Chinua Achebe Essay - 1491 Words

Chinua Achebe Chinua Achebe is said to be â€Å"one of the most influential writers† of the century not only in Nigeria, his homeland but also throughout the world (Albany). Chinua Achebe was born in Ogidi, Nigeria on November 16, 1930. He was born a son of a Chrisitan Churchman, Isaiah Okafo and Janet N. Achebe. Achebe was raised an Ibo Christian, which made him stand out among his fellow peers. Achebe’s lifestyle was different than that of other people living in his village because of his religious background and upbringing. When Achebe was fourteen he began schooling at Government Albany College in Umuahia for three years. He then attended the University of Ibadan from 1948 through 1953. Following his education at the University of†¦show more content†¦The main character is a man named Okonkwo. Okonkwo is a very strong and well known man. Okonkwo is driven by his desire to be a better man than his father was. Okonkwo is ashamed of his father because he was a weak man with no accomplishments. The book describes the village and the traditions of the people of the village. It describes in detail their religious beliefs. All aspects of Ibo life are based on their religion. The conflict in the story arises when Christian missionaries force their way into the Umofia and began to tear apart the lives of the Ibos. The missionaries try to convert the Ibos into Christians and a western way of living. When some of the Ibos change their lives to be like the missionaries’, civil disagreements and hostility begin to occur. The story is essentially a fictional tale about an event that really did occur in Nigeria. In this story, Achebe is describing the western movement that Nigeria went through and is still dealing with today through fictional characters. Achebe wrote a follow-up story to Things Fall Apart called No Longer at Ease. No Longer at Ease is about Okonkwo’s grandson, Obi who is part of the â€Å"corrupted† generation of the Ibo people. Obi is an educated Christian, who also participates in the traditions of the Ibo people. This has caused him to be torn between the old and new ways of Africa and Nigeria. TheShow MoreRelatedBiography of Chinua Achebe2083 Words   |  9 PagesChinua Achebe: Africa most beloved author The Prominent Igbo writer, famous for his novels describing the effects of western customs and values on traditional African society. Achebe’s satire and his keen ear for spoken language have made him one of the most highly esteemed African writers in English. Chinua Achebe was born in eastern Nigeria on November 16, 1930 Isaiah and Janet Achebe (Bucker pars.1). Isaiah Okafor Achebe was a catechist for the Church Missionary Society and his wife to traveledRead MoreA Study on the Author, Chinua Achebe 1467 Words   |  6 Pages A STUDY OF THE AUTHOR, CHINUA ACHEBE Chinua Achebe was born unto a Nigerian parents in Nigeria on November 16, 1930. He was from a family that born six kids; he being the fifth among them. Chinua Achebe’s parents were Isaiah Okafor Achebe and Janet Achebe. He begin an English at eight in Ogidi, Nigeria. Encouraged by his father, he was excited to learned English quickly. His father Isaiah Achebe was one of the first that converted from their religion to Christianity and he also foundedRead MoreArrow Of God By Chinua Achebe998 Words   |  4 PagesArrow of God written by Chinua Achebe is set in the 1920’s located in Nigeria. The book focuses on the main character Ezeulu, the Igbo people’s chief priest. Throughout the text we see Ezeulu have conflicts with other tribes and with Christian missionaries, get sent to prison for denying a position from the British, and Ezeulu having difficulties within his own tribe and their yam harvest (Achebe). All the events that happened in Arrow of God lead to a much deeper meaning. If we take a lookRead MoreThings Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe1415 Words   |  6 Pagespivotal in the development of a young mind and the book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe does just that. This book should be taught in schools because it shows the values and traditions of Achebe’s Igbo culture, persistently teaches life lessons thro ughout the book, and shows the darker reality of European colonialism in Africa. Chinua Achebe is known as one of the most influential and famous authors to ever write. Chinua Achebe originates from an Igbo background and he expresses that through his writingsRead MoreThings Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe897 Words   |  4 PagesIn the novel, â€Å"Things Fall Apart† by Chinua Achebe the Igbo tradition revolves around structured gender role. Everything essential of Igbo life is based on their gender, which throughout the novel it shows the role of women and the position they hold, from their role in the family household, also planting women crops, to bearing children. Although the women were claimed to be weaker and seemed to be treated as objects, in the Igbo culture the women still provided qualities that make them worthyRead MoreThings Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe Essay1203 Words   |  5 Pages who took their land for monetary gain. This was a dark period of time for Africans that live there. The U.S. Civil War and The Great Depression both can be related, in this instance, to how down their people were because of what happened. Chinua Achebe said it best, â€Å"I would be quite satisfied if my novels...did no more than teach my readers of their past...was not a long night of savagery from which the first European acting on God’s behalf delivered them†(qtd. in â€Å"Morning Yet† 45). In theRead MoreThings Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe1452 Words   |  6 Pagesrise above and assume control over the Roman Empire. However, imperialism in Africa remained a recorded element from 1750 to 1945. This paper visits how control and changes were influences over the Africans during this time period as seen through Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart. (UKEssays, 2015) Europe was experiencing a few financial and political changes that forced the major European forces to investigate abroad regions to add to their resources during the seventeenth century. In orderRead MoreThings Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe1324 Words   |  6 Pages Chinua Achebe chose to write his novels in English to reveal a deep response of his people to colonisation and to make that response understood to people all over the world. Things Fall Apart was written in English to teach people worldwide of the struggles he faced and the people of Nigeria faced growing up. Many authors and critics have written about Achebe’s ‘Things fall apart’ adding their valued opinion on what he was trying to say and his decision to write in English. In the followingRead MoreThings Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe942 Words   |  4 PagesIn history many ancient and early cultures lived in a society where gender influenced their way of life. In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the Igbo tribe in Africa bases their people’s social status and everyday life on gender. Women are expected to be submissive and thought to be weaker compared to their male counterparts. Men on the other hand are thought of as strong and must live up to the expec tations of the clan. There are several instances in the book that strongly emphasize the masculineRead MoreThings Falll Apart by Chinua Achebe1082 Words   |  4 PagesThings Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a story that portrays the tensions between the white Colonial Government and native-born people of Umuofia. Okonkwo, the main character, and a great village man is highly respected in the Igbo tribe of Umuofia. Although, Okonkwo is highly respected by the Igbo people, they are fearful of him because of his violent anger. When the Europeans arrived in Umuofia, they brought with them a new religion: Christianity. The Westerners changed Umuofia, destroyed tradition