The African novel and the city: a reading of Zaynab Alkali’s The Initiates

Abstract

This paper has explored the African novel in the light of the influence of city life to it. Zaynab Alkali's The Initiates was examined with a close look at how the city has influenced characters and happenings in the novel. The paper revealed that the city as presented by Alkali in The Initiates is corrupt and morally bankrupt. This is in sharp contrast with the calm, quiet and high moral standards that characterize life in the village. The paper shows that the novel of the African domain is largely influenced by contemporary situations within the African continent.

Keywords: Zaynab Alkali, City, African Novel and The Initiates