2019 NECO GCE LITERATURE ANSWER
SECTION III
(9)
(i)The theme of wisdom of the ancestors is invaluable in the Poem Vanity by Birago Diop; The peom presents ancestors as a weservoir of sound teaching and wisdom which are sufficient to guide their offspring through the challenges of life these teaching and wisdom are describe as “cries” and “wild appeals”. with such descriptions the poet suggests that the ancestors are not only in earnest, they are not interested in listening to their voices . The ancestors also leave behind them signs in the natural elements as guides to the living. The poem, therefore, suggests that the only thing that can prevent the living from becoming object of scorn and enjoy the patronage of the ancestors is to heed their words and signs.
(ii)The theme of Abandonment of traditional ways or values in the Poem Vanity by Birago Diop; The poem comments on the tendency of African educated elites and other westernized Africans to abandon African wisdom, values and general traditional ways of life. Because many of these people have been led into believing that African ways of life are primitive and barbaric, they embrace foreign.values and become uninterested in their own people’s values. The poet condemns this in strong tems, dismissing those culpable in this regard as worthless offspring. While arguing that it is unwise to abandon the traditional ways, the poet also suggests that foreign values will not help. Because the abandonment is intentional, the poet notes that unpleasant experiences may attend it.
(iii)The Theme of Warning to renegades in the Poem Vanity by Birago Diop; In spite of the dominance or presence of other themes in the poem, the entire poem an be summarized a warming sten to the to renegades. The poem is preoccupied with a warning to those who have chosen not to include the voice of elders, voice of wisdom and voice of the ancestors. of the poet’s warning fact that continued will earn nothing Parts of but and reticule. th us when grappling with our self-inflicted wounds, people will’simply laugh at us.
View more on Facebook
