Telephone Conversation by Wole Soyinka

Akinwande Oluwole "Wole" Soyinka (born 13 July 1934) is a Nigerian writer, poet, and playwright. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986, the first African to be so honored. 

In 1994, he was designated UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for the promotion of African culture, human rights, freedom of expression, media and communication.

While in prison he wrote poetry on tissue paper which was published in a collection titled Poems from Prison. He was released 22 months later after international attention was drawn to his unwarranted imprisonment. His experiences in prison are recounted in his book The Man Died: Prison Notes of Wole Soyinka (1972).

UNLOCKING DIFFICULTY

• 1.indifferent – lack of interest, no care or concern
• 2.foully – unfair and insultingly
• 3.stench – unpleasant odor
• 4.rancid – sour
• 5.squelching - suppress or crush completely
• 6.tar – dark residue
• 7.assent – agreement
• 8.clinical – objective
• 9.sepia – rich brown with a tinge of red
• 10.spectroscopic - an instrument that measures light
• 11.brunette – dark brown hair
• 12.omnibus - providing for many things at once
• 13.tier – degree, grade, level

Poem Form and Structure

>Lyric poem – a poem recounting a personal event, usually in the present tense.

>Free verse – the lack of structure represents the spontaneity and realism of the conversation, as well as the lack of rhyme.

>Caesura – abrupt stops representing the disgust of the speaker.

Some Figures of speech & devices

vIrony– the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning.

vSymbolism– representation of something.

vImagery – vivid descriptions.

vAlliteration – same consonant at the beginning of each stressed syllable in a line of verse.

AFRICAN POETRY:

Telephone Conversation
by Wole Soyinka

1. The price seemed reasonable, location
2. Indifferent. The landlady swore she lived
3. Off premises. Nothing remained
4. But self-confession. "Madam," I warned,
5. "I hate a wasted journey—I am African."
6. Silence. Silenced transmission of
7. Pressurized good-breeding. Voice, when it came,
8. Lipstick coated, long gold rolled
9. Cigarette-holder pipped. Caught I was foully.

10. "HOW DARK?" . . . I had not misheard . . . "ARE YOU LIGHT
11. OR VERY DARK?" Button B, Button A.* Stench
12. Of rancid breath of public hide-and-speak.
13. Red booth. Red pillar box. Red double-tiered
14. Omnibus squelching tar. It was real! Shamed
15. By ill-mannered silence, surrender
16. Pushed dumbfounded to beg simplification.
17. Considerate she was, varying the emphasis--
18. "ARE YOU DARK? OR VERY LIGHT?" Revelation came.
19. "You mean--like plain or milk chocolate?"

20. Her assent was clinical, crushing in its light
21. Impersonality. Rapidly, wave-length adjusted,
22. I chose. "West African sepia"--and as afterthought,
23. "Down in my passport." Silence for spectroscopic
24. Flight of fancy, till truthfulness clanged her accent
25. Hard on the mouthpiece. "WHAT'S THAT?" conceding
26. "DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS." "Like brunette."
27. "THAT'S DARK, ISN'T IT?" "Not altogether.

28. Facially, I am brunette, but, madam, you should see
29. The rest of me. Palm of my hand, soles of my feet
30. Are a peroxide blond. Friction, caused--
31. Foolishly, madam--by sitting down, has turned
32. My bottom raven black--One moment, madam!"--sensing
33. Her receiver rearing on the thunderclap
34. About my ears--"Madam," I pleaded, "wouldn't you rather
35. See for yourself?"

§Group Activity. Worksheet

1. Title of the literature? It’s about what?

2. Who’s the author?

3. What is racism? Is it good or not, why?

4. What is ignorance, Is it good or not, why?

5. What figures of speech/literary devices present in the text?

6. Is context important in the text, why?

7. What is the theme/message of the text?