Crash Course on the Play "Anansi" by Alistair Campbell
Course Objective
- Understanding "Anansi" for CSEC English BS exams.
- Focus on plot, characters, themes, and literary devices.
Background on Anansi
- Anansi: Part man, part spider; hero and trickster.
- Represents wit and wisdom over strength.
- Origin in Ghana; stories arrived in the Caribbean with African slaves.
- Serves as a symbol of hope and heritage preservation for African slaves.
Origin Story of Anansi
- Stories were owned by Nayame, the sky god.
- Anansi completed impossible tasks to earn the stories.
- Captured Onini the python, the Mubara hornets, Osable the leopard, and Moetia the forest spirit.
- Became the keeper of stories, embodying storytelling and cleverness.
Play Format
- No traditional acts; instead, two settings: on board a slave ship and the Forest of Stories.
- Setting changes indicated by dotted lines and small titles.
- Onboard: Protagonist is a little girl; Forest: Anansi stories narrated.
Onboard Setting: Key Points
- Act: The Good Ship Hope, 1791
- Characters: Captain, Boy
- Theme: Desire vs Destiny; irony in the ship's name.
- Boy's innocence vs Captain's ruthlessness.
- Deck Scene: Girl and Sailor
- Theme: Dehumanization of slaves.
- Girl's despair and symbolic language (e.g., blue and water).
- Sailor's cruel language and foreshadowing.
- Hold Scene: Girl and Woman
- Theme: Hope and identity preservation.
- Woman encourages Girl to embrace African heritage.
- Cabin Scene: Boy's Diary
- Boy's inner thoughts and innocence.
Forest of Stories: Key Points
- Naming the Stories: Anansi vs Tiger
- Trickery to name stories after Anansi.
- Tricking Snake: Anansi's cleverness in capturing Snake.
- The World Blotted Out & The Proclamation: Introduction of Mancrow, a symbol of oppression.
- Initiation & Battle: Soliday vs Mancrow
- Arrows symbolize virtues needed for freedom.
Themes and Symbols
- Power and Powerlessness: Africans' captivity vs inner empowerment through stories.
- Fantasy vs Reality: Relief and strength from Anansi's tales.
- Appearance vs Reality: Anansi's underestimated strength.
- Desire vs Destiny: Characters' wants vs inevitable paths.
- Light vs Darkness: Hope (light) vs despair (darkness).
- Prejudice and Racism: Treatment of Africans as less than human.
- Bondage vs Freedom: Physical imprisonment vs mental freedom.
Character Analysis
- Captain and Boy: Opposites; boy's innocence vs captain's ruthlessness.
- Girl and Woman: Girl's growth through Woman's teachings.
- Sailor and Auctioneer: Reinforce societal norms.
- Anansi: Symbol of wit, resilience, and African spirit.
- Tiger and Snake: Represent strength vs Anansi's wit.
- Soliday: Represents courage and righteousness.
Literary Devices
- Irony: Good Ship Hope's irony; Boy's connection to Girl despite father's distance.
- Symbolism: Anansi's web as a symbol of connection.
- Imagery: Vivid descriptions of the slave ship and the forest.
- Comedy: Anansi's stories as comic relief.
- Contrast: Onboard vs Forest narratives.
- Parallel Narratives: Onboard and forest stories running concurrently.
- Personification and Metaphors: To express feelings and experiences.
Conclusion
- Course provides a comprehensive understanding of "Anansi."
- Encouraged participation for deeper insights.
- Subscribe for more English B content.
Note: For further understanding, read the full play and engage with further resources such as linked videos and discussions.