Role of Myths and Traditional beliefs in African Literature

African writers are significantly influenced by their traditional myths and beliefs in their writings. Hence the need for a critical analysis of the myths and beliefs a writer utilizes in a text in the portrayal of the characters and in the enhancement of thematic concerns. An understanding of the style a writer uses leads to a better comprehension of the concerns expressed in the text. The book is a critical analysis on how myths and traditional beliefs function in Rebeka Njau’s Novels: Ripples in the Pool and The Sacred Seed. It examines the writer’s utilization of these elements of African oral tradition as a base for examination of society. The writer views these elements as powerful tools that may be utilized to criticize vices and at the same time advocate for morality. Hence she presents the world of the fictional characters that she exploits to clarify her vision for society within the context of myths and traditional beliefs. Similarly her thematic concerns are depicted within the context of Agikuyu myths and their traditional beliefs.