An Analysis of Bullying in Schools As Presented by Two Ugandan Novels
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Date
2018
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Academic Journals
Abstract
This paper analyzes the depictions of bullying in schools in two selected Ugandan novels: Goretti
Kyomuhendo’s The First Daughter (1996) and Mary Karooro Okurut’s The invisible Weevil (1998). The
study is about the vices that education transmits to the learners depending on the socio-cultural and
political context. One of them that education transmits is the bullying of fellow students. Bullying is
both physical and verbal violence and it can affect the emotional, social, and physical wellbeing of
students (and staff). The study adopts a qualitative content analysis of two Ugandan novels to give
interpretation of the text data. We have used qualitative content analysis to identify the theme and the
main characters in the two novels and made interpretations. Content analysis helped us understand
bullying as practiced in schools. The study found that the schools presented by both novels see
bullying as severe and traumatizing. Both boys and girls are bullied, and it affects their emotional,
social, and physical wellbeing. This behavior is probably a result of global influence in our school
system. Traditional Ugandan education was characterized by close social, ethical, collective orientation
and ensured progressive character development of the child. Some of the values transmitted in
traditional Ugandan education included community-orientation, love and respect for others. The vice of
bullying is likely to have originated from the formal type of education which is more individualistic
oriented. We recommend that a more effective education system for Uganda is one that combines or
inculcates the traditional values of community-orientation, love and respect for others with elements of
modern education.
Description
Keywords
Bullying - Schools (in literature) - Uganda, Bullying in schools
Citation
Naula, Mary, et al (2018). An analysis of bullying in schools as presented by two Ugandan novels. International Journal of English and Literature. Vol.9(6), pp. 63-70, November 2018 DOI: 10.5897/IJEL2018.1188