Essay on The Poor Christ of Bomba by Mongo Beti - 673 Words

The Poor Christ of Bomba In the novel The Poor Christ of Bomba by Mongo Beti, several themes are present in the novel that were also presented through articles we talked about in class. These themes include the colonial establishment of European rule, role of women and cultural differences between the white Europeans trying to convert the natives and the native people themselves. Within this analysis, I will demonstrate how the characters process and manifest the issues and problems within the novel as well as how the themes reflect the particular ideas discussed in class. The first point of discussion is the story line of The Poor Christ of Bomba. The story revolves around the reverend â€Å"Father† Drumont however, the story is told†¦show more content†¦In village after village, chapels have decayed to ruins and the forest people listen obediently but uncomprehendingly to Father Drumont’s sermons, which are composed of alien—to the Africans—bibl ical rhetoric and anecdotes. Polygamy and â€Å"pagan† dances continue, even while Drumont rails against them on his one-day visits to village after village. Zacharia, himself participates in activies contrary to what Drumont teaches meanwhile having an affair with Catherine, his mistress from the sixa, which he continues night after night while on the road while Drumont sleeps obliviously next door to Zacharia and Catherine. Drumont struggles to maintain that his mission of successful evangelism is a reality. Drumont is nearly drowned while crossing a river. Catherine seduces Denis, who confesses his sin (and how much he liked it) to Drumont. Clementine, Zacharia’s wife, arrives to expose his adultery and beats Catherine to demonstrate her belief in monogamy. Catherine’s fiancà © arrives and soundly beats Zacharia. Drumont’s confidence is shaken immensely as Clementine reveals that Catherine belongs to the sixa. Vidal, the administrator in the region, v isits Drumont in the effort to recruit laborers from among Drumont’s new evangelical converts. When Vidal finds that the Drumonts is failing, he urges him to stay Even going as far as to threaten to impose a slavery on the Talas if Drumont returns toShow MoreRelatedMongo Betis Narrative in The Poor Christ of Bomba is the Nativity of Postcolonialism4296 Words   |  18 Pagescolonialism itself. In the book, The Poor Christ of Bomba, the author, Mongo Beti uses narration to tell a story that takes the reader inside the mind of a fourteen year old who finds himself in a situation beyond his control. The characterization of the narrate personify an age that draws the line between innocence and awareness. The condition as it were in the book takes a satirical approach on how the circumstances under colonialism rule may have been. Betis clever play on words, situations, andRead MoreRole of African Elites in Dismantling Decolonization5146 Words   |  21 Pagescolonialism without offering anything of compensatory value. Many works of African literature record the kind of exploitation Rodney descrives. In Mayombe, for example, the Narrator notes that My land is rich in coffee, but my father was always a poor peasant . . . In Dembos, men lived wretchedly in the midst of wealth. Coffee was everywhere, hugging the trees. But they stole from us in the prices, sweat was paid for with a few worthless coins. (Pepetela: 1986: 18/156) Meka, the protagonist in