"Among Strangers" by Jude Dibia

[Barbara]

Our next story is "Among Strangers" by Jude Dibia. You can find it in our anthology, One World: A Global Anthology of Short Stories. The biographical information at the end of the story is similar to what I could find online. Wikipedia did provide this more specific information about his novels: His novels have been described as daring and controversial by readers and critics in and out of Africa. Walking with Shadows is said to be the first Nigerian novel that has a gay man as its central character and that treats his experience with great insight, inviting a positive response to his situation. Unbridled, too, stirred some controversy on its publication; it is a story that tackles the emancipation of its female protagonist, who had suffered incest and various abuse from men.

I think this story is about much more than language but it certainly provides the metaphor for being an outcast. The number of languages spoken in Nigeria has always amazed me. I'm looking forward to Sheila's observations on this. It sounds like the languages aren't at all similar. For instance, I learned Spanish in school so when I traveled, French was always a little easier for me to understand since they are both derived from Latin. I get the sense that this isn't true of the languages spoken in Nigeria.

[Tonya]

Did you read anything that said he writes in English? I ask for (I think) the obvious reason: "Shame on you" is so thoroughly English a saying, but the message is so human it could run thru every known language.

So, I read this last night, and I'm afraid it isn't clear to me where his stepmother is assigning his supposed shame. Is it that he came to his father's funeral, or that he doesn't speak his father's language? Or that he and his mother left his father? I really don't know.

And yet I really liked the story! He flawlessly spanned the years from toddler to grown man and it seemed possible to feel his life. And I agree with him: "She spoke of shame in a tone that exonerated her from any, yet she was the one who had the most to be ashamed of."

[Barbara]

Tonya, I believe he does write in English. He has 3 books on Amazon and none of them list a translator.

I think the stepmother was implying that he is not a true member of his father's people. I don't understand why that is his fault since his father married his mother who was also an outsider. Also, his father is the one who insisted he speak English which also set him apart. But, I don't think the stepmother is terribly rational.

I liked this story too. The way language defined people is an important concept. It made me think of the whole controversy about language and the hearing impaired community. There is a division among those who think that all deaf people can learn to talk orally if they are not allowed to use sign language. In some happy circumstances, they can. But, those who don't and are deprived of any other language stand apart from both groups, the hearing and the deaf. Like the narrator in this story, they try to learn sign language as adults but it is never the same. It is a very lonely situation.

[Sheila]

I was sure I had written and posted on this but it is nowhere to be seen :(
Rather than rewrite it I'm moving on. Apologies for this but there is too much other reading calling me at the start of the year.....