More handpicked essays just for you.
Themes of culture conflict in chinua achebe's
Themes of culture conflict in chinua achebe's
Themes of culture conflict in chinua achebe's
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
In the book, Girls at War, and Other Stories, Chinua Achebe write several stories in which he portrays different examples of Nigerian customs, experiences and beliefs. He make a contrast between what are tradditional Nigerian customs and the view in modern Nigerian society. Also war is another topic that Achebe presents in the story “girls at war”.Without any doubt, the use of irony is widely use in all of his stories. The audience can clearly see the use of this theme in each of the characters actions and experiences. Making emphasis on good things happening to the ones that don’t deserve it and viceversa.
The book starts with the strory “The Madman” as the name well says it deals with a men who is mentally disable who stoles the main’s carácter clothes. Nwibe was consider an everyday man with a good reputation who’s major wish was to join to the “community of title men in his town” (pg 12) . One of the major irony’s portrayed in the story was when Nwibe lost his sanity and started chasing the mandmen when he realised that his clothes were taken away. At this instance Nwibe who was considered a person of “high standing” was being seen as a insane individual by the Nigerian people. While the individal who in reality was the “madmen” was seen as a normal individal being that he was using clothes to cover him.
Moreover, it is evident that the autor wanted to make an emphasis of irony at the time when Nwibe stayed naked while the madman was able to find a pair of pants through the main character. This can be interpreted as the madman acquired what was important for him at that instance while Nwibe lost everything what was important for him. The irony of how a moment of desperation and frustation lead a men’s destruction and per...
... middle of paper ...
...uch like in the life of Nwibe. In addition to this collection of stories “Marriage as a private affair” evidently provides many examples of irony. One of most evident example is the title. As mentioned before marriage is a compromise between two individuals while an affair would have to mean bringing a third individual into the relationship. This is when the irony takes place because affair does not fall in that context. Also adding to this theme, “Girls at War” is a tragic and interesting story which mains focus relies in many examples related to irony. In my opinion, one of the most noticable example of the them is when it take a long time for this two main characters to develop a bond, and only one second to end with such a tragic ending such like dead.
Work Cited
Achebe, Chinua. Girls at War, and Other Stories. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1973. Print.
Kurt Vonnegut uses irony in the development of his story Harrison Bergeron, in order to allow the reader to understand the conditions of equality. He opens the first paragra...
The purpose of Carol Cohn’s article “Women in War” is to explain why women have been kept out of the subject of war although they have played many vital roles. Cohn argues, that because of the gender coding of characteristics, institutions such as the military have been established in such a way that not only rejects characteristics of femininity but also preserves masculinity. Cohn employs logic, fact and the reasoning of experts in their own respective fields to answer why there is such a separation between the military and women.
The Civil War, which lasted for four long years, was a “total war” involving every aspect of society. During this time in one of the bloodiest of wars, northern and southern women were as equally involved as their male counterparts, if not more. Because of this war, women were forced to abandon their traditional roles of the 19th century, and participate in the war effort. Some fearless women disguised themselves as young men, and took on the role of soldiers, in order to show their patriotism. Some of the more cunning women freelanced as spies outside the government sphere, so that they could participate in the war. Others supported the war effort by taking on the roles of nurses who risked their lives on the battlefield; however, most of them worked in hospitals located in the rear. No matter how big or small the role they played during the civil war, the significance of their effort and support broadened beliefs about the abilities of women and what they could achieve outside of the home.
Chinua Achebe is a renowned Nigeria novelist lauded for his work in literature. Chinua Achebe has been credited with numerous works of literature ranging from novels to journals. His work cuts across borders, making huge success and accepted globally in the world of literature. Even critics had to accept Chinua Achebe is the greatest our time, such was Charles H Rowell a literary critic issued in Callaloo a reputable magazine. There was no surprise when Chinua Achebe won the 1972 Commonwealth prize, he obviously deserved it, following his contribution to the world of literature. He has also been awarded an indefinite number of doctorates in various educational
Achebe’s whisper to feminine strengths in his novel was influenced by his intended 1950’s Western audience. Cobham suggests, as cited by Krishnan (2012), that “Achebe chooses representations of Igbo society that are most easily digested by a Western audience” (p.8). In the 1950’s with the end of World War II and men returning home, women’s value was regarded mainly as domestic housewives and mothers. Catalano (2002) illustrates the atmosphere in 1950’s United States explaining, “the Cold War placed an added emphasis on family unity as a defense against communism, making the role of women as wives and mothers crucial to the preservation of the United States and its democratic ideals” and submits, many “identify the 1950s as the pinnacle of gender inequality” (p45). For the benefit of his audience, the stock feminine characters Achebe made obvious mimicked that of 1950’s United States: the inferior female, domesticate...
In Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, the Ibo culture revolves around structured gender roles, from the crops that the men and women grow, to the characterization of crimes,which creates tension between the sexes and will ultimately lead to detrimental consequences. Things Fall Apart represents the hardships and struggles between females and males. For example, Ekwefi, the wife of Okonkwo, she is often beat for the things she has genuinely forgotten about . Also, we have Enzima, Okonkwo's favorite daughter, but since she is a female, she must be treated like a women. Although females are considered the weaker gender, they possess many qualities that make them worthy, such as bearing children. Achebe explained the importance of both genders and how they contribute to the society.
Just as important as gender variations was, so was language. When the Europeans arrived in the community for the first time, language was a major barrier as the people could not understand the white’s man linguistic and vice versa. Achebe wrote this story in English not just to play to the tune of his people, but also to educate the Westerners and emend the portrait of Africa in the eyes of the White man. His inclusion of proverbs, folktales, and songs was a way of communication in a way that everyone could understand without destroying the beauty of the Igbo language. He was able to take this book far and wide and give people an unbiased detail of what his tradition was all about; the good, the bad, and the ugly. He tried to make it as uncomplicated as possible compared to Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad.
Chinua Achebe was an influential Nigerian author during the 1900’s who was credited with his three essays which have been fused together into the book “Home and Exile”. In his stories he discusses things such as his own Igbo people, the problems with colonialization, the strength that stories can have and many more topics. A big part of his essays are on his thoughts of colonialism, the impact it has had on his home of Nigeria, and how stories written by others either helped justify colonialism or rejected it. Chinua argues that stories have their own power to fight, and while stories themselves do not have the ability to directly fight colonialism; they do, however with their power of words, stories can motivate and encourage people to stand up against colonialism. In proving this thesis to be a true statement, I will be providing evidence of the how, why and the extent to which stories can fight colonialism.
From an outside view, everything in relationships seems to be wonderful. However, on many occasions, taking a deeper analysis of the women and their daily lives, one can realize the true dangers they face around their husbands. It is important to understand the reasons why the women in the following stories behave and feel the way they do. Firstly, in the story “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway, the female character is in danger because her boyfriend wants her to have an abortion. Secondly, in the story “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, Mrs. Louise Mallard is at risk because her husband, throughout years of marriage has limited her freedom. Finally, in the story of “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinback, it is the frustration Elisa Allen feels towards her life because her husband never shows admiration towards her beauty which leads her to have a melancholic and miserable life. Even though men took an important role in the stories, it is clear they were the cause of the women’s suffering and perilous lifestyles.
The controversial topic of insanity manifests itself commonly in Romantic writing, and has been one much disputed over time. Some say that people who seem crazy are so above our own level of thought and understanding that we can’t possibly begin to identify with them and that we can find genius in the form of ordinary lunatics who connect to God and divinity in ways “normal” people don’t comprehend. Throughout works such as “The Cask of Amontillado and “The Castaway”, the authors question insanity with ideas that show the possible outcomes when one looks deep inside themselves for a divine spark or intuition. Both of these stories address madness in different forms, and madness itself is Godly experiences gone wrong; the person who receives the divine vision is unable to handle its raw truth.
Great people often arise from unlikely places. During the civil war women were barred from serving in the army; however, women did sometimes disguise themselves as men and enlisted in both the Confederate and Union armies. During the Civil War years of 1861 to 18-65, soldiers under arms mailed countless letters home from the front. There are multiple accounts of women serving in military units during the Civil War, but a majority of these incidents are extremely hard to verify. Nevertheless, there is the one well-documented incident of the female Civil War soldier by the name of Sarah Rosetta Wakeman.
Nnolim, Charles E. "Achebe's Things Fall Apart: An Igbo National Epic" Modern Black Literature. ed. Okechukwu Mezu New York: Black Academy Press, 1971, 55-60.
Both men and women fought on the battlefield. Hundreds of women served as nurses, laundresses, cooks and companions to the male soldiers in the Continental Army.6 In addition, there were some that actually engaged in battle. Seeing "no reason to believe that any consideration foreign to the purest patriotism,"7 Deborah Sampson put on men's clothing and called herself Robert Shirtliffe in order to enlist in the Army. "Robert Shirtliffe" fought courageously; "his" company defeated marauding Indians north of Ticonderoga.8 There is also the valiancy of the water carrier Mary Hays, otherwise known as Molly Pitcher, who took up arms after her husband fell.9 As a six-foot tall woman, Nancy Hart was considered an Amazon Warrior. Living in the Georgia frontier, this "War Woman" aimed and, with deadly accuracy, shot British soldiers who invaded the area.10 Mentioned in the beginning of this essay was Margaret Corbin, another woman on the battlefield.
As wise John Berger once said,“Never again shall a single story be told as though it were the only one”. A “single story” is the story of a culture that we learn from stereotypes and conspiracies developed throughout time in our society. In “Things Fall Apart”, Chinua Achebe defies the single story of African culture while still tying their native language in to show the importance between a physical differentiation of culture, and the similarities with morals and values they have in common. Through gender roles and proverbs used in the language of this book, we have a cultural insight of Nigeria through a new set of eyes given to us by Achebe that detures us from the single stories that we were taught to by our society.
The novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a story that opens the reader's mind to an entirely different way of living in a Nigerian village. Achebe was born in Nigeria in 1930, perhaps this is why he writes a whole book on a Nigerian village and introduces to us the ways of life for the Nigerian people. From the first page of the book to the last, Achebe allows the reader to enter the mind of the main character Okonkwo. Okonkwo is the leader of his village and is very respected for his many achievements. Although Okonkwo means well for his village, the novel invites the reader to see him has a flawed character who eventually suffers from the consequences of bad "masculine" decisions he makes throughout the book.