Critical literacy is widely acknowledged as a crucial component of 21st century literacies, with a growing number of researchers providing inspirational examples of what can happen when teachers create critically literate ‘niches’ or spaces in their classrooms (O’Brien 1994; Leland et al 2005; Souto-Manning 2009). Despite this increase in scholarly interest, schooling’s traditional focus on code-breaking and comprehension-type literacy practices (Leland et al 2005) has meant that critical literacy still remains on the margins of many classrooms and curricula, as a buzzword, add-on or extension task that is often reserved for the eldest or most able (Comber 2001). Consequently, researchers have found that a critical stance still does not come “naturally” to readers within schooled contexts (Ryan & Anstey 2003; Scull et al 2013), a situation that cannot be remedied until critical literacy is widely used and valued by readers both inside and outside of schools (Carrington & Luke 1997). Responding to this context and motivated by an absence of research into the critically literate practices of families, a key aim of this study has been to find ways of making space for more critical “ways with words” (Heath 1983) to emerge in places other than classrooms. Underpinned by a theoretical understanding that a powerful and productive relationship exists between the effects of metafiction and the broadly-agreed aims of critical literacy, this thesis is an account of what happened when a group of eight parents and their eight primary school-aged children encountered the complex, surprising and disruptive demands of metafiction in picturebooks. Discussions about the picturebooks were located across a range of school-based and out-of-school settings and the resulting qualitative, analytical inquiry focused specifically on the literacy resources that dominated these readers’ responses when they engaged with metafiction. Key findings included the fact that comments with a ‘critical edge’ always emerged in direct response to the provocations of metafiction. More specifically, this study has identified the ability of metafiction to provoke resistance as a reader response; an experience that made it possible for some readers to interrupt and question their ‘natural’ literacy practices. In addition, the effects of metafiction made it possible for readers to develop metaliterate understandings, a term used here to describe a heightened awareness of language in use and of reading as an active, social process of meaning-making. In both cases, the effects of metafiction helped to foreground the often invisible dispositions that give shape to understandings about words - and pictures - and, simultaneously, about the world (Freire 1985).

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This thesis is based on literary texts I collected in Acholi and Lango Districts of Uganda between April and October 1962, and those found in the published works of the following authors: J.P. Abe 'Ododo Acholi (Acholi Folk Tales in verse) in Acholi Magazine No. 4 1953. Mr. Abe also lent me his tape recordings of nanga songs; R. S. Anywar, Acholi ki ker Megi 1948; R.M. Bere 'An Outline of Acholi History', Uganda Journal Vol. II No.1, 'Land Tenure among the Acholi' Uganda Journal Vol. 19 No.l; Miss C.B. Cave 'Cardok Acholi' (Acholi Proverbs) in Acholi Magazine No.3 (1952); T.L. Cox 'Lango Proverbs', Uganda Journal Vol. 10; J.H. Driberg The Lango (1923); Rev. H.E. Lees Gang Fables (1930); Rev. Fr. A. Malandra Tekwaro Acholi (1946), 'The Ancestral Shrine of Acholi' Uganda Journal Vol. 7; Rev. Fr. P.A. Negri 'La Tribu niloltica delgi Acioli' La Nigrizia 1932, 1933, 1934. D. Oceng 'Land Tenure among the Acholi' Uganda Journal Vol. 19 No.l L. Okech Tekwaro ki ker Lobo Acholi (1953). D. Ongo 'Buk pa Kwari wa' (The Books of Our Ancestors - songs) Acholi Magazine No. 3.; Rev. Fr. v. Pelligrini Acholi Macon (1949); Rev . Fr. Tarantino 'The Origins of the Lango' Uganda Journal Vo.1. 10, 'Notes on the Lango' Uganda Journal Vol. 13 No. 2. A.C.A. Wright Fifteen Lango Folk Tales (l958), 'Lango Folk Tales - an analysis' Uganda Journal Vol. 24, 'The Supreme Being among the Acholi' Uganda Journal Vol. 7. A select bibliography is appended. The Introduction consists of brief descriptions of Acholi and Lango countries, and the political , social and economic organizations, and the recent history of the two peoples. There is a critical examination of Dr. F. Girling's claim that the Kings of Bunyoro had suzerainty over Acholi. In chapters 2 - 5, I examine Acholi and Lango myths and the historical songs of two Acholi dances: otole and bwala, and the mwoc - praise names , and also Lango Age - Sets songs . An attempt is made to give a sociological explanation for the striking contrast between the Acholi and Lango "in the conspicuous presence in the former and the no less conspicuous absence in the latter, of native history and tradition" (Codrington, R.H . The Melanesians,(l891), p.47). Chapters 6 - 9 consider Acholi Funeral Dirges , the Lango do not have special funeral songs; chants at ancestral spirit shrines in Acholi and Lango; and songs sung at spirit possession dances. Chapter 6 consists of a critical examination of views put forward by other students of Acholi and Lango religous ideas; and a classification of Acholi and Lango spiritual beings . A table of Acholi chiefdom Joks is appended. In Chapters 10 - 12, I consider songs of the Orak dance of the Acholi , Acholi and Lango proverbs and Folk tales as social sanctions and means of inculcating moral ideas. Throughout I have tried to discuss the texts within their proper social contexts, paying attention to the performers and the audience whether in dancing, singing or telling folk tales. Due to shortage of funds (the Acholi District scholarship was terminated in March 1962, and my field work was financed from personal loans and part time jobs) I was unable to do much work among the Lango. For most of the Lango texts I have therefore relied on the available literature.

Traversant un ample corpus textuel rédigé en de nombreuses langues, ce travail interroge les rapports peu explorés entre littérature et sculpture, à partir d’un objet, le monument, « fait social total » mêlant enjeux politiques, idéologiques, religieux et esthétiques. Dispositif autoritaire, le monument exerce une efficace pour dominer et transformer celui qui le rencontre. La littérature accompagne, s’approprie, contre au moyen de stratégies d’iconoclasme textuel, dévoie, et renouvelle les actes accomplis par les monuments : glorifier les héros, signifier l’histoire, édifier la société, répondre à la détresse. Dans l’épreuve du réel, le monument se montre pourtant incapable de tenir ces promesses exorbitantes. La littérature l’en délie et l’allège via l’ouverture d’une finitude et d’une compassion. Le monument est réinventé jusqu’à devenir le lieu d’une nouvelle magie ou d’un élan vers le sacré. La littérature rend ainsi un dispositif monosémique à un pluriel des significations. / Bringing together a broad corpus of texts written in many different languages, this dissertation explores the intersections between literature and sculpture. The starting point is the monument, an object that stands as a “social total fact”, condensing politics, ideologies, religion and aesthetics. Literature can help monuments to alter their beholders, to glorify heroes, to signify history, to build up and edify society, or to respond to distress. More often, it appropriates, subverts or debunks those acts via strategies of “textual iconoclasm”, proving that monuments cannot withstand the test of reality and fail to keep their promises. Literature aims therefore at renewing monuments, making them lighter by opening them to compassion and finitude. Thus recreated, statues in cities can point the beholders towards the sacred, or accommodate magic. Literature manages so to reinvent a polysemy around devices designed to hold an authority, and that were supposed to reinforce a monosemy.