A description for both books has been analyzed. Styles used in both stories have formed differences and similarities. Similarities are analyzed under narration and dialogue while differences are on humor and symbolism. The conclusion shows an analysis of the stories. The link in the styles is analyzed showing the connection in both stories.
Description
The book ‘Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight’ is a contemporary African literature book. The author, Alexandra Fuller tells the story as a memory of African childhood hardships. The story is a narration of Losses and dangers encountered, and how she was able to deal with threats and challenges such as hunger, drought, and diseases. The author’s family is a victim of Colonialism which took place in the late 20th century. Alexandra’s family is shown as one that has gone through several trying moments. The parents spent their life in the African colonies where there was war. In the process, they lost one of their children. Alexandra who is referred to as Bobo in the book was born after the first child had died.
The story in the book ‘Purple Hibiscus’ is told in a Nigerian setting. However, the dialect is universal. In this setting, beliefs, values, and cultural differences are brought out by the author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. The story is told about Kambili, a girl who grew up in an abusive family. The father does not only abuse his family physically but also tortures them emotionally. His family suffers secretly as he is considered a generous man in the village.
Similarities
Both stories, ‘Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight’ and ‘Purple Hibiscus’, is narrated by the writers. Alexandra Fuller narrates the ordeals of colonialism and the problems they faced. She shows how they had to come up with ways of dealing with these issues or living with them, for example, ‘We hurry through the rotten-egg stench of Kabwe which belches smoke from copper and cobalt mines.’ Chimamanda also uses narration to relate the audience to the story. One example of the narration shows Papa getting annoyed with Jaja because he did not go to the communion. The authors use the style of narration for the stories to flow. Both Alexandra and Chimamanda use dialogue to bring out their perspective of the narration. Narrating ‘Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight’ in present tense helps with the inclusion of dialogue. Linking the two styles, dialogue and narration help in the flow of the story. The audience is also involved by the authors when they use both styles.
Dialogue is common in the two stories. In the first story, there is a dialogue between the narrator and her mother. She tells them not to go creeping in their room and that they should not be startled when sleeping. This is because they could shoot by mistake. This shows two people conversing. This part of dialogue helps in the continuity of the narration. In hibiscus, dialogue is used by the author in several places. She uses dialogue to involve the audience. For example on page 242 where aunt Ifeoma’s friend asked whether they knew what had happened to Professor Okafor’s son. Dialogue is used to bring out continuity in both stories. It is also necessary so that the audience can relate and familiarize themselves with the stories. (For example, page 262.)
Some differences are evident in the styles used while writing these two stories.
Some aspect of humor is brought out in, ’Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight’. An example, missionaries go visit Bobo’s family. Her mother walks covering her eyes from the sun as the narrator remains behind. She tells the missionaries that the people do not trust anyone. They do not even give a chance to white men. Then mum hides her gun when she sees that the men are only carrying Bibles. Then she says hello to them Even though there are harsh circumstances in Bobo’s life, Fuller can bring out the day-to-day humor. In ‘Purple Hibiscus’ there is no humor, instead, we see oppressed people in the society.
The book by Alexandra is more descriptive as compared to the one by Adichie. For example “The plunging roar of the Zambezi in my ears at conception,” is a symbol. She uses descriptions and quotes to show the hardships they faced. For example, ‘The rotten-egg stench of Kabwe” symbolizes the bad environmental conditions. Hunger, drought, and diseases symbolize the hardships they were encountering. Symbols are not used in ‘Purple Hibiscus’ instead the real hardships are shown as they happened. The Patriarch physically abuses his family and even tortures them emotionally. Nigerian society is also subjected to hardships by the colonialists.
Conclusion
Both stories are used to show the hardships that the people went through during colonialism. The authors engage the audience and make it easy for one to flow with the story. However, it is easier to flow with ‘Purple Hibiscus’ as compared to, ‘Don’t Lets Go to the Dogs Tonight.’ This is because Adichie has used the past tense while Alexandra has used the present tense. Both stories have a relative setting of African values, beliefs, settings, and culture.