Biography of Chinua Achebe - 2083 Words

Chinua Achebe: Africa most beloved author The Prominent Igbo writer, famous for his novels describing the effects of western customs and values on traditional African society. Achebe’s satire and his keen ear for spoken language have made him one of the most highly esteemed African writers in English. Chinua Achebe was born in eastern Nigeria on November 16, 1930 Isaiah and Janet Achebe (Bucker pars.1). Isaiah Okafor Achebe was a catechist for the Church Missionary Society and his wife to traveled Eastern Nigeria evangelist before settling in ogidi, Isaiah’s ancestral Igbo village, and five years after Chinua Achebe’s birth (Bucker pars 2). Growing up in Ogidi, Achebe he began to learn English at the age of eight and had contact with†¦show more content†¦This helped him master the subtle nuances between written and spoken language, a skill that helped him later to write realistic dialogue. In 1956, Achebe was chosen for training in London at a staff school run by the British Broadcast Corporatio n (BBC) (Chinua pars 1). His first trip out of Nigeria was to advance his technical production skill. In the same year Things fall apart was published, Achebe got promoted at the NBS and put in charge of network’s eastern region coverage (Achebe par 5). He to moved Enugu and began work on his administrative duties. It was there he met a woman named Christie Okoli, who had grown up in the area and joined the NBS staff when he arrived (Achebe par 5). They first conversed when she brought to his attention a pay discrepancy; a friend of hers found that, although they had been hired simultaneously, Christie had been rated lower and offered a lower wage (Achebe pars 5). She was sent to the hospital for an appendectomy soon afterwards, she was pleasantly surprised when Achebe visited her with gifts and magazines (Achebe pars 6). Achebe and Okoli grew closer in the following years, and on September 10, 1961 were married in the Chapel of Resurrection on the campus of the University of Ibadan. Christie Achebe has described their marriage as one of trust and mutual understanding; some tension arose early in their union, due to conflicts aboutShow MoreRelatedChinua Acheb is a Great African Author986 Words   |  4 PagesChinua Achebe is one of the great authors hailing from the African continent. He has published a number of novels and is widely praised for creating a new genre of African literature. His debut, and most famous novel, Things Fall Apart, has never been out of print, sold more than twelve-million copies, and been translated into over fifty languages (â€Å"Chinua Achebe† The Economist). The characters in the novel are purely fictional but the traditions and struggles faced by the characters are those ofRead MoreChinua Achebe s Life Of Literature999 Words   |  4 PagesEssay: Chinua Achebe 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 wonRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart990 Words   |  4 PagesChinua Achebe Biography Chinua Achebe, the author of  ¨Things Fall Apart ¨, was known for writing about the imposition of white men on African society. Achebe was a Nigerian man who became one of the most well-known authors in the world. His works were inspired by African culture and he helped define African literature. Chinua’s most famous literary work is  ¨Things Fall Apart ¨, but he has many other books that he is known for, including â€Å"No Longer at Ease†,  ¨Arrow of God ¨, and  ¨A Man of the People ¨Read MoreThings Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe2361 Words   |  10 PagesThings Fall Apart Book Critique Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a historical fiction novel describing the life of Okonkwo in a Nigerian village succumbing to European ways, in order to portray Achebe’s view on imperialism. It was chosen for us to read by our teacher because it describes imperialism and its effects in an Ibo village of Nigeria. It also shows the treatment of natives by the Europeans and how the natives reacted. Things Fall Apart is useful to our course of studies because itRead MoreWhy Things Fell Apart Essay1186 Words   |  5 PagesIn the book, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the setting of the story is the Igbo tribe in Niger, which is located in southeastern Africa. There is a strong social and economical structure with the Igbo people. The villages have a solid set of traditional beliefs that they live their lives by, without stray of that tradition. The introduction of Christianity to the tribes brought changes to the social and religious lives of the villages. The novel provides a glimpse into the changes of howRead MoreThings Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Essay1064 Words   |  5 Pagestheme representing what really fell apart. Achebe introduces the reader to the intricate culture of the Igbo people from the earliest chapters in the book. He describes rituals, laws, and religion of these people with great attention to detail allowing the reader to further understand and identify with the Igbo people on a personal level. An example of this is the tradition of kola nut and how it is shared when welcoming someone into a home. Achebe writes, â€Å"Unoka accepted the honor of breakingRead More Things Fall Apart Essay1582 Words   |  7 Pages Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. New York, New York Copyright 1959 Author Biography Albert Chinualumogu Achebe, or Chinua Achebe, was born November 16, 1930, in Ogidi, Nigeria. His parents were Janet N. Achebe, and Isaiah Okafo, a teacher in a missionary school. Mr. Achebe was educated at the University College of Ibadan, but also attended Government College in 1944. He wrote his first novel, Things Fall Apart, in 1958. During the Biafran War,Read More Dead Mans Path, And The Lottery By Shirley Jackson1290 Words   |  6 Pagessignificant challenges to face mankind throughout history is how to bring diverse cultures together to achieve harmony and trust in the interest of working together for the benefit of the next generation. The short stories, â€Å"Dead Man’s Path† by Chinua Achebe and â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson, as well as the poem, â€Å"Theme for English B† by Langston Hughes all demonstrate how culture, tradition, and education work together to affect one’s worldview and the common threads that link them togethe r. â€Å"DeadRead MoreCross Cultural Translation By Chinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart And Eva Hoffman s Lost Essay1934 Words   |  8 Pagesdominance of one culture over another, make little sense. One culture can’t truly be superior over another if the core values of both cultures, and in fact all cultures, are universally held by all of humanity. Two examples of this in literature are Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and Eva Hoffman’s Lost in Translation. In these texts the authors’ use contrasting cultures to dismantle Eurocentric, or in the case of Lost in Translation west-centric, points of view. When discussing Things Fall ApartRead MoreThe Fate Of Afric A History968 Words   |  4 Pagesbook is authoritative and well-documented. The author used over 600 credible sources that are very appropriate for this book. To bring more credential to his work, he referenced prominent African authors such as Marcel Amondji, Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe. The book is divided into four main parts. The first part talks about the early leaders of Africa after independence. The second part summarizes Africa immediately after independence; its early ambitious plans of economic development, educational