Diplomatic Foolery: A Look at Melamu’s Use of Juvernallian Satire in Odyssey

Abstract

This article attempts to unpack how Melamu wields Juvernallian satire in his short story, Odyssey,
which appears in his collection of short stories titled The Unweeded Garden (2006). The story is told
through the lens of a protagonist with untested diplomatic skills on the continent. The satire explores
how the absurd clash between the stoic, aloof world of the diplomat is thrown into a cultural malaise
of vice and spontaneity. Framed in realism, the article depicts how humour can tear away the veil of
moral degeneration in our neo-colonial society.