Sudiata Essay On Theme, Essay, Research Paper

Themes :

The main theme of this story was the importance of tradition and

family. There were also what I considered to be sub themes in each

chapter.

In “the First Kings of Mali” chapter who you came from was a strong

theme . In this chapter it is explained who Sundiata comes from. In this

chapter you read about the Mali in the beginning and how it was a

province of the Bambara kings (Mandingo), to Lahilatol Kalabi the first

black prince to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, followed by many kings like

Maghan Kon Fatta who was the father of Sundiata.

The Buffalo Woman theme was in my opinion primarily about being

foretelling the destiny of Maghan Kon Fatta and Sogolon Kedjou. In this

chapter a visitor to Maghan Kon Fatta village foretold the events that were

to transpire.

The Lion child , Childhood, and The Lion’s awakening was basically

about the roots of Sundiata beginnings.

The Exile theme was about survival. In this chapter Sogolon made the

choice of leaving Mali.

The following chapters in my opinion were about the right of justice or

the right of Sundiata to be the king of Mali. The rest of these chapter told

about the wars wage by Sundiata to gain his homeland and the length at

which he went.

Characterization :

Sundiata: the main character. He was the “hero of many names”

(Sundiata, Sogolon Djata, Nare Maghan Djata, son of Nare Maghan, Sogo

Sogo Simbon Salaba) He was the exiled prince who from great hardship

regained his homeland and his rightful title as king or Mansa.

Maghan Kon Fatta : father of Sundiata

Sogolon Kedjou: mother of Sundiata

Soumaoro Kanta: the sorcerer king of Sosso who conquered Mali.

Sassouma Berete: Maghan Kon Fatta first wife. She was the catalyst of

Sundiata exile.

Manding Bory: half-brother

Balla Fasseke: Sundiata’s griot

Sogolon Kolonkan : sister of Sundiata

Sogolon Djamarou : sister of Sundiata

Style- Form/structure

-language

-symbolism

The style or form of this story is written in as the writer describes “archaic

formulas”1 . The story’s form was one of many descriptive paragraphs to explain

the event being told. Many times in the story hymns or songs describe the

happening many of which did not rhyme as poem or songs often do. The language

of the characters was written in slang or a mixer of English and the N’Ko2.

Symbolism in the book was frequent for example when Soumaoro Kanta sorcerer

power halted. Upon reaching Soumaoro abode Sundiata had seen the fetishes of

Soumaoro power dying which symbolize the absence of Soumaoro’s power.3

Sudiata An Epic of Old Mali by D.T. Niane