Exploring the Role of Mythology in Shaping the Plot of Marlon James's Black Leopard, Red Wolf: A Theoretical Inquiry Through Wole Soyinka's Myth, Literature, and the African World.

This paper examines how Marlon James reconfigures African mythological frameworks to challenge conventional fantasy tropes and restructure narrative time in Black Leopard, Red Wolf. Grounded in Wole Soyinka's theoretical lens from Myth, Literature, and the African World, the study demonstrates how James employs mythology as more than a storytelling mechanism--it serves as a structuring principle that blurs boundaries between history, memory, and the supernatural. The paper also interrogates whether James aligns with or deviates from Soyinka's view of myth as a vehicle of historical memory and collective identity. By positioning African mythology at the center of speculative fiction, James not only revitalizes indigenous storytelling traditions but also redefines fantasy literature by resisting linear narratives and centering African epistemologies. Additionally, this study explores how Black Leopard, Red Wolf engages in intertextual dialog with other African literary works and mythic traditions, reinforcing its role as a groundbreaking text in contemporary speculative fiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]