ACHEBE STUDY WORKSHEET

POWERPOINT NOTES

Name:______

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Date:______

Chinua Achebe

Biography

·  Albert Chinụalụmọgụ Achebe

·  Born 16 November, 1930 in Nneobi, Nigeria

·  Raised by Christian parents in the Igbo village of Ogidi

·  Excelled at school, winning a scholarship for undergraduate students

·  Fascinated by world religions and traditional African culture

Early Life

·  Achebe’s parents incorporated both traditional culture and Christian influence to their lives

·  Moved to ancestral village (Ogidi) of Achebe’s father

·  Storytelling was an integral tradition of the Igbo tradition

·  Educated by father using almanacs and numerous amount of books

Education (Early)

·  In 1936,enters St Phillips Central School

·  Attended Sunday school every week

o  Includes a scene in Things Fall Apart about an incident of apostates from the new church challenging the catechist about the tenets of Christianity

·  Middle school: Achebe gained an appreciation for Mbari, an art form that seeks gods' protection

·  High school: Accepted to two most prestigious schools

o  Learned to use English

o  Doubled up his first year, and spent four years instead of five

Education (University)

·  Attended the first University in Nigeria (University Collage)

·  Obtained such high marks on the entrance examine that he was admitted as a Major Scholar to study Medicine

·  Decided science was not suited for him and changed his major to English, History, and Theology

·  Began to write, starting with articles in school newspaper and short stories which incorporated African culture

·  Learned comparative religion from a new professor

o  Began to explore the fields of Christian history and African traditional religions

·  Began to become critical about European literature after reading Joyce Cary’s Mister Johnson

Major Works

·  First novel to be published was Things Fall Apart which took much effort to publish

o  Publishers thought fiction from African writers had no market potential

o  Once published, received mixed reviews

§  Some mocked his work, however majority thought that the novel created vivid pictures of Nigeria (“…plot and characters are little more than symbols representing a way of life lost irrevocably within living memory.” Black Orpheus Magazine) and he became most translated African write

·  Second novel to be published was No Longer at Ease

o  About a civil servant (Okonkwo’s grandson) who is embroiled in the corruption of Lagos

o  Described modern life in Nigeria

Minor Works

·  Achebe also wrote several children’s books

o  Chike and the River, (1966)

o  How the Leopard Got His Claws (with John Iroaganachi), (1972)

o  The Flute, (1975)

o  The Drum, (1978)

·  Created “Voice of Nigeria” network as he was promoted to position of Director of External Broadcasting at NBS (Nigeria Broadcasting System)

·  Published his third book Arrow of God, A Man of the People and more.

Awards

AWARD RECIEVED / YEAR
Commonwealth Poetry Prize / 1974
Afro-Asian Writers Association’s Lotus Award / 1975
Royal Society of Literature, London / 1981
American Academy of Arts and Letters / 1983
Campion Medal / 1996
German Booksellers Peace Prize / 2002
American Academy of Arts and Sciences / 2002

Questions to think about:

·  Achebe was well educated compared to what Europeans thought the condition of education in Africa was. What is your definition of education? How did education affect Achebe’s writings?

·  What would Africa-American literature be like if Achebe did not write/publish Things Fall Apart?

·  How do you think white people responded to the book? (Feelings, change in thoughts, etc.)