By Elimu Assistant Team 
In literary studies, personification occurs when an author gives human characteristics—such as emotions, desires, or physical sensations—to non-human entities. In Fathers of Nations, Paul B. Vitta uses personification to make the political atmosphere of the Banjul Summit more relatable and vivid for the reader.
Key Instances of Personification in the Novel
1. Personifying the “Summit”
The author often describes the summit as if it were a person with its own moods and behaviors. This helps to show the collective tension of the fifty heads of state.
- The Moody Summit: Vitta describes the summit as “straying” or being “directionless,” suggesting it has a mind of its own that refuses to follow the intended agenda.
- The Hall’s Reaction: At various points, the summit hall is described as “rocking with laughter” (Pg. 178) or “falling silent,” giving the physical space a human-like ability to react to the debate.
2. The Continent as a Patient
One of the most powerful uses of personification in the text is the treatment of Africa itself. Instead of discussing economics or sociology in abstract terms, the continent is often personified as a person in need of medical attention.
- A Sick Continent: Africa is portrayed as a “patient” lying on a “sickbed,” with various political ideologies acting as “doctors” (Path Alpha and Way Omega) arguing over the best cure.
3. Technology and Objects
Vitta gives life to the inanimate objects that populate the high-tech world of modern diplomacy.
- The Silent Listener: While it is a piece of technology, it is given the human trait of “listening” and “monitoring” with intent, making it feel like a ghostly character lurking in the background of the hotel.
- Mobile Phones: Devices are sometimes described as “screaming” or “demanding attention,” highlighting the intrusive nature of technology in the characters’ lives.
Why Use Personification?
By using personification, Paul B. Vitta achieves three main goals:
- Simplification: It makes complex geopolitical struggles easier to understand by turning them into human-scale dramas.
- Emphasis: It highlights the urgency of Africa’s problems—a “sick patient” needs immediate help in a way that “economic stagnation” does not always convey.
- Engagement: It adds a layer of creativity to the prose, ensuring the reader stays engaged with the satirical tone of the book.
Summary of Stylistic Devices
| Stylistic Device | Definition | Fathers of Nations Example |
|---|---|---|
| Personification | Giving human traits to non-humans. | The “sick” continent of Africa. |
| Symbolism | Objects representing ideas. | Way Omega representing the status quo. |
| Ideophones | Sound-imitation words. | “Bleep bleep!” (electronic sounds). |
Educational Tip: For your KCSE revision, remember that personification is often used alongside metaphor. If the author says “Africa is a patient,” it is a metaphor; if he says “Africa is crying for help,” it is personification!
This entails giving human abilities to non-human. Examples include:
- …dying old Toyota.( Pg 29)
- …you couldn’t tell what happiness was if it fell on your lap and cried out its name. Pg 33′
- …Ms McKenzie meet your office. ( Pg 56)
- Little fellow is used by comrade Melusi to refer to the needle. (Pg 83)
- Sunrise threw the heavens wide open over Banjul. (Pg82)
- He consulted a wall clock, It told him 1:30. (Pg 86)
- Meet silent listener, it was sitting silently at the far end of his office. (Pg 126)
- Mother Africa, it’s only few minutes aftcr sunset, but you’re so dark already! (Pg 168)
