I think this book was the first one that made me realize the terrible impact of colonialism. For example, in this book the outcasts and the parents of twin babies (who had to kill their babies to prevent evil from entering the village) obviously found it easier to abandon tradition. However, despite the lack of respect the colonialists showed to the people, it’s hard to deny that there were some aspects of African tradition that were outdated and people had the option of leaving such tradition behind, especially if it was harmful. What I found difficult to come to terms with, as an African Christian myself, is the horrific way Christianity was introduced to the African continent. ”You grew your ears for decoration, not for hearing.” There was coming and going between them.”Īchebe managed to inject some humour into such bleak subject matter, although I think this feat is quite common among African writers: “The land of the living was not far removed from the domain of the ancestors. The importance of ancestors in society is a part of this: Achebe also shows how tightknit precolonial African culture was and how, despite not having the so-called civilized institutions, things went pretty smoothly because of the community spirit and also the societal rules. I loved the inclusion of the African proverbs and folk tales, and the details of the Igbo clan system. Achebe shows the traditional culture very well, a culture which is rife with superstition but rich in context. This book really takes the reader into the Igbo culture. Despite all his faults, it’s impossible not to pity him a little because, after all, the life he knows, the life of his ancestors, is being taken from him quite cruelly by the British settlers. He epitomizes so much I dislike he’s abusive, misogynist, has very little patience or tolerance for the weak, and is perhaps he’s even over-ambitious. Okonkwo is one of the most intriguing characters in African fiction. This is a book of many contrasts colonialism and traditional culture, animism and Christianity, the masculine and the feminine, and the ignorant and the aware (although who is who depends on who’s speaking). It throbbed in the air, in the sunshine, and even in the trees, and filled the village with excitement.” - Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart Their sound was no longer a separate thing from the living village. “The drums were still beating, persistent and unchanging. He became the David and Marianna Fisher University Professor and Professor of Africana Studies at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, United States.Īchebe died at age 82 following a brief illness. He also published a number of short stories, children's books, and essay collections. His style relied heavily on the Igbo oral tradition, and combines straightforward narration with representations of folk stories, proverbs, and oratory. in 1990 after a car accident left him partially disabled.Īchebe's novels focus on the traditions of Igbo society, the effect of Christian influences, and the clash of values during and after the colonial era. He lived in the United States for several years in the 1970s, and returned to the U.S. ![]() When the Nigerian government retook the region in 1970, he involved himself in political parties but soon resigned due to frustration over the corruption and elitism he witnessed. The war ravaged the populace, and as starvation and violence took its toll, he appealed to the people of Europe and the Americas for aid. When the region of Biafra broke away from Nigeria in 1967, Achebe became a devoted supporter of Biafran independence and served as ambassador for the people of the new nation. In 1975, his lecture An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" became the focus of controversy, for its criticism of Joseph Conrad as "a bloody racist". Achebe writes his novels in English and has defended the use of English, a "language of colonizers", in African literature. ![]() He gained worldwide attention for Things Fall Apart in the late 1950s his later novels include No Longer at Ease (1960), Arrow of God (1964), A Man of the People (1966), and Anthills of the Savannah (1987). After graduation, he worked for the Nigerian Broadcasting Service and soon moved to the metropolis of Lagos. He became fascinated with world religions and traditional African cultures, and began writing stories as a university student. ![]() Raised by Christian parents in the Igbo town of Ogidi in southeastern Nigeria, Achebe excelled at school and won a scholarship for undergraduate studies. He is best known for his first novel, Things Fall Apart (1958), which is the most widely read book in modern African literature. Chinua Achebe was a novelist, poet, professor at Brown University and critic.
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