‘Parables’ of peace: a dialectic delineation of narrative-dynamics that can help children to cope with post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) in five children's stories from Rwanda
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Date
2011-10-24
Authors
Mutua, Joseph Makau
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Abstract
Most emerging Rwandan post genocide children's stories indirectly tackle the 1994
genocide in thematic presentation. Coming from Rwanda is an interesting trend of representation of genocide inspired themes in a parable motif. This paper investigates why this is so. The selected stories from this region have specific patterns of representation of these trends. These patterns clearly follow a morally didactic way of dealing with aftermath of the genocide. This study examines how and why selected stories from Rwanda have employed this parable motif.
The main focus of the study has been to examine how authors have employed style in dealing with genocide inspired themes to enable children readers (affected by the 1994 genocide directly or vicariously) to cope with post traumatic stress disorder. This is a psychological condition affecting people and children who have been exposed to extreme violent acts. The condition was first discussed among the Vietnamese war veterans. The main aim of the study has been to establish how deliberate use of style and thematic
presentation can be used effectively to create tools of social change (children's stories with therapeutic power to help heal this disorder in affected children). This has been done with close reference to five selected children's stories by Musonza Ignatius, and Ntambajyana Sylvester. Musonza has written a story titled Tamari of Tamarinda, while Ntambajyana has written four children's stories titled, Two Cows, Our Second Father, Cow and Dog and Pig and Monkey, These selected stories have been used as the main point of departure to inform this study.
Description
Department of Literature
100p.
The PR 9408 .R9M8
100p.
The PR 9408 .R9M8
Keywords
Children's stories,Rwandan(English)--History and criticism, Musonza,Ignatius--Literary style, Ntambajyana,Sylvester--Literary style:Genocide in literature, Children's fiction--Literary style, Psychological fiction