Crash Course on "Anansi" by Aleister Campbell

Course Objective

• Prepare for the CSEC English B exam
• Deepen understanding of the play by exploring:
  • Plot
  • Characters
  • Themes
  • Literary devices

Preliminary Notes

• Important to have read the entire play beforehand.
• Course does not include reading the play but quotes it extensively.
• Encouragement to ask questions throughout the course.

Anansi: Character Overview

• Anansi: Part man, part spider; a trickster hero.
• Represents wit and wisdom triumphing over strength.
• Originated from Ghanaian folklore, spread to the Caribbean via African slaves.
• Seen as a keeper or god of stories.

Plot Structure

• Settings:
  • Onboard (Slave Ship): Protagonist, a little girl, held captive.
  • Forest of Stories: Imaginative world with Anansi stories narrated by an old woman.
• Alternates between real-world (onboard) and imaginative (forest).
• Purpose: Connect two narratives, strengthen the protagonist against her reality.

First Onboard Act

• Setting: "The Good Ship Hope," West African Coast, 1791.
• Characters:
  • Captain and his son (Boy): Represent stereotypes, roles rather than individuals.
  • Boy: Naive, innocent, questions the morality of slavery.
  • Girl: Frightened, representative of enslaved Africans, cannot communicate with sailors.
  • Woman: Old, wise, provides hope and guidance.
• Theme introduction: Desire vs. Destiny.
• Irony in ship's name: "Good Ship Hope" represents despair for Africans.

Forest of Stories: Naming Stories

• Anansi and Tiger: Anansi tricks Tiger into naming stories after him.
• Tricking Snake Story: Anansi uses cunning to capture dangerous creatures.

Onboard and Character Development

• Boy's Diary: Shows his inner thoughts, confusion, and growth.
• Role of Woman: Offers riddles, represents hope and wisdom.
• Irony of Slavery: Captain's view vs. Boy's understanding of human equality.

Forest of Stories: The World Blotted Out

• Story of Mankro: Represents slavery's evil, defeated by Solidè.
• Solidè's Arrows: Symbolic of virtues needed to overcome oppression.

Themes

1. Power and Powerlessness: Africans' lack of power vs. hope and wisdom.
2. Fantasy vs. Reality: Dual narrative structure.
3. Appearance vs. Reality: Underestimation of Anansi and Boy's wisdom.
4. Desire vs. Destiny: Conflict between characters' desires and imposed destinies.
5. Light vs. Darkness: Symbolizes good vs. evil, knowledge vs. ignorance.
6. Prejudice and Racism: White supremacy and dehumanization of Africans.
7. Alienation: Physical and cultural separation of slaves.
8. Bondage vs. Freedom: Physical captivity vs. mental freedom.
9. Hopes, Dreams, and Desires: Characters' aspirations and struggles.
10. Childhood Experiences: Forced maturity due to harsh realities.
11. God: Questions about morality and divine justice.
12. Gender Roles: Expectations of masculinity and femininity.

Literary Devices

• Irony: Good Ship Hope, boy's connection to girl vs. father.
• Symbolism: Light, darkness, Anansi as resilience.
• Imagery: Vivid scenes of the ship's hold and forest.
• Comedy: Relief through Anansi's antics.
• Contrast: Opposing characters and settings.
• Parallel Narratives: Blending of real and imaginative worlds.
• Sarcasm, Repetition, Simile, Metaphor, Personification, Rhyme: Various uses throughout the play.

Conclusion

• Realism and fantasy combined to explore themes of identity, resilience, and freedom.
• Anansi's wisdom serves as a metaphor for cultural and personal liberation.
• Encouragement to engage with the themes and questions posed by the play.