These registers are discussed in the first chapter. The other three—the Price’s absolutist stance. inversion, guilt, and Kikongo registers—I call the registers insofar as they attempt “subversive” to overturn this authority, and I discuss these registers in my second chapter. By performing a rhetorical analysis of varying linguistic registers in the novel, I argue that Kingsolver succeeds in suggesting a method for subverting Western discourses in her privileging of the Congolese language at play in her novel and in her American of complicity, among characters’ assumptions other elements. However, cultural inaccuracies and attempted identifications Kingsolver’s between her American and African characters often problematize her more subversive moves. Despite their common subjection of African cultures to Western-manufactured discourses and conceptions, Western authors continue to, and always will, write about Africa. If we accept this right to authorship, the question becomes not whether Western authors write about should Africa, but they can do so in a way that fully acknowledges the gap in information with how which they work and respects the cultures they discuss. While novel brings Kingsolver’s attention to her involvement in the Congo and, indeed, to its despicable role in nation’s overthrowing Patrice Lumumba, the independence leader and subsequent Prime Congo’s Minister, scholars and readers alike must remain cognizant and critical of her flaws. In novel’s doing so, we can continue to push for Western authors to purge their writing of the ideological egotism that they attempt to criticize. Additionally, we can establish a readership that will hold such authors accountable for their portrayals.
Price’s absolutist stance. These registers are discussed in the first chapter. The other three—the inversion, guilt, and Kikongo registers—I call the “subversive” registers insofar as they attempt to overturn this authority, and I discuss these registers in my second chapter. By performing a rhetorical analysis of varying linguistic registers in the novel, I argue that Kingsolver succeeds in suggesting a method for subverting Western discourses in her privileging of the Congolese language at play in her novel and in her American characters’ assumptions of complicity, among other elements. However, Kingsolver’s cultural inaccuracies and attempted identifications between her American and African characters often problematize her more subversive moves. Despite their common subjection of African cultures to Western-manufactured discourses and conceptions, Western authors continue to, and always will, write about Africa. If we accept this right to authorship, the question becomes not whether Western authors should write about Africa, but how they can do so in a way that fully acknowledges the gap in information with which they work and respects the cultures they discuss. While Kingsolver’s novel brings attention to her nation’s involvement in the Congo and, indeed, to its despicable role in overthrowing Patrice Lumumba, the Congo’s independence leader and subsequent Prime Minister, scholars and readers alike must remain cognizant and critical of her novel’s flaws. In doing so, we can continue to push for Western authors to purge their writing of the ideological egotism that they attempt to criticize. Additionally, we can establish a readership that will hold such authors accountable for their portrayals.
wallace_natalie_thesis.docx