Roman Report : La Vie de Boy par Oyono (pt. 1)

Ce roman est une texte épistolaire, écrit dans la forme d’un fictif journal par une garçon camerounais appelle Toundi. Le premier chapitre introduit un homme mystérieux qu’il trouve le journal de Toundi (écrit en Ewondo, une language camerounaise). Alors, nous lissons. Nous apprendrons que cette la première journal par Toundi. Le parents de Toundi le préviennent que son ambition est dangereuse. Une missionnaire catholique arrive dans le village. Il s’appelle Père Gilbert. Il donne des cubes de sucre à tous les enfants du coin. Il fait de Toundi son protégé. Toundi se convertit au catholicisme et joindre Père Gilbert à l’église du coin. La, il rencontre un méchant homme. Son vénéré Père Gilbert meurt dans un accident de moto. Toundi est vraiment éperdu. Quand le Commandant a besoin d’un domestique, Toundi est commissioné de remplir le rôle. Alors, son vie totalement changé.

After reading books in French, I’m writing small reports to make sure I can summarize the text cogently. This book is La Vie de Boy (or Houseboy in the English translation) by Ferdinand Oyono. The basic plot (which is not exactly a word for word basis for my journal, but, perhaps, a start): The book is an epistolary novel, written in the form of Toundi’s fictional diary. The first chapter introduces a man who finds Toundi’s journal (originally written in Ewondo) giving us the basis for the story. So, we read on. Toundi is a young Cameroonian boy. This is the first journal he is attempting to keep, though he has some reservations about its success. His parents warn that his ambition will ruin his life. When a Catholic missionary named Father Gilbert arrives, Toundi is enamored by him. Father Gilbert distributes sugar cubes to the local children, winning them over. He takes on Toundi as his protégé. Toundi converts to Catholicism, and accompanies Father Gilbert to the local church. There, he meets a cruel man. His revered Father Gilbert dies in a motorcycle accident, Toundi is distraught and unsure of where he belongs. When a Commandant informs the church that he needs a houseboy, Toundi is commissioned to fill the role.