Explain the poet’s attitude to African traditional culture in “Vanity”.

Explanation

The required answers should include:

i. The positive view of traditional culture represented by the ancestors.

ii. The alienation that has ensued through the wilful neglect of ancestral guidance.

iii. The consequences of the wilful neglect.

iv. The placing of blame on the people themselves for their situation.

v. The people’s ineffective cry for sympathy.