‘’. . . He had the honesty, courage and
integrity to face up to reality and admit his guilty . . . he was a severely
flawed man. He could be mean, vain, suspicious, malicious, and vindictive, but
it was his heroic quality that captured the popular imagination at the
end.’’
I intentionally started reviewing this book
with the above important locus classicus said by two major characters in the
book based on their individual subjective perspective on their friend, Dr. Dale
who is happened to be the main character of the book. This book, having read it
twice with deep concentration and critical perusal, I saw no reason why I
shouldn’t unsheathe my pen from its casing if that is what it takes to subject
the book to criticism. My second reading, two years after the first is a
blessing especially as my eyes are made opened to the basic facts and the major
incidents that bring about the plot of the book woven round sublimity in close
proximity to the world of feminism and masculine vis-a-vis issues to social
imbalance in the Nigerian university and unforgettably, issues surrounding
matrimony. The book, being a tragedy makes it more emotional. The moments of
the protagonist, Dr. Dale from his cradle to grave call for passion and
affection.
Dr. Dale Joseph is presented eccentric,
snobbish, and non-conformist university lecturer who lives smugly in the world
of his own. Because of his no-nonsense-ness, many who should have been friends
turn out to be foes. He is tagged sadist of the highest order due to his
pinching criticism on government, society, and individuals. Despite this, the
whole university regards and respects him because of his incomparable
brilliance, intellectualism and his power of oration. It is believed that he is
the greatest brain to have lectured in the department and the best read
lecturer on campus. On many occasions, he has been summoned by government and
university management over his public draconian lectures which always generate
brouhaha and controversy; he is indeed plague at the eye of everybody including
his own wife and only daughter, Lolu who always stones him with syllables of
hot words for his high temperedness and maltreatment towards them. Being a
studious lecturer, he hates being labelled with the narrow reputation of scholarship.
He has always determined never to be found in the race of murderous drudgery of
awarding grades to female students or demanding cash from male counterpart as
many lecturers do. He has always been on his words till he gets stormed by
strange malady that calls for different tongue wagging on campus thereby
presents him a hero who should be held sympathy at last. He later becomes
gregarious to everybody afterwards with the help of his best friends, Dr.jaiye and
Dr.Jackson before the flaming rumour fills the campus that he is in love with
his student, Titi.
Undoubtedly, he has been in love with Titi after
his matrimony seems doomed. All he wants for them is to be in solitude and
alone in the world. And both travel out of the place where he is hated. The
incident that aggravates the matter is when someone confirms their hidden
relationship in his presence. When he is unable to cope with public disgrace
coupled with regret and remorse of his past, he decides to drag himself out of
the peculiar mess and choose suicide as the best alternative. After his death,
huge sympathizers and those far from him when he is alive have no choice than to
regard him hero who fights for the society and stands on platform of truth.
The book is although a complete tragedy of
the highest other, yet we still need to consider the significant lessons derived
from it. Some heroes while alive are not cherished until they die; some are
even martyred and later immortalised after their death. The fact that the book presents
an hero that can withstand the whelming and engulfing malice of the society
gives hope for the masses; making the book an harbinger of hope. I salute the
confidence of the book for looking into the problem of matrimony which has
grown wing in the society, especially on the side of women. It is a real fact that women are being
subjected to seventy percent of the societal problem. They are being maltreated
and made to face untold hardship. Mrs Dale is a replica of this in the
text. She is made to battle dying love
from her husband before her little daughter who has been on her side turns out
to be her foe. I like the way the book portrays friendship and cordiality. When
seems to people that your principle is somehow draconian, they may find it
difficult to cope with you, less the proximity between you and them is so close
and lucid. Who can say if Dr Jaiye and Dr Johnson who have been Dale’s greatest
enemy on campus can turn out to be his close friends? This is friendship indeed!
Any long-lasting friendship must have a thin pedigree. These two gurus try to
show their concern for Dale even while in hospital bed and after death asunders
them. Similarly, I like the way and manner the plot events are intertwined,
interconnected and interwoven via the technique of suspense and flashback. The
flashback of Dale’s early village life and a problem faced as an orphan enable the
reader to understand better where Dr Dale semi-lunatic and behavioural
principle emerges from. The foreshadowing of his death in Lolu’s dream enables the
book to blend between realism and fantasy of dream.
However, The
Year of the Locust is a kind of book that leaves heart in eternal tragedy. Why
is it that Dale dies after his enemies have begun to love and him see him as
hero; why is it that the time his moon comes out of the shadowy sky is when he
decides to commit suicide? Why is it that he has to die after he has realised
his past errors and has remosed for it? I believe in the work of destiny but
what the book presents as the cause of Dale’s death does not worth at all. Can we also say the fact that Mrs Dale
doesn’t have joy of matrimony till the last page of the book is hope for women?
No! The encompassing portrayal of Mrs Dale, despite her flaming love for her husband and
messes she is subjected to among her female colleagues, without any reward
besides tragedy upon tragedy, doesn’t give hope to women facing the same in the
society. The portrayal of Lolu’s amazing behaviour, at her age subjects the
book to criticism.
As a 'normal' person who enjoys reading a good book why does Adebayo William write his review in such a way over the top prose? Simple English would have sufficed instead I got a review that was too wordy and complicated instead of plain simple language. Not all of us are university schooled so don't disrespect us by treating us like illiterate readers!
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