Conflict and the black servant in oyonos houseboy and gordimers julys people wazha lopang scientific essay literature africa publish your bachelors or masters thesis, dissertation, term paper or essay. Dec 19, 2011 the words are uttered by toundi, who leaves his family and the african way of life for a better life with the superior white man but ironically, he ends up being brutalized, oppressed, laughed at and dehumanized by the very people he had previously idolized. He first works for a priest, then a french colonial official, where circumstances bring about his downfall. Review 5 stars sigh oyonos houseboy is s uch a painful, humorous, tragic tale. The story begins in spanish speaking guinea, where toundi, sick and injured, is dying. Apr 24, 2019 houseboy ferdinand oyono begins his haunting tragedy at the end of a cameroonian houseboys life. Apr 25, 2012 the often touring commandant, indeed comes to know his wifes improper behavior resulting in a showdown. He is forced from the brutality at his fathers hands into the arms of a catholic missionary named father gilbert because of his curiosity with the colonials. Racism, the fluidity of identity, rites of passage and psychological maturity are some of the key features of this book. The houseboy, toundi, is a rural youth fascinated by the ways of the whites in africa.
By the end, toundi himself, disenchanted by the dissoluteness of his sonamed superior, shows disrespect. What are the major themes on ferdinand oyonos book houseboy. Toundi s perception of the white men is one of gratitude because he has been honored the chance of being a part of them. Ferdinand oyonos short novel, housboy, is a brief expose on the brutality of european colonialism in cameroon. It is a better guide to french colonial africa, and to racism, than any nonfiction account, whether by african or frenchman. With our online resources, you can find houseboy ferdinand oyono or just about any. Early on, he toundi ondoua, the rural african protagonist of houseboy, encounters a world of prisms that cast beautiful but unobtainable glimmers, especially for a black youth in colonial cameroon. This means he works as a servant in the home of french colonial officials. This book is written in the form of a diary kept by toundi, an innocent cameroonian houseboy who is fascinated and awed by the white world, the world of. Jan 28, 20 toundi is eventually taken to live with the commandant, the man in charge of the surrounding colony. Early on, he escapes his fathers angry blows by seeking asylum with his benefactor, the local european priest who meets an untimely death. Upon the death of father gilbert he eventually became a houseboy to the commandant for the area. Toundis story in the first of two exercise books begins with him living with his.
The often touring commandant, indeed comes to know his wifes improper behavior resulting in a showdown. In general, the major thread of the novel is the evil of imperialism or foreign administration and the. Jun 02, 2014 at the beginning of the story we notice the determination of toundi in embracing the french culture. The primary look at christianity comes when toundi takes note of that his kin were. Houseboy houseboy research papers examine the book based on a diary of a young african american boy employed by a priest. It becomes very clear that the events that go on in the house are more important to toundi than his own life. With nowhere else to go, toundi is soon taken in by the commandant, the man in charge of the local colony. We africans have to change our metality and value ourselves. Houseboy kindle edition by oyono, ferdinand, john reed, reed, john.
He requests that the delighted cleric take him on as a houseboy, and, however toundis dad cant help contradicting the training, father gilbert acknowledges. Ferdinand oyono, the author of houseboy and the old man and the medal, worked in the diplomatic corps of his native cameroon, and as directorgeneral of unicef. Historia y anecdotario del teatro real, history of the soviet armaments industry, holt literature language arts fifth course teachers edition, holt spanish 1 assessment program prueba. Houseboy follows the story of toundi, who has close ties to father gilbert. It also portrays how he degrades himself to the value of a dog. Houseboy kindle edition by oyono, ferdinand, john reed. The times literary supplementhouseboy is written in the form of a diary kept by toundi, an innocent cameroonian houseboy who is fascinated and awed by the white world. This book is written in the form of a diary kept by the cameroonian houseboy toundi, an innocent, fascinated and awed by the white world, the world of his masters. It depicts honestly but with humour the often brutal life of a houseboy in the service of a french commandant. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The initial image that toundi had of a beautiful french christian woman is deleted by her actions with the prison warden.
Toundi ondoua, the rural african protagonist of houseboy, encounters a. The words are uttered by toundi, who leaves his family and the african way of life for a better life with the superior white man but ironically, he ends up being brutalized, oppressed, laughed at and dehumanized by the very people he had previously idolized. Important quotes with page numbers freebooksummary. Houseboy book summaries, study guides, quotes and character analysis. Toundi ondoua is a young man from the cameroons who initially dreams of leaving his rural life and entering the world of the whites. Click download or read online button to get houseboy book now. Houseboy summary freebooksummary study guides and book. The book opens up the theoretical debate to include areas such as postwar traumatic stress counselling, representations of nuclear capability, architecture, mining, and the politics of ecotourism. This is a novel that softly, softly got its hooks into me.
The narrative is about a young boy called toundi who grows up in a small village. The tone of the houseboy was a somber, sad, and reflective onehowever it all stemmed from the events that transpired in the prelude of the book. The times literary supplementhouseboy is written in the form of a diary kept by toundi, an innocent cameroonian houseboy who is fascinated and awed by the white world, the world of his masters. When the head of the mission, to whom he is devoted, is killed in an accident, toundi becomes the boy of the local commandant. Although the houseboy, toundi, remains in awe of the french for much of the novel, fellow servants at commandant decazys residence. Houseboy by ferdinand oyono is a short and straightforward novel about toundi,a cameroonian man working in the household of french colonists, focusing on his observations of their behavior. Houseboy begins with an unusual narrative technique, as the main character is found neardeath by a vacationing frenchman in what was then spanish guinea. You are a houseboy, my better half is commandant there is no hope about it.
Their input gave toundi another perspective on the decisions that he made around the colonists. Houseboy plot overview study guides and book summaries. Jan 31, 2019 this book is written in the form of a diary kept by toundi, an innocent cameroonian houseboy who is fascinated and awed by the white world, the world of his masters. When the head of the mission, to whom he is devoted, is killed in an accident, toundi. When the head of his mission is killed in an accident, toundi becomes the boy of the local commandant. The components of this diary include a first person point of view, private comments and thoughts, and important events. While he serves them as a houseboy, he begins to notice more of the differences between him and his european benefactors. The analysis of this book will focus on how conflict is portrayed between whites and blacks, how conflict can ironically have a positive influence on others and finally, how conflict among the. The book shows that beauty on the outside can be misleading. When violence erupts at home over toundi s defiance of his father, and after toundi refuses to obey his father as it will result in a beating, toundi flees to father gilbert and asks for help. Rene julliard and translated into english in 1966 by john reed for heinemann s african writers series. Apr 16, 2020 houseboy ferdinand oyono begins his haunting tragedy at the end of a cameroonian houseboys life.
Oyono has really portrayed this in the life of toundi when he has to be the houseboy of the commander. The root cause of toundi s problem was based on a malefemale relationship including rumors of emotional affairs. The frenchman finds his diary, which is called an exercise book by toundi. Houseboy is ferdinand oyonos first work, an anticolonial narrative that takes place during the last years of the french control of his native cameroon.
Certain individuals distrusted him because of a female in the story. Weep not, child penguin african writers series book 3. Ferdinand oyonos 1960 novel houseboy is written in the form of the diary of toundi ondoua, a young boy from cameroon. Toundi s reputation as a houseboy is the only thing that tends to distinguish him from other natives because he is quickly hired by another leading figure whom he calls the commandant. The authors choice of this text type makes each character become developed by the direct thoughts of the protagonist, toundi. He asks father gilbert to take him on, and from that moment, toundi becomes bound to the lives of. This short but powerful novel explores the evils of colonialism through the story of a young cameroonian man, toundi, who becomes the houseboy first for a. Ferdinand oyono has really done a great work with this fictional work. Later, he would be given the diary or exercise book of toundi, a houseboy on the run. The houseboy, toundi, escaped from cameroon where he was wanted for an alleged crime a crime he did not commit but has been framed up for his part of spreading the amorous and sexual encounters between his masters the local commandant wife.
Asked if the water he brings has been boiled and purified, toundi replies yes. Toundi runs away from home to seek refuge in the white mans home. Many of these workers viewed toundi differently because of how he treated the colonists, but this concern made a tremendous difference on the outcome of the book. Eventually, they get him falsely accusing him of theft. Houseboy, by ferdinand oyono, is an epistolary novel focusing on the coming of.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The book is written in form of a diary, kept by a cameroonian houseboy toundi. He translated the book from its original language, ewondo, stating that he tried to keep the richness of the original language without letting it get in the way of the story. Toundi onouya is the houseboy, and begins life in a loveless upbringing that propels him into the service of the local senior priest. Toundi s story is bound with sexual jokes and asides, and the locals regularly joke with one another with gestures to sexual references. Houseboy, written in the form of toundi s captivating diary and translated from the original french, discloses his awe of the white world and a web of unpredictable experiences.
The rest of the story consists of the diary exercise book that the. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. So houseboy the psychological aspect colonialism has on its victims. He considers them, however moves his bitterness at what he witnesses onto africans as a rule, denouncing their aggregate destiny. Buy houseboy heinemann african writers series new ed by oyono, mr ferdinand isbn. Toundi is deeply interested in the goingson in the house, giving very little thought to himself during this segment of the story. Houseboy is a novel in the form of a diary written by ferdinand oyono, first published in 1956.
Through his eyes, we gain a nuanced and awefilled account of what it is like to work for racist whites. Conflict and the black servant in oyonos houseboy and. What are the themes of houseboy by ferdinand oyono. Toundi features this firsthand when he sees madame just because and fears what he may do due to her magnificence and his desire. Toundi is suspected to be spreading the rumours, and the act of vengeance by the lady increased, despite the refusal of the commandant to replace the houseboy. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading houseboy. Toundi toundi ondoua is a young man from the cameroons who initially dreams of leaving his rural life and entering the world of the whites. Houseboy, written in the form of toundis captivating diary and translated from the original french, discloses his awe of the white world and a web of. Aside from this prologue, the entirety of houseboy. In many ways, the novels theme is simple, despite the works great complexity.
The novel starts in spanish guinea with a frenchman on vacation, who finds a man named toundi, who has. Literary analysis houseboy by ferdinand oyono cameroon. You will be glad to know that right now houseboy ferdinand oyono pdf is available on our online library. The book is introduced by a narrator finding and transcribing the journals of the main character, very much like the opening of lermontovs a hero of our time. Houseboy, toundi s diary, is an anticolonial novel, but a subtle one, with much wit and sarcastic humor. He serves as the houseboy for the commandant, and later madame, the commandants wife. Toundis reputation as a houseboy is the only thing that tends to distinguish him from other natives because he is quickly hired by another leading figure whom he calls the commandant. He asks the amused priest to take him on as a houseboy, and, though toundi s father disagrees with the practice, father gilbert accepts toundi.
Houseboy edition 1 by ferdinand oyono 2900435905322. Rene julliard and translated into english in 1966 by john reed for heinemanns african writers series plot summary. The commandant treats toundi more as a servant than father gilbert, but toundi does not allow this treatment to affect the quality of his work. Houseboy by ferdinand oyono is written in the form of a diary. What a wonderful analysis insightful, eloquent and engaging. Life in the village is coarse, but toundi, who is renamed joseph, goes to work for a mission guided by father gilbert as his houseboy. In houseboy by ferdinand oyono, the protagonist, toundi onduo struggles with his social identity and writes about his experiences in a diary which is the style of the novel. As i started, i thought the opening plot device of finding the diaries of the dying protagonist, toundi, and then recounting them was trite. He leaves his village after having a fight with his father. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Sep 26, 2012 houseboy, toundi s diary, is an anticolonial novel, but a subtle one, with much wit and sarcastic humor. Toundi ondoua, the rural african protagonist of houseboy, encounters a world of prisms that cast beautiful but unobtainable glimmers, especially for a black youth in colonial cameroon.
Oyonos first book, houseboy, is written in the form of a diary. Houseboy by ferdinand oyono, john reed 9781577669883. Toundi ondoua, the rural african protagonist of houseboy, encounters a wor. Houseboy, written in the form of toundis captivating diary and translated from the original french, discloses his awe of the white world and a web of unpredictable experiences. Oyonos houseboy exposes white hypocrisy the herald.
Toundi said a dog of a king is the king of all dogs. The story begins in spanish speaking guinea, where toundi. He asks father gilbert to take him on, and from that moment, toundi becomes bound to the lives of the whites in the cameroons. The old man and the medal satirizes colonialism through the eyes of a godfearing and loyal. The novel is written in the form of an epistolary or a diary by the protagonist toundi. The book was published in 1956, a few years before cameroonian independence, but seems to be set at an earlier time when the french were getting established in cameroon. The houseboy, toundi, escaped from cameroon where he was wanted for an alleged crime a crime he did not commit but has been framed up for his part of spreading the amorous and sexual encounters between his masters the local commandant wife and the giant prison officer, m. Beautifully written, houseboy follows the life of toundi, a black cameroonian living under french colonialisation in his native land, as illustrated through his diary entries from childhood right up to adulthood. He is employed as a houseboy by the commandant, the subject of the title. Jul 09, 2019 houseboy ferdinand oyono begins his haunting tragedy at the end of a cameroonian houseboys life. Toundis story is bound with sexual jokes and asides, and the locals regularly joke with one another with gestures to sexual references. This book is written in the form of a diary kept by toundi, an innocent cameroonian houseboy who is fascinated and awed by the white world, the world of his masters. Imagine a man comparing himself to a dog and comparing a white man to be a king.