Postcolonial Literature

This Guide addresses the key concerns of postcolonial literary criticism in the twenty-first century. The focus is on the development of effective comparative readings of postcolonial writing drawn from a wide range of locations. Examples of literature from Africa, Australasia, Canada, the Caribbean, Ireland and South Asia are all explored in an account that attempts not to minimise the contrasts between traditions, but rather to stimulate a productive sense of cross-cultural analysis. Established and emerging literary figures are examined alongside one another in a series of thematic chapters that cover such issues as the challenges of the English language, the shifting forms of violence in postcolonial societies, the experiences of settlement and belonging and the need to articulate new historical narratives. Postcolonial Literature also offers a clear guide to navigating the often difficult terrain of postcolonial theory, relating discussions of both seminal and more recent theoretical positions to a range of literary texts and exploring some of the important connections between postcolonial studies and other contemporary developments in literary criticism. Key Features * Examines a wide range of examples from a diverse set of postcolonial locations * Engages with both canonical postcolonial authors and newly emerging voices * Key strands in postcolonial theory demonstrated through detailed readings of literary examples including Achebe's Things Fall Apart, Ken Saro-Wiwa's Sozaboy, Sam Selvon's The Lonely Londoners; James Berry's Windrush Songs; Shani Mootoo's Cereus Blooms at Night, Shyam Selvadurai's Funny Boy, Zadie Smith's White Teeth; Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses, Mohsin Hamid's The Reluctant Fundamentalist, V S Naipaul's A Bend in the River and Anita Desai's A Clear Light of Day. * Thematic approach allows for development of comparative critical perspective * Provides Student Resources section, including a detailed glossary of important terms and essay writing advice