Throughout his career, Calixthe Beyala has undoubtedly sparked debate. Between resounding scandals and brilliance, it can be difficult to pinpoint the true value of his work. Despite this, we ventured into the heart of her novels to try to discover the literary meaning according to her.
For decades, African literature has been enriched by many talented authors who have captivated readers around the world by depicting with finesse and accuracy the diversity and complexity of the continent. Among these eminent voices, that of Calixthe Beyala stands out as a striking and essential figure. Writer, essayist, and activist, her powerful and committed work has opened up new perspectives in the African literary landscape and raised awareness on crucial social issues.
In this article, we will look at the life and work of Calixthe Beyala, her impact on African literature, as well as the themes and concerns that marked her distinctive pen.
© BALTEL / SIPA
The journey of Calixthe Beyala
Calixthe Beyala’s journey is a complex web, woven from indifference and unanimity, two characteristic elements of great legendary artists who dare to shake up minds, challenge consciences and arouse reflection. This duality has forged his notoriety, sometimes arousing admiration, sometimes questions about the reasons that divide around his person, whether justified or not. Be that as it may, his artistic career is undeniably worthy of interest.
Born in Cameroon in 1961, Calixthe Beyala conquered new territory by settling in France at the age of 17, where she cultivated the very essence of her literature: the richness of dual culture and social commitment. . Over the years, she has drawn on her experience, which has oscillated between the best and the worst of the African and European continents, to feed her pen with deep convictions.
These convictions are reflected throughout his literary career, infusing his books with a gripping power and authenticity. A committed witness of her time, she explores with unparalleled audacity crucial themes such as identity, exile, colonialism, feminism and social injustice.
She audaciously explores the crucial themes of identity, exile, colonialism, feminism and social injustice.
Beyond the controversies, the work of Calixthe Beyala continues to shine by its singularity and its undeniable impact in African and French-speaking literature. She embodies the spirit of an extraordinary artist, whose emancipated pen transcends borders and resonates strongly in the hearts of her readers.
Her first novel, “C’est le soleil qui m’a brûlée”, appeared in 1987. Thereafter, she had many other literary successes, some of which were crowned with prestigious awards, thus marking a plunge into the abysses followed of a remarkable revival.
Among his notable successes, “Maman has a lover,” published in 1994 by Albin Michel, earned him the Black African Literary Prize. In 1996, for “Les honors perdus” (still with Albin Michel), she received the Grand Prize for the Novel of the French Academy. However, she also suffers a court conviction in May 1996 for borrowing too much from Howard Butten’s novel “When I Was Five, I Killed Me” for writing “The Little Prince of Belle Ville.” This affair led to a resounding media lynching. Despite these controversies, Calixthe Beyala remains one of the most prolific and best-selling authors of her time, demonstrating that her novels arouse interest beyond negative reviews.
However, to better understand the author, it is essential to go beyond the media image of the scandalous diva of literature or the woman with the acerbic word. One must also disregard accusations of plagiarism and first impressions after reading his novels. It is necessary to seek to understand the woman behind the books, her struggles, her vision of the world and the meaning of her literature.
At the heart of the work, women
© Angela Roma
Calixthe Beyala deals mainly, if not exclusively, with stories centered on women in her novels, which could easily qualify her as a feminist writer. However, it would be simplistic to simply equate her vision of feminism with the classic struggle for political, economic and social equality between the male and female genders. In reality, his work is full of nuances.
Many of his novels depict women whose destinies are strewn with pitfalls, often victims of the men around them, whether fathers, husbands or opportune companions. These women frequently find themselves caught in the vice of patriarchy and triumphant masculinity, their happiness being largely dependent on these men.
This woman is trapped in her own existence, unable to make a firm choice between her happiness and the expectations of a society that marginalizes her.
A poignant example is found in “Lost Honors,” where we discover the tragic story of a partially independent and highly intelligent woman who spends much of her life desperately waiting for the man who will make her an honorable woman by marrying him. This woman is trapped in her own existence, unable to make a firm choice between her happiness and the expectations of a society that marginalizes her.
In another of his novels, “Femme nue femme noir” published in 2003, Calixthe Beyala immerses us in a dark, decadent and disturbing universe, where a young woman loses herself body and soul in a naive desire for emancipation and freedom that leads her to her downfall. This story seems to be a warning, a challenge and a questioning about feminism and its interpretation in the contemporary world.
Feminism according to Calixthe Beyala is not limited to the simple search for formal equality between the sexes. Rather, it is about an awareness for women of their intrinsic value and their ability to take charge of their own destiny, like a rudder.
Cameroon: the new land of slam
Sa double culture
© Julien Vera Film
Her dual culture plays a central role in her writing, reflecting her childhood in Cameroon and her life in Europe, particularly France. Africa is presented in some of his novels as a place marked by social and intellectual misery, but loved for its culture and resilience. On the other hand, Europe is often portrayed as a false promised land, undermined by racism, pretense, acculturation and hypocrisy. This perspective reveals the complexity of the societies in which Calixthe Beyala evolves and underlines the importance of revealing reality without watering down in his novels.
An Africa loved above all
The writer can only write about what he knows. Calixthe Beyala, having spent part of her childhood in Cameroon and a large part of her life in Europe, particularly in France, has always used her dual culture in her writings. Over the course of the works, we manage to identify the reading that she makes of each of these lands.
Africa, as we see in some of his novels, is practically only described in terms of shantytowns, social and/or intellectual misery. But, despite the misery described, this Africa is loved. While denouncing the ravages of colonization as well as the inaction of a certain ruling class, it highlights what is most beautiful in Africa, namely its culture and its resilience. The novel ” The little girl from the lamppost is the perfect illustration of this.
Taking us on a journey through little Beyala’s childhood, when love replaced money, when Western religion became associated with African mystical traditions, when education became the most beautiful and greatest of gifts.
His view of Europe
With regard to Europe and particularly France, it is very often depicted as a sort of false promised land, undermined by racism, pretense, acculturation and hypocrisy. But, on closer inspection, we understand that this is only the description of the consequences of a policy of integration of immigrants that is not yet sufficiently accomplished. Moreover, the Europeanization of Africans leads inexorably to a loss of fundamental values specific to Africa. From there, the perceptibility becomes clearer on themes such as individualism and the tearing of the family unit.
In ” Pauline’s novel In particular, we have a glimpse of the frustrations suffered because of the double culture, the effects of forced self-integration and the accusing social gaze of the natives. Through the themes and angles of perception of her various novels, Calixthe Beyala shows us the complexity of the societies in which she evolves. Complex, passionate and perhaps a little ambiguous, the relationship maintained with Africa and Europe through his novels leads us to believe in a desire to make reality shine through without watering down.
Moreover, this posture would undoubtedly also be a message to all its readers, saying that in this reality so crudely told, either the best or the worst can happen. Life can happen.