EXPLORING REPRESENTATION OF HOMOSEXUALITY IN FILM

African vs. American film




The gay and lesbian community has very little representation in African film versus American film. However, the question that I am posing in my paper is what are the similarities and what are the differences. In African film the representation of gays and lesbians is much more subtle, and in some cases non-existent rather than in American film. My paper discusses the gay and lesbian community being ostracized socially and as a result within the realm of film as well. In Africa and America the same, there are still major struggles for the homosexual population. One of the biggest adversaries for the gay and lesbian community is the church. Many people neglect to realize the power of the church and how much control it has over how people think and the perspective when it comes to political issues and problems in the community. My paper briefly touches on the effects that the church has on the plight of gays and lesbians. The role that the church plays when it comes to homosexuality in film whether it’s in Africa or in America is discouraging people from supporting the films. In the South African film Karmen Gei by director Joseph Ramaka the lead character is a free spirited lesbian. The film was substantial in showing how deep rather than artificial lesbian love can be. It is of great importance for the world to see the other side of gay and lesbian romance that is typically not explored. It is critical that the boundaries that society has restricted on film excluding homosexuality should be redefined as we advance into the future.It is my greatest hope that as a result of more African as well ad American films relating to this issue will change the perspectives and stereotypes for people across the world when it comes to the gay and lesbian community.

Chapter IV from J.M. Coetzee's Foe

The following is a brief synapsis of chapter IV of J.M. Coetzee's Foe enjoy!




I think that the last chapter of this book is about Susan hanging Friday and then committing suicide out of the frustration of never getting to hear Friday talk. This would explain the marks around his neck in the following passage: “About his neck- I had not observed this before – is a scar like a necklace, left by a rope or chain.” (155)


I think that the reason why she had Mr. Foe continually trying to pry his mouth open was an illustration of a final attempt at hearing something come out of his mouth. For example:

“His teeth are clenched. I press a fingernail between the upper and lower rows, trying to part them.” (154)


“I pass a fingernail across his teeth, trying to find a way in.” (157)


However, now that Friday is dead there is no sound that can be heard from him. The only sound is nothingness which coincides with the notion that the Island does not exist and is only a figment of Susan’s imagination. For example:


“The skin, dry as paper, is stretched tight over their bones. Their lips have receded, uncovering their teeth, so that they seem to be smiling. Their eyes are closed” (153)

“Closer I press, listening for other sounds: the chirp of sparrows, the thud of a mattock, the call of a voice. From his mouth, without a breath, issue the sounds of the island.” (154)

The reason that there are two versions of the discovery of the bodies is because one is from the perspective of Susan as she would imagine Foe to discover them, and the other version is that of Foe’s actual discovery of the bodies and the suicide note left by Susan. My guess is that Susan could not make up her mind how she wanted Foe to discover their bodies. Therefore she decides to write a story where Mr. Foe would discover their bodies and then return for another viewing of the bodies and discover the elaborate suicide note that she wrote. For example:

“The room is darker than before…” (155)

“About his neck- I had not observed this before – is a scar like a necklace, left by a rope or chain.” (155)

"The Message" from No Sweetness Here by Ama Aidoo

Oh my Lord! These contractions are killing me! They are coming every time I try to take a breath...Ahhhhhhhhh! There goes another one! I gotta get myself to an emergency room! This baby is about to come out!!!! I need to get to a hospital...

I called my husband at work and told him that I was having contractions really close together. While we were on the phone my water broke. Luckily my husband came within the next few minutes and took me to the hospital! After that the rest was a blur, I was in so much pain that I could barely even stand it! Next thing I know, the doctor is telling me that they are going to have to do a c-section…I wasn’t happy to hear that because I have always wanted to have my children naturally, and I definitely was not looking forward to the scar that would be remaining. I know plenty of people who have delivered their baby through the c-section procedure and they are just fine! When my husband told my mother and family what was going to be done they had a fit!!! Especially my grandmother! They are so worried and frantic about my safety because of their traditional mindset. The way they are acting you would think that the doctor was going to come into the delivery room with a chainsaw and mask on! Sometimes I wish that I could warp their minds into thinking from a more westernized or modern perspective. I understand where they are coming from though, and why they feel the way that they do, but at some point all of this madness is just unnecessary stress and worry!

As I gained consciousness and my beautiful baby girl was in my arms all of the tears, screaming, and noise had dies down and everyone was smiling at my baby. I could feel the love instantly permeate the room…”She’s absolutely radiant!” is what I thought to myself. After it’s all said and done, I delivered a healthy baby girl even though the procedure was not a traditional birth…Perhaps after my family was able to see that it all worked out, they might have more faith in modern healthcare…

THE END

(My rendition of the message from the perspective of the expecting mother)

Analysis of an excerpt from: "God's Bits of Wood" by Sembene Ousmane

Are these two the same???


"Who is the father of your children?"
"You are just being stubborn. That is of no importance any longer. I was not betrayed by that man. He thought that he was possessing me, but it wasn't true; my flesh was calling out to be satisfied, just as his was. I knew that he would abandon me, and in my heart I had already abandoned him. We will be in Dakar soon, and I shall stay there. I will be among my brothers, the beggars, and with my child, who will always be mine. A child may not know it's father Penda, but what child can question the body in which it lived for nine long months?" (p. 296)


This excerpt from "God's bits of wood" sheds light on a perspective that seemingly is becoming a pandemic amongst mothers in the U.S. as well as in Africa. In this passage Maimouna exudes this attitude of independence and sovereignty from the father since she is the one giving birth to the child. She expresses that she wanted to be intimate just as much as he did, in order to make it known that she did not fall victim to this man; but instead she had some control. I've noticed through media, people I know, etc that women have no problem with men not being in picture and fulfilling their role as the father. Perhaps this lackadaisical attitude stems from a history of men not being there for their children. I think that idea was implied in the paragraph above when she said that she knew he would abandon her. This type of behavior is now expected, and women now have responded accordingly.This type of attitude strikes me as feministic, which is a common theme throughout the novel "God's bits of wood." The author Sembene Ousmane also released the film "Faat Kine" which has a similar underlying theme of women becoming more independent and less dependent upon men.

Faat Kine

Greetings all!

I had the pleasure of watching the film Faat Kine by Sembene Ousmane. He is one of the most renound and well-respected African authors. This film was filled with moments of humor as well as scenes that may cause you to shed a tear. I felt that the use of color and cinematography within the film ranked among its strongest attributes. I was actually surprised at how broad this story is in its symbolism, and how much I could identify with the issues it focused on. For example, you see a lot of instances where the mindset of the people is very "patriarchal" yet as the film goes on you notice a subtle transition to a new matriarchal society. Being a black female, its a treat watching a film like this because it sheds a light on a culture who is seldom seen in such a fashion. Kine who is the main character, was a successful business owner who does not hesitate to bask in her success. This film is also revolutionary because it was the first African film to be in Warlof which is the primary language in Senegal. Many kudos to Mr. Ousmane...

Sia : The film

This film uses a multitude of techniques that can be analyzed with the. There were a couple of scenes from the African film Sia that I would like to point out. From the beginning of the film until the end, or fin in Spanish, the director did an excellent job of establishing and maintaining the setting with the use of sound. There were many scenes with drums, and other instruments that are popular in Africa. An interesting aspect of sound is that the absence of it can be just as effective in a scene as the presence of it. There were some scenes that were bright and loud, and others were quiet and dark. The use of sound and lighting together throughout the film gave the film a rhythm.



There was a scene where Mamadi who was the fiancee of Sia was to be notified after the sacrifice had already been made. This shows that there was no reasoning when it came to a decree that was made by the emperor. Balla, on behalf of the emperor delivered news to Sia's parents about what was about to happen to their daughter. The lighting was a powerful tool used in this scene because it was very dark, and the sound of crickets in the background also added an element. The literal "darkness" in this scene is used to further illustrate the figurative "darkness" of this terrible news that was given to Sia's parents about her being a living sacrifice. Fatou who is Sia's mother was very upset and hysterical after hearing the news however her father remained strong and was convinced that honor ruled over all else. This part of the film stood out to me because I think it reminded me of the difference in the perspective of father versus mother. Men usually are full of pride, while on the other hand women are filled with emotion. This scene perpetuates this theory...


Editing is one of the most useful tools for a director of a film because it gives them the ability to create pace, timing, humor, and suspense. There is another scene of a barber that cutting hair. Well, in the barber shop there is a man from the neighborhood who starts remarking about Sia and how she ran away from home after overhearing plans of her being slain as a sacrifice. The barber responds to the man and tells him that he doesn't blame her for running away, and that he doesn't condone heinous crimes. The man from the neighborhood then cuts off the barber and tells him to be quiet, and stop talking about it because the emperor has ears everywhere. The barber becomes really aggressive and loud, and tells the other man that he will "Let Wakhane come and get him then because he will NEVER, NEVER EVER bite his tongue when it comes to supporting murder." Then as soon as he finished talking he looks over his shoulder, and the scene immediately flashes to a new shot. This was hilarious to me because I felt as though the swift change in scenes was to emphasize the point at which the barber looked over his shoulder even though he just got through making such a bold speech about not being afraid.

Welcome to my blog Karibu!

Hello all! I want to thank you for taking the time visit the blog : Karibu! The title of my blog is a swahili word for "welcome." This blog will be dedicated to academic analysis and crtiques of African film and Literature. Enjoy!

-Liz Renchee