Achebe's Novel and the Origins of Nigeria

The unreconciled duality displayed in this law case parallels a greater dialectic in spite of appearance the society. This dialectic creates a conflict between the individual's man set and the violent exit of the gods that act to preserve the community. Such a conflict is exemplified by the fate of Ikemefuna, whose "sad story is nonoperational told in Umofia unto this day" (Archebe, p. 16). Here, the Oracle of the Hills and the Caves decides that Ikemefuna, the foster child of Okonkwo, essential be killed. This divine pronouncement must be obeyed by Okonkwo even though he has become "very favorable of the boy" (Achebe, p. 30). The dialectic between humanistic values and the boisterous imposition of the gods serves as a framework through which maven may understand the different characters in the novel and name different forces inside the Ibo community.

Okonkwo is an unforgiving character who holds great originator in Umuofia. He is the embodiment of strength and is presented as an gelid image of his peace-loving father Unoka. Achebe writes:

Okonkwo ruled his household with a heavy hand. His

wives, especially the youngest, lived in perpetual

hero-worship of his violent temper, and so did his little

children. Perhaps belt down in his flavor Okonkwo was not a

cruel man. But his whole liveliness was dominated by fear,

the fear of bankruptcy and weakness . . . It was the fear

While Okonkwo initially succeeds in his community be reason of his inflexible will to power, he cannot survive in such a society that values comprise and view both authoritarian and humanitarian ideals. When Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna, we see how Okonkwo's iron will undermines the tradition of Umuofia. When the Oracle omens for the death of the child, Ezeudu, the oldest man in the village, warns Okonkwo that he must not resist the pronouncement but that he should not take part in the killing. Nevertheless, Okonkwo viciously cuts down his son in an effort to please the gods and avoid creation thought weak. Literary critic Oladele Taiwo contends that, in the novel, "man's survival depends on his ability to carry out correctly the wishes of the gods" (Taiwo, 1976, p. 119).

Taiwo recognizes a exemplary condemnation of Okonkwo's disrespect for human values in his unintended killing of a boy at Ezeudu's funeral. Taiwo reasons that Okonkwo's exile is brought nigh by the gods, for they are displeased by his lack of human values.

ruled by one passion - to hate everything that his

father's failure and weakness . . . And so Okonkwo was

The characteristic flexibility of the Ibo culture has been the cause of much political turbulence in the history of Nigeria. This is because otherwise ethnic cultures of Nigeria, most notably in the northern regions of the nation, eat been resistant to imperially-influenced change and drop resented the power that the Ibo people have gained by accepting it.

The cultural differences between these regions have do politically stability in Nigeria elusive. From the beginning of British colonization, tensions within Nigeria began to increase. In 1966, thousands of Ibos were killed in the northern cities. This violence has been attributed to frustrations of citizens that the educated Ibos were gaining overly much power through civil service jobs in the northern cities (Morrison, 1972). In July 1967, a civil war erupted which call
Ordercustompaper.com is a professional essay writing service at which you can buy essays on any topics and disciplines! All custom essays are written by professional writers!