Colonialist Criticism by Chinua Achebe Essay

SummaryThe essay Colonialist Criticism is an attack on a lingering colonialism in the criticism of Afri stick out literature by non-Africans. The African author writes the text or they produce literature, their literature goes to Europeans for analysis. Every African literature has to get thought the grids of European writers.They use up to meet the criteria said by the European writer, African writer wrote the text for the African people but European people analyzed it. It nub they ar the jurys bench, or they evaluate the text. One question raised that How do they judge while judging, they unceasingly keep on the concept that is big brother consciousness. They always make the binaries. These binaries are like white and black or the European or African. They think that Europeans are superior and big brothers, whereas Africans are inferior and depleted brothers. Europeans are teacher and Africans are learners. Therefore, Europeans are at the center and Africans are at the margi n. Therefore Africans have to learn many more things from the Europeans. They tend to musical note that burden of teaching to the Africans.Therefore, Europeans feel that they know more some African literature, art and culture than African themselves. Achebe sees the faults of colonialist criticism in the assumption that the African writer is Somewhat unfinished European and that somehow outsiders can know Africa better than the native writers. Achebe opposes, the European colonial prejudice, habit of ruling and discriminating other and analyze African people their literature, art and culture etc.He argues that African literature should not be judged with the canonical literature since it has its own particularity and peculiarity. The screen of European civilization does not know the history of African people. So Achebes claim is that blacks (colonized) should write their own history neglecting what has been already universalized. He argues that If the text is judged from Europea n perspective a text doesnt get right evaluation and the essence of the text is killed.Attacks on UniversalismThe term Universalism is exclusive, it includes the whole world. The termUniversalism refers to European parochialism, European writers always emphasized universality in the authorship. They believe that the writer has to cover all the issues in general or the writer has to speak for all. They judge African text form this angle they argued that the African text is not universal because it does not speak about universal issue. It speaks only African voice, thereof their text is invalid. They are not able to write about the whole universe. The two problems with Universalism, according to Achebe are, first that the presumed universality that critics find, is merely a synonym for the sign up self-serving parochialism of Europe and second, that every literature must speak of a particular place evolve out of the necessities of its history, past and current and theaspirations an d destiny of its people.It means that every text comes out of specific time space and the people. Therefore, every text is related to space-specific and people-specific. African people have experience about racism. Therefore, they can write about racism deliberately. African might have made many mistakes, but they didnt bring racism in the world. Therefore, they would, write about it, which is African-specific situation which is pervaded in African. Achebe sustained the idea that the term universalism must be vanished.Attacks on LanguageAfrican writers writing in English dont mean that they are following European model. Language is not the property or possession of any group country or continent. Language is greens property as well as de-ethicized. English language is not the property of British or American. It doesnt belong to anyone. African writers are writing in English to make themselves heard. If they write in African language nobody will come to know about them. They have th e problem of communication. African writers writing in English wanted to win the attention of the world. Language is the common heritage for all the people.Towards the end of the essay he criticizes the native writers. totally the time European writers cannot be slammed deplorable. He says the even native writers have not done anything to uplift the condition of African literature. They are not trustworthy for their own people. He embodies theidea and says that only through the earnestness or Eager-enough is most important to uplift the condition of African literature. Only then African literature will get the prestigious status otherwise they will be dominated. For the domination of Europeans Achebe calls subjugation. The native poets and critics are equally responsible for this seduction because they never attempt to break this barricade of this European canon rather they enjoy to be in appendage of it.