indicates his willingness to change, while the boubou he adopts indicate his complete transformation. The figure of the King in the novel is shrouded into much mystery. Though Clarence is incapable of seeing them. These and other passages clearly invite a symbolic rather than a literal interpretation. However, the literal and allegorical interpretation of the novel are not necessarily mutually exclusive. At the allegorical level Clarence quest is not merely for self-knowledge and adjustment (assimilation) but for God. For ultimately, the novel has the lone of sin, temptation, grace, redemption and salvation. Many of the apparent problem disappear once he realizes is seen as a symbol of God. Will the King be here soon? Asked Clarence. He will be here at the appointed time answered the black man. What time will that be? Asked Clarence. I’ve just told you: at the appointed time. Yes I know. But exactly what time will that be? The King knows! Replied the black man (p.10)
The importance of the beggars in the novels pattern must not be overlooked. At the literal level he is clearly an old rogue and an arrogant liar, but at the allegorical level, he is Clarence spiritual mentor, and one of the means of his access to the King. He also seems to have supernatural power, with ability to read people’s mind. This shows the African’s believe in supernatural power. He points out Clarence spiritual blindness when the remarks that although there are paths through the forest, Clarence is unable to see them. The beggar occupies a position which is both culturally and spiritually priviledge to beggars and small children. To Clarence credit, he is kind to the little boys, Nogoa and Nogoa who is usually surprised with the way the blacks name themselves. Most name are usually difficult for him to pronounce because he is not used to the African culture people before. The boys are the ones who urge Clarence with meaningful looks to advance into the presence of the King. Appropriately, the beggars and the boys guide Clarence through the forest of life to heavenly paradise. The journey through the forest represents not only initiation, but also a kind of journey molif that prepares him for entry into the service of the King. It can even be regarded as an allegorical presentation of man’s spiritual life, for it symbolizes the enlargements, difficulties and frustration that must be encountered and overcome before heavenly peace can be attained. More importantly, the individual must meet and resist temptation. The journey through the forest signify a test giving to him by the Africa people and which he must endure to surmount difficulties and resist temptation. Inspite of this descent into sin, the foundations are being laid for Clarence eventual redemption. In the first place, he is really morally superior to most of the people he comes across in Aziana. He is made to realize that in African culture everybody is treated equally. Finally when Clarence realizes the nature of his services to the Naba, he reacts with tremendous revulsion, stick with guilt, he wonders whether the King will not turn away from such an unclean beast, and even longs for death. Having triumphed at last over the forces of temptation, Clarence is still conscious of his previous sin and he thinks of the King as the only means of deliverance Clarence meeting with Diallo, the blacksmith sums up the essential truth about religion in the following words: It’s like this: we are waiting for him. Everyday and every hour we wait for him. But we also get weary of the waiting. And it is when we are most weary that he comes to us or we call to him all the time. We keep forgetting to call him; we are distracted for a fraction of a second and suddenly he appears, he chooses that very fraction of a second in which to make his appearance (p.210). Clarence nudity, especially at the moment he approaches the King symbolizes, his detachment from the world around him. His nudity is a necessary pre-requisite to meeting the King because it indicates his complete detachment from everything except the existence of the King. Camara Laye’s King is neither young nor old but eternal. He is neither a judge nor a punisher but a redeemer. He redeem through love and his saving grace know neither nor geographical boundaries. Thus, Camara Laye’s African Kinship is promoted to the status of a symbol of the end and satisfaction of all man’s hope and desire and to employ the western notion the new Christ. At this level, we can see that Clarence has really changed, he has repented from his old ways, his arrogance gives into humility and has superiority to inferiority. It is the beginning of the novel, he thinks that the King will favour him because of the colours of his skin but he realizes later that the King is not a respected of the colour of skin and does not discriminate. The Radiance of the King (1954). Celebrates profound religious truths. Whether the final movement is meant to suggest Clarence eventual death, when he is taken into God’s bosom and enveloped in his love forever is not completely clear. What is certain however, is that after a life of sin and guilt, Clarence the representative of everyman is granted grace and pardon, redeemed and enveloped in God’s love. The Radiance of the King (1954) is a novel that can be interpreted at different levels. Cultural reversal is seen as a reflection of the historical social situation of colonialism in the novel. It is an interpretation that the psychological dehumanization of the character Clarence reflects the twentieth century in which God is dead. These interpretation are based upon Clarence progressive alienation, but they do not satisfactorily explain the importance of the King in the novel. They are based upon protest and are essentially negative in character. Clarence quest is also a spiritual one in the most general sense of it as it reflects man’s timeless pre-occupation with God. This is surely that Laye intends to portray when he describes Clarence as a man, not a white man but a sort of every man in search of God. One can identify the parallels between Clarence quest and religious myticism without distracting the universal nature of Clarence quest. Also his loss of identity parallels man’s bewilderment and entanglement and his eventual unifications with the King (God). Divine love is the basis of this union between man and God which expressed in this novel, no matter the color of the skin. The Radiance of the King (1954) is a rare achievement, Camara Laye had demonstrated metaphysical and religious truths. With brilliance, but he has also drawn a concrete and powerful picture of oneness in any society. However, it is Laye’s positive spiritualist inclination that sets him apart and gives him special significance in the world of African literature. Download 67.34 Kb. Share with your friends:
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