Background on African Literature Quiz

For this assignment you will be studying web resources on African literature. On the day of the quiz you will need to write a short answer to one of the questions below. I will announce which question the day of the quiz, so be prepared to answer all of them. No notes will be allowed.

Basic answers to the questions are available on the MSU Exploring Africa website, see pages linked below. You will need to take careful notes on these pages and study your notes. You can improve or elaborate your answers by drawing on what you learn from additional resources listed below.

1. What are three different forms of oral literature found in Africa?

2. What are the three waves of literacy in Africa?

3. What is "Negritude" ?

4. What is the focus of the generations of African writers during and after the 1950s & 60s?

5. Name five African writers.

Primary Resource: Exploring Africa: Literature

Additional Resources: African Literature in English, African Writers' Series, Columbia African Literature on the Internet, Voice of the Shuttle: African Literature, Colonial/Postcolonial Dialogues

Created by: allen.webb@wmich.edu
Revised: 1/04