Detective Fiction and The African Scene: From The Whodunit? To The Whydunit?

Contents

iii Table of Contents Introduction................................................................................. v Chapter I: The State of the Genre............................................. 1 Popular Misconceptions, Sources of Error in Judgement............... 1 The Practitioners........................................................................... 5 The Problem of Definition............................................................. 10 Purposes of Literature of the Genre............................................... 11 The Strength of the Genre......................................................... 15 Transformation and Rejuvenation................................................. 17 Intellectual Attitude Chapter II: The African Scene.................................................. 19 PETALS OF BLOOD…………………………………………...19 Structure………………………………………………………... 19 Characterization…………………………………………………23 PERPETUE ET L’HABITUDE DU MALHEUR…………….. 27 Structure....................................................................................... 27 Characterization............................................................................ 29 Witnesses and Red-Herring Motif.................................................. 31 THE GRASS IS SINGING........................................................... 33 Structure....................................................................................... 33 Characterization............................................................................. 35 iv XALA........................................................................................... 39 Structure........................................................................................ 39 Characterization............................................................................ 40 The Least-Likely-Person Motif...................................................... 41 Chapter III: The Whydunit........................................................ 45 The Social Component.................................................................. 47 Setting........................................................................................... 49 Conclusion.................................................................................. 55 Bibliography................................................................................ 57 ...