, AFL1501
ASSIGNMENT 2 SEMESTER 2
2026
DUE 30 SEPTEMBER 2026
The Storification of Identity: How Language Signifies Attitude and Worldview in the Tale of
Anansi
Introduction
My chosen story is the West African folktale of "How Anansi the Spider Became Owner of All
Stories." This tale, deeply rooted in the oral traditions of the Akan people of Ghana and spread
throughout the African diaspora, tells of the small but cunning spider who outwits the Sky God to
purchase the right to own all stories. The excerpt that resonates most profoundly with me captures
the moment of transaction between the divine and the mortal:
"The Sky God said, 'Many people have wanted to own the stories, but the price is high. Bring me
three things: the hornets, the great python, and the leopard.' Anansi agreed and went home. He
looked at his small body and eight legs, and he smiled. What he lacked in strength, he possessed in
wisdom" (Akan Oral Tradition, as transcribed in Okpewho, 1992: 45).
This passage encapsulates the African worldview that wisdom and cunning can triumph over brute
force, a theme that runs through generations of storytelling across the continent. The source of this
story is the oral tradition of the Akan people, passed down through generations and transcribed in
various collections of African folktales (Okpewho, 1992: 34).
1. Why I Chose This Story
I chose the Anansi story because it is a quintessential example of how African people "turn simple
ideas into meaningful stories" (Gervas, 2018: 1). The narrative structure follows the pattern
outlined by Gervas (2018: 1) of a "particular type of sequential discourse, that includes a beginning,
a complication and a resolution." The beginning establishes Anansi's desire for stories, the
complication is the Sky God's impossible task, and the resolution is Anansi's clever triumph through
his cunning plans.
The tale of Anansi embodies the essence of African storytelling where animals are given human
characteristics to teach moral lessons and reflect on human nature (Finnegan, 2012: 89). In
examining scholarship on African oral traditions, the figure of the trickster appears across the
continent—the hare in Bantu Africa, the spider in West Africa, and the tortoise in Nigeria and Benin
(Scheub, 1985: 112). This widespread presence demonstrates how storytelling serves as a mirror
reflecting diverse yet connected cultural worldviews.
ASSIGNMENT 2 SEMESTER 2
2026
DUE 30 SEPTEMBER 2026
The Storification of Identity: How Language Signifies Attitude and Worldview in the Tale of
Anansi
Introduction
My chosen story is the West African folktale of "How Anansi the Spider Became Owner of All
Stories." This tale, deeply rooted in the oral traditions of the Akan people of Ghana and spread
throughout the African diaspora, tells of the small but cunning spider who outwits the Sky God to
purchase the right to own all stories. The excerpt that resonates most profoundly with me captures
the moment of transaction between the divine and the mortal:
"The Sky God said, 'Many people have wanted to own the stories, but the price is high. Bring me
three things: the hornets, the great python, and the leopard.' Anansi agreed and went home. He
looked at his small body and eight legs, and he smiled. What he lacked in strength, he possessed in
wisdom" (Akan Oral Tradition, as transcribed in Okpewho, 1992: 45).
This passage encapsulates the African worldview that wisdom and cunning can triumph over brute
force, a theme that runs through generations of storytelling across the continent. The source of this
story is the oral tradition of the Akan people, passed down through generations and transcribed in
various collections of African folktales (Okpewho, 1992: 34).
1. Why I Chose This Story
I chose the Anansi story because it is a quintessential example of how African people "turn simple
ideas into meaningful stories" (Gervas, 2018: 1). The narrative structure follows the pattern
outlined by Gervas (2018: 1) of a "particular type of sequential discourse, that includes a beginning,
a complication and a resolution." The beginning establishes Anansi's desire for stories, the
complication is the Sky God's impossible task, and the resolution is Anansi's clever triumph through
his cunning plans.
The tale of Anansi embodies the essence of African storytelling where animals are given human
characteristics to teach moral lessons and reflect on human nature (Finnegan, 2012: 89). In
examining scholarship on African oral traditions, the figure of the trickster appears across the
continent—the hare in Bantu Africa, the spider in West Africa, and the tortoise in Nigeria and Benin
(Scheub, 1985: 112). This widespread presence demonstrates how storytelling serves as a mirror
reflecting diverse yet connected cultural worldviews.
