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The literary canon concept is used to describe the most valuable and influential texts of a particular time. The current paper argues that a short story “A Man of the People” written by a Nigerian novelist, Chinua Achebe, should be included in the literary canon to be taught as part of a college or high school class. This novel depicts an imaginary country that resembles Nigeria after it declared autonomy from the dominion. There is a violent rivalry between a corrupted politician and an honest man that ends up with a military coup in this country.
Niger, at different times, was a British and French colony and became independent in 1960. Scholars of postcolonial theory emphasize the importance of literature created by the writers from the former colonies because they explain another perspective on what was going on in the times of colonialism and the aftermath. Achebes “A Man of the People” sheds light on the countrys recovery from colonial rule and describes political hindrances, such as weak political institutions and corruption, that it had to face (Achebe 46). To some extent, such literature denounces how the dominions used colonies to promote their economic interests but ignored internal political and social difficulties.
Simultaneously, the inclusion of “A Man of the People” in literary canon should not be regarded as an attempt to derive attention to the idea of white guilt. Instead, reading such texts is a chance to know an alternative view of the problem and not let history be forgotten. Besides, this way, high school and college students would become more politically aware and allow them to think on the issue of corruption, betrayal, and how internal policies are shaped throughout history.
Works Cited
Achebe, Chinua. A Man of the People. Penguin Books, 1989.
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