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Chinua achebe literature proverbs
Cultural conflicts
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Things change as times change, and so that is how a society evolves. One could categorise these drastic differences as a country’s modernisation. Albert Chinualumogu Achebe was born into a country that is now seen as modernised, since its customs and cultural roots have been modified, and that place was Ogidi, in Nigeria. Achebe’s background includes his father’s work, which was once an evangelical Christian churchman. Although his parents were both Christian, which was a religion brought upon by the missionaries; they still valued very strongly the traditional Ibo culture. The Christian and traditional Ibo environment in which Achebe was raised was what influenced him in his writing further on in his life. (“Chinua Achebe's Biography”) His first novel was Things Fall Apart, in which he writes of the story of the colonisation, or modernisation of Nigeria. In the novel, Achebe was able to explain the cultural conflicts between the native African culture and the traditional white culture in the late 1800s, as the European missionaries colonized the land of Nigeria. In Things Fall Apart, Achebe touched many themes such as the colonisation of Nigeria, the Igbo religion and spiritual beliefs, the Igbo government and political dealings; he also explained the role of Igbo women and family values, and also a generalized idea of the Igbo culture.
A. COLONISATION OF NIGERIA
Before the modernisation of the country which is now called Nigeria, this piece of land used once consisted of four different empires or kingdoms. These of which included the Northern empire, the Calabar kingdom, the Oduduwa empire and finally the Benin empire. The Calabar kingdom was the oldest piece of land, having been told to be founded around 1000 A.D. This k...
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... Things Fall Apart. N.d. Web. 22 November 2013. .
Country Studies. 1992. Web. 25 November 2013. .
FALOLA, Toyin. “The role of Nigerian women”. Encyclopedia of Britannica. N.d. Web. 27 November 2013. .
“Igbo Information”. Art & Life in Africa. 3 November 1998. Web. 26 November 2013. .
Motherland Nigeria. 1998 - 2007. Web. 27 November 2013. .
“Nigeria”. Countries and Their Cultures. N.d. Web. 27 November 2013. .
WIDJAJA, Michael. Insight into Igbo Culture, Igbo Language and Enugu. 2000 - 2013. Web. 26 November 2013. .
http://www.arm.arc.co.uk/britishBenin.html Negritude http://www.nigerdeltadirectory.com/websiteseminars/negritude.html http://www.culturekiosque.com/calendar/item14966.html http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/negritude/ (Accessed 14.02.11). African Art http://www.jpanafrican.com/ (Accessed 14.02.11). Benin Massacre http://www.dawodu.com/igbinedion3.htm http://www.arm.arc.co.uk/britishBenin.html http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/anthony-okosun/the-glory-of-benin-kingdom-and-the-shame-of-the-british-empire.html. http://books.google.co.uk (Benin Diplomatic Handbook By USA International Business Publications).
The novel Things Fall Apart written by Chinua Achebe highlights the many important historical events that happened during the period of colonialism, spread of religious fervor to Africa from Europe, and the importance of the native religion among African societies. Achebe shows that religion holds a major influence in many African societies and influences the daily life of the natives. Furthermore, the novel introduces a major event that happen during pre-colonial Africa, the spread of the Christian faith, which forever changed and affected the natives in Africa, more specifically the Igbo society located in Nigeria. Things Fall Apart vividly describes and explains how the Christian faith that arrived in Africa changed both the individuals in the Umoufia and society. To add on, the novel shows how the spread of Christianity ultimately leads to the destruction of the many native African cultures, and shows what redeeming qualities that arise from the destruction of their culture. Achebe describes how the Christian faith acts as a guide to the Igbo society and at the same time acts as the inevitable downfall of the Igbo society.
Chinua Achebe?s Things Fall Apart is a narrative story that follows the life of an African man called Okonkwo. The setting of the book is in eastern Nigeria, on the eve of British colonialism in Africa. The novel illustrates Okonkwo?s struggles, triumphs, and his eventual downfall, all of which basically coincide with the Igbo?s society?s struggle with the Christian religion and British government. In this essay I will give a biographical account of Okonwo, which will serve to help understand that social, political, and economic institutions of the Igbos.
"Religion and the Igbo People." Queen's University Belfast | Home. 15 Aug. 2001. Web. 22 Mar. 2010. .
The first step to understanding the response of the Benin people to this arrival is to look to their conception of their own identity. The Benin call themselves, their capital, and their language Edo, and some Edo can rightfully claim to have lived in the region for a thousand years. When speaking of Benin, the idea of a "traditional" culture is not wholly erroneous - their ancestry is older and on a more direct line than most Europeans can imagine. But the ancient kingdom of Benin did not encompass all Edo-speaking people and it was also not restricted to them, as it included ethnic groups such as the Yoruba, Igbo, Ijaw, and Itsekiri (Duchateau 9). The amount of racial cohesion in this "traditional culture" should no...
Loftus, D. and Wood, P. (2008), 'The Art of Benin: Changing Relations Between Europe and Africa II' in Brown, R. D. (ed.) Cultural Encounters (AA100 Book 3), Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp. 43-87.
Achebe writes Things Fall Apart to revise the history that has been misplaced. He writes to the European and Western culture. This fact is evident because the book is written in English and it shows us the side of the African culture we wouldn’t normally see. Achebe is constantly ...
"Feast for New Yam in Igbo-Ukwu." Www.ic.galegroup.com. N.p., 20 Oct. 2008. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.
New African Vol. 1.492 (2010): 14. History Reference Center -. 2010 - EBSCO Industries, Inc. Web.
Nigeria Nigeria had an eventful history. More than 2,000 years ago, the Nok culture in the present plateau state worked iron and produced experienced terracotta sculpture. The history of the northern cities of Kano and Katsina dates back to approximately 1000 A.D. In the following centuries, Hausa Kingdoms and the Bornu Empire became important terminals of north-south trade between North African Berbers and the forest people, exchanging slaves, ivory, and other products. The Yoruba Kingdom of Oyo was founded in 1400s.
According to Samuels in Case Studies in Comparative Politics, Nigeria began as a group of states and empires, which were conquered by the British Empire who ruled Nigeria through indirect rule with varying degrees of rule in North and South Nigeria (Samuels, 323-326). Since they were granted independence in 1960, three republics have been created and each has ended by military rule, which led to the creation of the fourth, and current republic in Nigeria. In the current regime Nigeria’s GDP is ranked 108 of 156 and has been decreasing, lower than some of the non oil-producing nations in Africa (“Nigeria”).
Van Judith Alan. “Sitting on a Man: Colonialism and the Last Political Institutions of Igbo Women”. Canadian Journal of American Studies. 28.2 (1972): 165-71.
...’s depictions of both traditional and modern beliefs in varying degrees illustrate the importance of both in contemporary Nigerian culture, as well as the greater Africa as a whole, and how both are intertwined and cannot exist without the other. In effect, she skillfully subverts stereotypes or single perceptions of Africa as backward and traditional, proving instead, the multifaceted culture of Africa. She further illustrates that neither traditional African nor western culture is necessarily detrimental. It is the stark contrast of the fundamental cultures that inevitably leads to clashes and disagreements. In the end, what holds African countries such as Nigeria together is their shared pride. Modern, western influences can bring positive changes to society, but new cultures cannot completely eradicate the foundational cultures to which a society is founded on.
Chinua Achebe’s book, Things Fall Apart, was based on a story and the culture in Nigeria, Western Africa. Women’s roles and responsibilities have transitioned over several of years. The book arises a situation of how the Ibo women were treated and looked upon. In the Ibo culture, the women did not only suffer a great loss of their dignity, but also their pride as women. The whole role of women in the Ibo culture is different in various ways compared to the female race in modern society. The modern society in Nigeria, women are not so powerless, and also have the opportunity to work alongside the opposite gender.
Oti, Adepeju; Ayeni, Oyebola. (2013) Yoruba Culture of Nigeria: Creating Space for an Endangered Species Cross - Cultural Communication9.4 : 23-29