Astride Two Worlds: A Comparative Analysis of Child and Adult Perspectives in the Narrative of Ellen Banda-Aaku’s Patchwork

This study is concerned with the differences and similarities in perspective between the child narrator and adult narrator in Ellen Banda-Aaku’s seminal 2011 novel Patchwork. The novel is analysed in terms of two theories, namely narratology and systemic functional linguistics. While the former is employed to analyse narrative technique, the latter is employed to analyse the use of language by Pumpkin both as a child narrator and as an adult narrator. The study provides a brief synopsis of Patchwork and an analysis of some of the literary devices used in the narration of both the child and adult narrators. The findings show that there is an apparent difference in the perspectives of the two narrators: the child narrator exhibits immaturity as well as a penchant for noticing details, while the adult narrator demonstrates a mature disposition, is more measured in her actions, more contemplative and certainly wiser than the young Pumpkin. This is not only demonstrated by the types of literary devices employed by the author, but also by the choice of words and language of the two narrators. The study is significant because it draws a contrast between two perspectives on life by the same narrator, except that the first perspective, in part one of the novel, is given when the narrator is a child while the second one, in part two, is given when the narrator is an adult. The study lends weight to the argument that the differences in child and adult narration are reflected not only in the treatment of themes, but also in the use of language and literary devices.