Noah Pfister: Popenguine

Noah Pfister
World Lit. Survey
Prof. Benander

Film Review: Popenguine

     Full of dancing, music, and colonizational struggles, Ca Twiste à Poponguine brings to light the real world events of this sea side village. Director Moussa Sene Absa strives to create a comical film that is centered around the Senegalese village, where the local teenagers are divided into rival cultural camps. Some  have adopted the names of French pop stars including,  Johnny Halliday, Sylvie Vartan, "Clo Clo" and Eddie Mitchell. While the Kings, on the other hand, style themselves after African American rhythm and blues legends, Otis Redding, Ray Charles and James Brown; they work as fishermen.  

The story is told throught the memories of Bacc, he is a street smart lillte boy who is out to prove himself to the world. He has been abandoned by his parents and is therefore taken in by her grandmother. Throught the film, Bacc acts as a messenger between the two groups, he makes deals and sets the stage for the big parties that the teenagers attempt to throw during the christmas season. 

This Film is full of music, incorporated is a mixture of both African traditions dumbs and folk, as well as American rock n' roll. Add to the cultural mix, director Absa has placed a French colonized school teacher Mr. Beniot in middle of the Popenguine town. Mr. Beniot proves to be the voice of reason and change within the town. Through his presence, viewers  learn of the struggle that are encased in trying to colonize the Senegalese people.  

I personally enjoyed this film, I found the experience of a new culture interesting.  The elements of American music allowed for me to have a connection to this forgine film.  I loved seeing the directors show the process by which French culture was encroching on the traditional views and thoughts.  I recommend this film to all those who enjoy film with a rich history and forgien cultural background. In addition, viewers who enjoy music and dancing are also encouraged to see how art of music can have an impact on culture.  It is important to enter this film with an open mind, this will allow for a far more enjoyable Popenguine experience. 

Noah Pfister: Minutes of Glory

Noah Pfister
World Lit. Survey
Prof. Benander

Ngugi: Minutes of Glory 

         Written by Ngugi wa Thiong'o,  Minutes of Glory strives to focus attention on the life of a barmaid are she battles with her identity and the scrutiny of colonial Nairobi.  Ngugi's story is built upon a woman named Beatrice who is struggling to keep a job. Beatrice is described as a dark and full of flesh, having form, but yet filled out. However, Beatrice is not seen as a beauty queen, she is often over looked by all the men looking for instant satisfaction. Throughout the story, Beatrice is traveling from town to town and working at whatever bar will higher her. Unfortuately she is eventually gives up her profession and settles for a bed making job at the Treetop Bar in  Ilmorog.  While making beds, Beatrice happens upon a costumer whom she befriends and begins to meet with on a regular basis. After many meetings, Beatrice becomes board with the mans stories and begins to work up enough courage to steal from the man. Upon stealing the mans money, Beatrice enters the city and spends the majority of the money perfecting her image and creating a completely new air about herself.  Beatrice personally experiences the power of being a woman for the first time. However, her glory is short lived when the man she stole from, comes with the police to arrest her. 

          The aspect of this story that jumped out at me, is the fact that Ngugi created a story in which being a barmaid was a suitable and exceptable occupation; the women have a sense of dignity and poise.  Ngugi creates women who are working to make an honest living, doing a job that many would consider degrading. 

           The next aspect that i found interesting, is that fact that Beatrice's co-worker was given a name.  Nyaguthu, was Beatrice's rival, she often ruled the floor and established her dominance as the men's favorite. However, readers learn that the reason for Nyaguthu choosing the occupation of a barmaid is due to her over protective parents.   Nyaguthu was burnt out on all of the rules and regulations of the Christian life. She simply wanted to be free.   I feel that the author is trying to make the point that if  people are pushed too far and the rule are too strict, then the only response is conflict and rebellion.   Nyaguthu is basically kicked out of her family because she couldnt and didnt choose to follow the Christian traditions.  This caused her to have a major attitude which in turn was the source of her power and influence. 

           Ngugi wishes for readers to understand the sense of pride that Beatrice lacks. Beatrice is always looking down on herself, she is never proud of being dark black or proud of being African. She is always trying to make herself lighter and trying to transform herself into what she thinks the general public will like. This identity struggle is what Ngugi wishes to combat, the colonization of the mind.  

         In addition, Ngugi wishes to bring attention to the belief that colonizatoin equals wealth. This is evident by all the men that are seen at TreeTop bar. They are all wealthy, power, colonized men.   Ngugi wants readers to simply be proud of who they are. Embrace the fact that they are African and that there is no need to conform to the colonization of other. 

Noah Pfister: Six Feet of The Country (Nadine Gordimer)

Noah Pfister
World Lit. Survey
Prof. Benander
 

Six Feet of The Country

      Written by Nadine Gordimer, Six Feet of The Country, is story of a white land owner who goes out of his way to help some of his farm hands.  The story presents interesting events because of the fact that the land owner is taking time to hand issues what most people wouldn't bother to care about.

Gordimer creates a story in which a certain farm hand, Pertus, invites his brother to leave Rhodesia and travel to Johannesburg in an attempt to help him find work. However, after completing the long travel, Pertus' brother dies of phenomena.  After conveying the news to the land own, the dead body to take by the health services and disposed of.  Unfortunately however, the problems begin when Pertus requests to have his brothers body returned. The land owner grants his request and retrieves the body.The issues then becomes the fact that the land owner had been given the wrong body and now fights with the authorities to correct their mistake.
The irony in this story is that Gordimer has created a character in this land owner that fights on principle. Regardless of skin color, the land owner and his wife Lerice, fight to return both the correct body and the money owed to their farm hands. It is rather unusual to fine a wealthy white man to fight on the principles of fairness in regards to black Pertus. The racial and economical barriers have been broken and equality have begun to creep in. It is interesting to me that despite the land owners frustrated attitiude, to continually does his best to help Pertus and win him just treatment.

What interests me greatly about this writing, is that only two characters have names; the farm hand Pertus, and the wife Lerice.  The story is told from the point of view of the land owner, he therefore only refures to himself as, "I" or "Me".   I personally feel that the reason only the wives name is reveal is because she is actually the cause for the land owners pursued of justice.  THroughtout the story, the land owner often grumbles and complains about spending too much time help the farm hands with insignificant issues.  Its not until the wife suggest things or until Lerice pushes her husband, that he actually begins to be productive.
My thoughts then are that Gordimer gives Lerice a name because she wishes for readers to be drawn to this character. Gordimer wishes to speak to wives on how to focus the husband attention and push him into action. It is not impossible to assume that Gordimer is writing a gender role message that explains the important of the womanly influence on mens thoughts and actions.

In my personally life experienced, I have witnessed both fighting on principle.
During a conversation with my father this past year, we there discussing a law-suit that his company was tied up in. When in inquired upon the amount the case dealt with, I was shock to find the amount in dispute to be only a few hundred dollars. My father than explained to me that the amount in question wasn't truly important. But rather the fact that the supply company refused to correct a small part malfunction. My fathers company had been wronged and were fighting on the principle that supply companies should be allowed to get away with cheating customers simply because there is no one to challenge them.