THE INVERTED PYRAMID AND ITS (READING) SPACE/PLACE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF “LEAVING LAMU” BY LILY MABURA (KENYA), “THE HOMECOMING” BY MILLY JAFTA (NAMIBIA) AND “PORCELAIN” BY HENRIETTA ROSE-INNES (SOUTH AFRICA)

A PIRÂMIDE INVERTIDA E SEU ESPAÇO/LUGAR (DE LEITURA): UM ESTUDO COMPARATIVO DE “LEAVING LAMU” DE LILY MABURA (QUÊNIA), “THE HOMECOMING” DE MILLY JAFTA (NAMÍBIA) E “PORCELAIN” DE HENRIETTA ROSE-INNES (ÁFRICA DO SUL)

Abstract

This paper focuses on the narratological aspect of the setting as informed by the distinguishing concepts of “place” and “space” championed by the humanist geographer Tuan (2012, 2001). To explore such aspects, we chose three short stories written by African women writers that keep the African continent as the main setting: “Leaving Lamu”, by Lily Mabura (Kenya); “Porcelain”, by Henrietta Rose-Innes (South Africa), and “The Homecoming” by Milly Jafta (Namibia). In our close reading and comparison of the short stories, we highlight how the space described becomes a place for the protagonists. We also resort to postcolonial assumptions (Ashcroft et al., 2013) to inform the reader on the idiosyncrasies of a continent, still seen as “exotic” by many, whose subtleties, through the literary practice, become familiar, as they are, above all, humane.

Keywords:
Space; Place; Postcolonialism; Africa