Juan Rulfo and Elechi Amadi are two extraordinary writers of Latin America and Africa respectfully, who bestrode the literary world like colossus. They are great exponents of literature in the continents of America and Africa as their works resonated with affection, strength and ethos of their societies mirroring Mexico and Nigeria in particular through the literature.
Elechi Amadi and Juan Rulfo are ambassadors of universal literature in their climes. Their work offers reflections on communities, spaces, and perspectives on life, death, giving hope and expressing love as well as the desire to connect across different cultures expressed through the shared language of literature.
Elechi Amadi is one of the great Nigerian writers of the 20th Century, born on 12th May, 1934 in Aluu near Port Harcourt, Nigeria, died at the age of 82 years. He was among the first generation of African writers and novelists, whose literary works were published in the famous, now classical, Heinemann African Writers Series. He also wrote plays, poetry and non-fiction work.
He studied in his country’s first varsity, University of Ibadan, where he obtained a degree in Physics and Mathematics. He worked as land surveyor and later switched into teaching, before his enlistment in the Nigerian army where left with the rank of Captain. He resigned from the army during the Nigerian civil war (Biafra War), 1966-1970. His experiences during war informed his first work of non-fiction, Sunset in Biafra: A Civil War Diary, published in 1973. He gave account of his experiences as both a soldier and a civilian even as he tried in giving both sides their due: he shows the way in which the Igbos were harshly provoked, and makes it clear that Federal soldiers were also guilty of atrocities.
Amadi’s first novel, “The Concubine” (1966), gained wider acceptance and highly acclaimed; together with “The Great Ponds” (1969) and “The Slave” (1978), they became historical trilogy he is most known for. The novels depict traditional African village life before Western imperialism, without romanticizing it. In particular, Amadi explored feuds and violence, and the often conflictual relationship between individuals and their community, and also the relationship between individuals and their gods. Supernatural elements are usually intertwined with everyday events in Amadi’s books. Another works if his is “Estrangement”.
His work is not only a constant reflection on communities but also a vivid depiction of villages, customs, traditions, scents, flavors, and thoughts expressed through the imagination of the different villages he portrays in his works. His works have been translated into various languages and are featured in representations that have explored his literary contributions.
The trained scientist turned writer had a unique characteristic of living a life intertwined with teaching, literary exploration and also with military service. These aspects of his life reflected in his work greatly. One of his most significant novels, The Concubine, is considered one of the great works of African literature as it gained international acclaim and served as the hallmark of his literary legacy.
Juan Rulfo, on the other hand, was a master of Mexican literature. The 20th-Century Latin American writer was born May 16, 1917 in Apulco, Mexico. He died January 7, 1986. His masterpiece, “Pedro Páramo” takes readers through an equally profound journey in exploring the beauty of literature.
This novel is not just a narrative of life and death but also an exploration of inner worlds and otherness, expressed through the journey of Juan Preciado to fulfill a promise to his mother. The novel’s haunting portrayal of Comala, with its ghosts and shadows, makes it one of the most extraordinary works of literature.
Rulfo’s literary career began with his collection of short stories, “The Burning Plain,” published in 1953. This collection, with its vivid depiction of rural life, set the stage for the ground-breaking novel “Pedro Páramo” in 1955, which revolutionized Mexican literature. His work has influenced generations of writers and has been adapted into film, further showcasing the universality of his themes.
He was considered one of the finest novelists and short-story creators. He was well known for his significant contributions to Latin American literature. He was prolific, gained fame with his novel, “Pedro Páramo” and his short story collection, “The Plain in Flames”. His work often explores themes of rural Mexican life, death, and social injustice, drawing from his experiences during the Mexican Revolution.
Rulfo did mastered minimalist style and left indelible mark on both contemporary and future literary landscapes. Because of the themes of his fiction, he was often seen as the last of the novelists of the Mexican Revolution. He had an enormous impact on some of the Latin American authors, including Gabriel Garcia Marquez, who practiced what has come to be known as magic realism, but did nothing to theorize it.
Both Amadi and Rulfo, through their respective cultural lenses, reflected alternate realities that usually emerge from observing life, memory, and history. For the two great figures of the 20th-Century literature, their works transcend borders, inviting readers to immerse themselves in the essence of their worlds. Through their narratives, their works reflect culture, customs, and traditions in a way that resonates universally.