HOUSEBOY NOVEL ANALYSIS BY FREDNAND OYONO
TITLE: HOUSEBOY
NOVELIST: FERDINAND OYONO.
SETTING: CAMEROON DURING COLONIALISM. (FRENCH
COLONIAL RULE)-1963.
INTRODUCTION
.
.
HOUSEBOY is a novel that tells about Toundi, an African boy who
finds himself working for the French priests when he escapes the
brutality of his father. Toundi works for father Gilbert whom he used to
love, but when his boss died, he was taken by the Commandant who
employed him as the houseboy. Toundi’s life was not so much good
with the commandant and especially after the arrival of the wife of
Commandant, Madame.
TITLE OF THE NOVEL:
The title of the novel is derived from one of the character known as
Toundi who is the houseboy of the whitemen like Father Gilbert. In his
servantship as the houseboy, he is brainwashed to believe that his culture
is nothing and hence abandons his culture. He changes his name in what
is so called baptism and take the name of Joseph. The houseboy
symbolizes the exploited and colonized Africans who lose their identity.
The novel is a historical one, showing the life of people of Cameroon
during colonialism. It shows how they suffered.
Therefore, the title relates much to what is contained in the novel. The
title is relevant.
THINGS TO NOTE IN RELATION TO THE NOVEL.
The novel was written in form of the diary written by the main
character namely Toundi before his death.
Father Gilbert is the one who taught Toundi how to read and
write.
Father Gilbert gave Toundi a spiritual education which made him a Catholic Follower
Madame (the wife of the Commandant) was unfaithful to her
marriage. She betrays her husband by sleeping with the Prison
Warden.
The novel shows the African sufferings under French colonial
rule. People are harshly beaten without reasons. Example
Moreau is cruel and a racist man, he beats Africans to death.
When Toundi knows about Madame’s extra marital affairs,
Madame accuses Toundi of theft while Toundi is innocent.
Toundi is beaten violently by Moreau and by Mendim. He is
later sent to hospital where he later escapes and goes to his home
where he dies due to injuries he gets from Moreau in prison.
Toundi dies trying to question about his identity, he says” What
are we black men who are called French?’.
THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF THIS NOVEL:
1.COLONIALISM:
The novel shows how African people suffered under colonialism.
Whites especially the French in Cameroon torture the natives and
subject them under harsh conditions.
In this novel, Father Gilbert, Commandant, Madame, and Moreau torture
and exploit the native Africans like Toundi and Sophie.
Father Gilbert gives Toundi old clothes as payments for serving
him. This is humiliation.
Moreau beats, torture and injures Toundi when he knows that the
boy knows their extra marital affairs with Madame.
The death of Toundi is also caused by beating of
Moreau(colonialist).
Ferdinand wants to show us how colonialism was most evil.
2.CATHOLICISM(CHRISTIANITY).
The novel shows the link between colonialism and the early Christianity
in Africa. The novel shows that colonialists used Christianity to
brainwash the Africans. Catholic church has been used to convert
Africans and make them believe that whites are good people although
they were not. And that their culture was superior while it was not.
Catholic was portrayed as a means of colonization, it was bad.
Father Gilbert, a catholic leader humiliates Toundi, so he is amoral.
Father Vandameyer is abusive, characteristics like Martin are drunkard
so they pollute the church and make it unworthy.
3.MODERNITY:
The novelist shows that life in Cameroon is changing and becoming
more modern due to intrusion of colonialism. New ways of life are
introduced by the whites (The French). Below are the new ways
introduced.
Christianity is a new and modern life in Cameroon. Example
Toundi is converted and baptized as Joseph.
Schools are built in Dangan
Foreign language especially French is used by the natives, so it is
a modern life.
European entertainments like clubs are also introduced in
Cameroon for Europeans.
Colonial leadership is also new in Cameroon. The Commandant
is the head of leaders.
Condoms are also indicators of modernity. Condoms were used
by Madame and the prison Warden.
Hospitals were also built by the whites.
4.IMMORALITY.
This means moral pollution or lack of morals.
The novel shows that there is moral pollution in our communities. Moral
decay can be evidenced in the following aspects: -
There is unfaithfulness and promiscuity in our societies. Example
Madame has extra marital affairs with The Prisoner Warden.
Kalisia used to be a prostitute at the coast.
Toundi betrays his traditions by running away from his home one
day before his initiation ceremony.
Toundi’s father uses abusive language to insult Toundi when he
wants to instruct him something.
In our societies, moral decay can be evidenced, there are people
betraying others, there is infidelity in marriage and prostitution, so the theme is relevant
5.CONFLICT.
This refers to misunderstanding between or among people. Also there
can be a conflict in oneself called intra personal conflict. Below are
conflicts depicted in this novel.
Conflict between whites and African natives.
REASON: Exploitation done by the whites to Africans.
Conflict between Toundi and his father.
REASON: Toundi’s fight with Tinati over a lump of sugar angered his
father.
Another reason is Toundi’s father brutality, he beats Toundi too much
till Toundi decides to run away.
Conflict between Madame and her husband (the Commandant).
REASON: Unfaithfulness of Madame, she sleeps with another man.
Conflict between Sophie and Agricultural engineer.
REASON: Maltreatment. The engineer maltreats Sophie, so Sophie is
angry and decides to steal engineer’s money and clothes.
Conflict between Toundi and Tinati.
REASON: The fight over a lump of sugar given to them by the whites.
Generally, it is better to solve conflicts wisely so as to avoid big harms
that can arise. In our communities, conflicts are happening every day but
it is necessary to handle them with care.
6: BETRAYAL
This refers to going against social morals or mutual agreement. The
novelist has shown that in our societies there are people who betray
others. According to the novelist, betrayal is not good. Below are
betrayals shown in this novel.
Toundi betrays his father and his traditions by running away
from his home one day before initiation.
Father Vandameyer betrays his faith by maltreating the Africans
especially Toundi.
Madame betrays her husband (The Commandant) by sleeping with the prisoner Director
7:IDENTITY
WHAT IS IDENTITY?
Identity refers to the sense of who one is.
As an African, one must follow African culture but when he or she
follows Western culture and undervalue his, he or she can be considered
to have lost his identity. African people especially women who changes
their faces to look like whitemen by using cosmetics, they can be
considered to have lost their identity.
A THEME OF IDENTITY IN THE NOVEL.
In his death bed, Toundi asks a rhetorical question about his or their
identity as Africans. He says, “What are we black men who are called
French?”. Through this question we learn that the colonized people of
Cameroon have lost their identity to the extent that they don’t know who
they are. The people of Cameroon has changed their life styles due to
being brainwashed by the whites. They think like whites, they speak
French language instead of their traditional languages, they worship in
churches instead of worshipping their traditional gods.
The novelist therefore wants the Africans to become aware of
themselves and protect their identity.
MESSAGES FROM THE NOVEL.
1.Colonialism is an evil system, exploitative and humiliative.
2.Some religious leaders are hypocrites; they preach what they don’t
practice. Eg is Father Vandameyer.
3.Betrayal, exploitation and humiliation are hindrances to development.
4.Africans must be proud of who they are. They should not undermine
their status and think that they are inferior.
CHARACTERS AND CHARACTERIZATION.
1.TOUNDI ONDOUA.
He is the protagonist or main character in the novel.
He is the young man who come into conflict with his father, as a
result he runs away from his home and goes to live with Father Gilbert
He is the houseboy. The title of the novel is derived from his
work or Servantship.
He is given the name JOSEPH the French. He was baptized and
became Christian followers. His name Joseph shows how he
loses his identity.
He is brainwashed to believe that whites are good and superior
while they were exploiting him.
After father Gilbert’s death, he becomes the houseboy of the
commandant.
He represents the exploited or colonized Africans
He also reflects or represents child labour. He started working for
father Gilbert when he was a child.
2.FATHER GILBERT.
He is the priest.
He takes Toundi and live with him
He teaches Toundi how to read, write and keep a diary.
He seems kind to Toundi although he humiliates him by giving
him only old clothes.
He dies of accident.
He symbolizes colonizers.
3.FATHER VANDAMEYER.
He is also the priest.
He is a hypocrite religious leader who teaches love but he
himself has no love.
He is the racist, exploiter and oppressor.
He maltreats Toundi.
He also symbolizes colonialism, oppression and humiliation.
4.THE COMMANDANT.
He is the chief European leader in Dangan.
He is brutal as he is seen torturing Africans.
At first he loves Toundi but when his marriage gets in trouble, he hates him
¶MADAME
Wife of the Commandant.
Very beautiful
She betrays the commandant by sleeping with another man, The
Prisoner Warden.
She represents the weakness of the whites. (being amoral).
6.SOPHIE.
She is the young African girl.
She is the mistress or girlfriend of Agricultural engineer (the
white) who doesn’t want the relationship known by other people
especially whites.
She is humiliated by the engineer because he uses her as a tool
for pleasure.
She later on becomes conscious and hates the whites.
RELEVANCE OF THE NOVEL TO TODAY’S SOCIETY.
Although colonialism is no more, yet the novel is relevant because many
other issues like betrayal, conflict, exploitation, humiliation and
hypocrisy of religious leaders are still prevalent in our societies. In our
communities too we still have houseboys who are maltreated by their
masters. All in all, the novel is relevant.
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Original PDF sponsored by
Mwalim Kigungaz Ak
Contacts: +255 629 081 566
................
Original PDF sponsored by
Mwalim Kigungaz Ak
Contacts: +255 629 081 566
