Sozaboy: A Novel in Rotten English
First Edition Cover
AuthorKen Saro-Wiwa
CountryNigeria
LanguageEnglish / Nigerian Pidgin English
GenreAnti-war novel
PublisherSaros International Publishers
Publication date
1985
Media typePrint (paperback)
ISBN9780582236998

Sozaboy: A Novel in Rotten English, more commonly known as Sozaboy (Soldier Boy), is a post-colonial and postmodern anti-war novel by the late author and political activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, published in 1985.[1][2]

The novel was written in pidgin[3][4] English, a variation of English[5] native to some Nigerians and it has some unique characteristics such as doubling every adjective used in the novel. It is considered a hard to read[6] novel, however, Ken Sara-Wiwa provides a glossary for the terms that are unknown to the modern English reader, which increases readability and understandability of the novel.

The novel takes place during the Nigerian Civil War. The main character, Mene, has a naïve impression of soldiery. It will make him an adult, it will attract the attention of Agnes, and he will have a great uniform to impress everyone back in the village (Dukana), will sing songs while drilling, and will eat three meals a day without worry. However, once he joins, he slowly realizes differently; going for days without food is very difficult. Work hard, woman good. Sozaboy know how to party. Sozaboy want all the good stuff. Mene is just a boy, in a world of war. 'War is War'[7]

References

  1. ↑ James, Erin (2016). "Immersed in the Storyworld: Rotten English and Orality in Ken Saro-Wiwa's Sozaboy". Journal of Narrative Theory. 45 (3): 419–446. doi:10.1353/jnt.2016.0003. S2CID 163441772 – via JSTOR.
  2. ↑ Meek, Sandra (1999). "HE MILITARY AND THE (RE)MAKING OF AFRICAN POSTCOLONIAL IDENTITY IN KEN SARO-WIWA'S 'SOZABOY' AND MANUEL RUI'S 'YES, COMRADE!". Journal of Third World Studies. 16: 141–161 – via JSTOR.
  3. ↑ "The Origins Of Pidgin English". omniglot.com. Retrieved 2023-07-28.
  4. ↑ Saro-Wiwa, Ken (December 1998). "Sozaboy". Diogenes. 46 (184): 145–146. doi:10.1177/039219219804618415. ISSN 0392-1921.
  5. ↑ "Reduplication in Nigerian Pidgin: A Versatile Communication Tool?". medwelljournals.com. Retrieved 2023-07-28.
  6. ↑ "The Disorganization Of Language In Sozaboy By Ken Saro-Wiza | Cram". www.cram.com. Retrieved 2023-07-28.
  7. ↑ Uwasomba, Chijiok (2011). "War, Violence and Language in Ken Saro-Wiwa's Sozaboy". Neohelicon. 38 (2): 487–498. doi:10.1007/s11059-010-0085-2. S2CID 154975289 – via JSTOR.


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