Exploring mimicry and ambivalence in God of Mercy and The Fishermen: A postcolonial perspective

Abstract

Colonialism has brought a lot of changes to Africa. These changes remained after colonialism and they can still be seen today. The culture, the identity, the beliefs, and the language of African people have been greatly influenced by the West. These changes are portrayed by African writers in their novels that show the impacts of colonialism. It is for this reason that this thesis aimed to investigate the themes of mimicry and ambivalence in Okezie Nwoka's God of Mercy and Chigozie Obioma's The Fishermen, focusing on the profound effects of colonialism on African identities, cultures, and interpersonal relationships. Colonialism has significantly reshaped the cultural landscape of Africa, leading to shifts in identity and social dynamics among its people. Through a postcolonial theoretical framework, this study analyses how these authors portray the psychological and social consequences of colonial influence, particularly how mimicry manifests in characters' behaviours and attitudes. Employing a qualitative research methodology, the study utilises a text selection criterion to focus specifically on these two novels which have received limited scholarly attention despite their rich exploration of postcolonial themes. The findings reveal that Western cultural influences deeply permeated African societies, resulting in conflicts between those who embrace new beliefs—such as Christianity—and those who remain committed to traditional practices. The analysis highlights how characters navigate their identities amidst these cultural tensions, illustrating the complexity of their relationships shaped by mimicry and ambivalence. Ultimately, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the ongoing effects of colonialism in contemporary African literature, emphasising the need for further exploration of these themes in other works within the genre.