Sozaboy' paradoxically decodes the despair and alienation of war into a brighter future for humanity in general. It'd a subliminal lesson that, by making the impact that it does, entrenches itself in the reader's unconsciousness, and helps the reader understand the moral and political implications of war on humanity, in general, and the effect of the Nigerian civil war on the minority areas within the Biafran population in particular.
Sozaboy is a powerful book that is intended to serve as anti-war harangue. That this is so can, I think, be best detected through the language ' rotten English' which serves as vehicle for decoding the disorder and brutality of war. The language itself is a corruption of the regular harmonious way of speaking English. It is fractured, uncouth, incomplete and rough. At rare times, the author lapses into 'regular' English and, as seen, these times seem to occur when order seems to be existent. For instance, at the advent of the war, the author describes his fascination for soldiers in very lucid English (p.72).
The plot itself reflects the disorderliness and hollowness of war. The book starts with Mene's dreams of raising a family and becoming a professional driver. He has recently married and is heartily in love. There seems to be a new government on the horizon that is promising propitious results to the village:
…the new government...
Works on War Boys, I've been where you are now and I know just how you feel. It's entirely natural that there should beat in the breast of every one of you a hope and desire that some day you can use the skill you have acquired here. Suppress it! You don't know the horrible aspects of war. I've been through two wars and I know. I've seen cities and homes
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now