HELON HABILA’S WAITING FOR AN ANGEL: THE POLITICAL BILDUNGSROMAN

Abstract

This article examines the Bildungsroman tradition in Helon Habila’s Waiting for an Angel.It argues that Habila hasmodified and indigenized the form, in order to confront thepolitical realities of his time. Most studies on third generation Nigerian novels asBildungsromanare female centered. This paper concentrates onthe male protagonist’s process of maturationacross geographical and social boarders in order to emphasize the flexibility of the Bildungsroman and to create gender balance. It also reveals the extent to which the selected text represents or reverses features of the Bildungsroman. The paper adopts Karen Horney’s Psychoanalytic Social Theory which is built on the assumption that interpersonal relationship, apart from early childhood experiences play significant role in the development of personality, and argues for a close reading and analysis of the novel as a unique example of postcolonial Nigerian Bildungsroman. It equally shows a broad extension of the genre to include the experience of contemporary Nigerians in Diaspora. The findings above imply that third generation Nigerian novelists have reformulated and adjusted the form to suit their environment and time.