This time was also known as the Nigerian Renaissance, a period containing a large number of very strong Nigerian writers who introduced a powerful new literature. Additionally, although a few countries had al-ready achieved independence, most of Africa was still ruled by colonialism. Nigeria became independent just 2 years after the book was published, at that time colonialism and inde-pendence were subjects of debate. Set in a time of great change for Africans, Achebe's nov-els illuminate two painful features of modern African life: the humiliations visited on Africans by colonialism, and the corruption and inefficiency of what replaced colonial rule. Things Fall Apart focuses on the early experience of colonialism as it occurred in Nigeria, around 1890, from the first days of contact with the British to widespread British administration.
Have you ever read a novel about African cultures and traditions from African point of view? The novel Things Fall Apart, a tragedy by Chinua Achebe, centers on one tragic hero in Igbo village of Umuofia in Nigeria and the effects of European arrival on his life and Igbo clan. Throughout the novel, Achebe introduces Igbo customs to the reader by creating several occurrences and how they react on them to claim that the Igbo is civilized before the Europeans arrive. The significant difference between Igbo and Western cultures is the way wisdom is passed on: Igbo oral traditions transmit values and knowledge orally by allegorical tales, while Western literary traditions educate people through generations by written texts, just like the novel itself. Even though these two traditions seem unlike, they have the same purpose of warning and teaching lessons to the audience, and together they serve an important effect of exposing distinct cultural traditions around the world to the reader.
Africa In World Politics: Engaging a Changing Global Order by John Harbenson and Donald Rothchild gives an analysis of how Africa has changed from being a European ruled colonial nation to a nation that it creating a name for itself in the global sphere. Beginning with Africa’s politics during the colonial era through the present. The book provides not only details about Africa but also how the changing world has affected African politics. The main focus of this book is to show the growth Africa has had since its time of colonization. Africa has grown as the world has changed although it has had to deal with internal conflicts and demands for political change due to its authoritarian regimes.
Hannah Lee Mrs White AP Literature 27 October 2014 The Death of Okonkwo and Igbo Culture The classic novel Things Fall Apart, written by a Nigerian author Chinua Achebe, has accounts of the Igbo people’s ways of living until the arrival of the Europeans who bring social and cultural change to Africa. In response to the stark negative portrayal of Africa by the biased European colonialists, the author attempts to reveal both problems and beauty in the African ethics; in order to provide a sharp criticism of imperialism, Achebe portrays the main character Okonkwo’s resistance in conforming to the new culture brought by the colonialists. In the novel, Okonkwo exhibits a solid personality that influences his response to numerous conflicts that he has to overcome, events that lead up to his suicide. Okonkwo’s responses reflect his character of little understanding and patience; however, some critics believe that the death shows the positive ideals and enriches the Igbo culture and society. Ultimately, in Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo’s death that is influenced by character and signifies the value of the complex Igbo culture and tradition.
3.1 THE COLONIAL LEGACY ON THE AFRICA’S UNDERDEVELOPMENT From the 16th century to 1921, 84 % of the earth had been under the sphere of influences of colonial powers. After World War I, there were around 168 colonies (Chiriyankandath, 2007) European colonization of Africa has had serious negative consequences for development, which over rides any purported differences in rule style. Colonialism has had a very negative, constraining effect on development in general. The impact of colonialism on the African continent is certainly relevant in characterizing postcolonial states and conflicts. Colonialism has permanent geographical, cultural, and financial legacies.
Discussing the difficulties that Frederick Douglass and other slaves have encountered during the first half of the 19th century. The struggles are being told in “Learning to Read and Write” by Frederick Douglass. The main obstacle was learning to read and write and being stripped from that experience so African-Americans don’t become educated. Fearing the ideas of their owned slaves surpassing them in intelligence and overthrowing them. But comparing that to of “Learning to Read” by Malcolm X of the mid-20th century where slavery ended but racism is still America’s greatest threat.
Does the evidence from Africa support the thesis of underdevelopment? Although Africa is developing fast and there are still a few countries that are trying to make a global impact, It can still be said that the African continent continues to house some underdeveloped and poor countries. The abject poverty that the citizens live under has been a result of political security and war in some countries. This essay will show that the evidence of Africa supports the thesis of underdevelopment. I will show this by focusing on what African politics is and the significance behind studying it.
It reveals nostalgia for the apartheid system. It visualizes binary divisions between black and white. From this it becomes clear that a variety of “historically nuanced theories and strategies”. It has a development to describe the specific position of Afrikaans literature in the context of post- colonialism. Recent it takes steps to describe the history of the white supremacy and racism in South Africa draw attention to the fact that its complex origin found in the long drawn out process of colonization first by the Dutch and then British, the subjection of different peoples in enslavement of black people
The Emergence of written literature across Africa came with the colonial intervention. The literary genres vigorously copied from the existing genres of Europe, Portuguese, French and English became the official languages across the continent. African writings in English had dominated and defined much of the space of what is today regarded as African literature. Among the prominent African writers the contribution of Chinua Achebe, Ngugi wa Thiongo, Wole Soyinka, Christopher Okigbo, Senghor are noteworthy. The landscape of English literature developed in divergent dimensions during the later half of the twentieth century.
Global Citizenship is a powerful idea that is based on self’ understanding in relation to others. Whereas, cultures play an important role to understand others. It means that the cultural understanding is significant to know about others. This can be possible through learning others’ languages. Global citizenship is an abstract concept, but it is a powerful notion.