Telephone Conversation.

                 Telephone Conversation

                                                      Wole Soyinka. 

                                         

                                  Wole Soyinka a Nigerian poet and the first black African writer to get the Nobel Prize for Literature, is the composer of the poem 'Telephone Conversation'. As a major figure in African Literature, he wrote of Modern West Africa in a satirical style and with a tragic sense of the obstacles to human progress.The poem is an ironical comment on the racial prejudice that still exists in the Western world

                          This poem shed light on the prejudice against the black peple during Soyinka's time. The telephone Conversation starts off with the line the price seemed resonable, location indifferent. This gives us a hint that the poet is not very keen about the apartment, he uses the words "indifferent" which also means "Bias". But upon hearing. This is a very important point as one moves ahead in the poem. When Soyinka mentioned that "I'm African, I hate a wasted journey, there is a brief pause by the woman (Landlady) she then replies in a firm and suprised voice "HOW DARK".

                   This statement gave a sense of confirmation to Soyinka as to the extent of ignorance possessed by the lady. Soyinka chose to highlight the wods how dark in capital because he wants to convey as to how much prejudice existed in that conversation. The poet describes her voice as that of a pretentious snob, by using the words "Lipstick coated,large gold-rolled/Cigarette holder piped.

                     The lady further enquiries( ironic as it is Soyinka who called to enquire) Light Or Very Dark, the man is shocked by her simplistic approach. He compares her reply to the buttons on the telephone "Button A, Button B" . We are made aware of his anger when he refers to the colour of the tool both, double tired omnibus etc all as "red". This throws light on his current location, he is in a telephone booth in Leeds, United Kingdom ( Soyinka went to collage in Leeds before writing this poem). The woman repeats her question roundabout as the first one.
                                                  Soyinka at this point in time decides to reply cryptically saying" West African Sepia"   aware that the woman is not as highly educated as he is. She demands a Black and white answer, he further decides to use his skillfull vocabulary by answering" My fave is brunette, skin peroxide blonde and bottom Raven black".
He hears a thunderclap, the woman hangs up the phone. With an empty telephone line the man pleads to her sense of decency