The article seeks to use the pact factor to interpret Kourouma's ground-breaking novel, Les Soleils des indépendances. The sinister figure of the predatory trickster is discernible in the profiles of the crafty man of religion and the wily dictator, both using myths of legitimization to enhance the success of their pacts with others. A pattern of deceit can also be observed in various societal compacts. In the author's use of language, storytelling techniques, and rapport with the reader, however, he arrives at a happy mean between conflicting exigencies.
Abdul-Rahaman, S. (2001, April 18). Female genital mutilation is outmoded . Daily Graphic (Ghana), 11.
2.
Angmor, C. (1999). Myths as aesthetic perspective in the African novel. In Esi Sutherland-Addy (Ed.), Perspectives on mythology (pp. 60-70). Accra, Ghana: Woeli.
3.
Cham, M.B. (1990). Structural and thematic parallels in oral narrative and film: Mandabi and two African oral narratives. In I. Okpewho (Ed.), The oral performance in Africa (pp. 251-269). Ibadan/Owerri/Kaduna, Nigeria: Spectrum Books.
4.
Chemain-Dégrange, A. (1989). Le 20e Anniversaire des Soleils [The 20 th anniversary of the suns]. In A. Chemain-Dégrange (Ed.), Littérature et francophonie (pp. 89-92). Nice, France: CRPP.
5.
Chevrier, J. (1999). L'Aventure des écritures [The adventure of writings] . In J. Chevrier (Ed.), Littératures d'Afrique noire de langue française [Francophone writings of Black Africa]. Paris: Nathan, pp. 95-119.
6.
Chevrier, J. (2001). Présence du mythe dans la littérature Africaine [Myth in African literature]. Notre Librairie, 144, 46-55.
7.
Chreachain, N.F. (1992). Re-reading Les Soleils des indépendances or Kourouma and Pre-colonial Africa. In C. Bouygues (Ed.), Texte africain et voies/voix critiques [African text and critical directions/voices] (pp. 91-108). Paris: L'Harmattan.
8.
Derathé, R. (1950). Rousseau et la science politique de son temps [Rousseau and the political craft of his time]. Paris: PUF.
9.
de Souza, P. (2003). Creolizing Anancy: Signifyin(g) processes in New World spider tales. Matatu, 27/28, 339-363.
10.
Diop, M. (1971). Histoire des classes sociales dans l'Afrique de l'Ouest. t. 1. Le Mali [The history of social classes in West Africa, Vol. 1]. Paris: François Maspero.
11.
Finnegan, R. (1970). Oral literature in Africa. Oxford, UK: Clarendon.
12.
Gnaoulé-Oupoh, B. (2000). La Littérature ivoirienne [Ivorian literature] . Paris: Karthala-CEDA.
13.
Gyekye, K. (1997). Tradition and modernity: Philosophical reflections on the African experience. Oxford, UK: OUP.
14.
Hove, C. (1990). Bones. Oxford, UK: Heinemann.
15.
Joubert, J.-L. (2001). Quelque chose a changé [Something has changed] . Notre Librairie, 146, 6-9.
16.
Kesteloot, L. (1972). Acteurs et valeurs dans l'épopée bambara de Segou [Actors and values in the Bambara Epic of Segou]. Revue canadienne des études africaines, 6 (1), 29-41.
17.
Kourouma, A. (1970). Les Soleils des indépendances [The suns of independences] . Paris: Seuil. (Original work published 1968)
18.
Kourouma, A. (1998). Le Diseur de vérité [The speaker of truth]. Paris: Acoria.
19.
Kourouma, A. (2004). Quand on refuse on dit non [When we refuse we say no]. Paris: Seuil.
20.
M'lanhoro, J. (Ed.). (1977). Essai sur Les Soleils des indépendances d'Ahmadou Kourouma [Essay on Ahmadou Kourouma's Les Soleils des indépendances]. Abidjan, Africa: Nouvelles Editions Africaines.
21.
Monga, C. (1994). Anthropologie de la colère, société civile et démocratie en Afrique noire [Anthropology of anger, civil society, and democracy in Africa]. Paris: L'Harmattan.
22.
Ngal, M.a.M. (1989). Dipanda, le personnage indépendance dans l'écriture africaine [Dipanda, independence as a character in African fiction]. Notre Librairie, 96, 24-29.
23.
Nguessan, M.A. (1987). Le conte traditionnel oral [The traditional oral tale]. Notre Librairie, 86, 38-45.
24.
Nicolas, J.-C. (1985). Comprendre les Soleils des indépendances d'Ahmadou Kourouma [Understanding Ahmadou Kourouma's Les Soleils des indépendances] . Issy-les-Moulineaux, France: Ed. Saint-Paul.
25.
Oha, O. ( 1999). Myth-making and legitimization of leadership. In Esi Sutherland-Addy (Ed.), Perspectives on mythology (pp. 244-251). Accra, Ghana: Woeli.
26.
Ouédrago, J. (2001). Entretien avec Ahmadou Kourouma [Interview with Ahmadou Kourouma]. The French Review, 74 (4), 772-785.
27.
Owomoyela, O. (1979). African literatures, an introduction. Waltham, MA: African Studies Association.
28.
Sembène, O. (Writer/Producer) (1968). Mandabi. Premiered at Biennale de Venise Film Festival, August 25-September 7.
29.
Soubias, P. (2004). Les Soleils des independances: la magie du désenchantement [Les Soleils des independances: The magic of disillusionment]. Notre Librairie, 155/156, 146-151.
30.
Sutherland, E. (1975). The marriage of Anansewa. Houndmill, UK: Longman.
31.
Tekpetey, K. (1979). The trickster in Akan-Asante oral literature. Asemka, 5, 78-82.
32.
Thorin, V. (1999, October 19). Les Exciseuses déposeront-elles leurs couteaux? [Will excision practitioners lay down their knives?]Jeune Afrique, 56-60.
33.
Uroh, C.O. (1999). Myth and the construction of identity. In Esi Sutherland-Addy (Ed.), Perspectives on mythology (pp. 211-219). Accra, Ghana: Woeli.
34.
Yakubu, U.J. (2001). Decolonizing the female sexuality: What Nigerian female writers don't write. Journal of Cultural Studies, 3 (1), 152-167.
35.
Yankah, K. (1999). The question of Ananse in Akan mythology. In Esi Sutherland-Addy (Ed.), Perspectives on mythology (pp. 134-147). Accra, Ghana: Woeli.
36.
Zouari, F. (1996). Pour en finir avec Shahrazad [To be done with Shahrazad]. Tunis, Tunisia: Cérès .
