LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 16:2 February 2016
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
         N. Nadaraja Pillai, Ph.D.
         Renuga Devi, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Multidimensional Impact of Colonialism on Igbos:
A Study of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and Arrow of God

S. Ganga Lakshmi, M.A., M.Phil., MBA


Abstract

Widely known as "the father of the African novel in English," Chinua Achebe is one of the most significant writers to emerge from Africa with a literary vision that has profoundly influenced the form and content of modern African literature. In his novels, he has chronicled the colonization of Nigeria by the Great Britain and the political turmoil following its independence. A major theme of Achebe's writings is the social and psychological impact of European imperialism on indigenous African societies, particularly with respect to a distinctly African consciousness in the twentieth century. As a story about the culture on the verge of change, Things Fall Apart (1958) deals with how the reality of change affects various characters. The tension about whether change should be dominant over tradition often involves questions of personal status. In Arrow of God (1964), Ezeulu the chief priest of Ulu watches his authority slowly erode both from within and without. While the British through Christianity and road building try to solidify their rule over the Igbo the people themselves through helping them as when Ezeulu's efforts to maintain peace with the Okperi are overridden by the militant and powerful Nwayo and the British come in and settle the dispute in favour of the Okperi. Rather than face another famine the village converts to Christianity. Both these novels talk much about the impact made by colonial government on indigenous culture and it is being discussed in this paper as multidimensional impact of colonialism on native Africans Thing Fall Apart and Arrow of God.

Keywords: Chinua Achebe, colonialism, Igbos, Things Fall Apart, Arrow of God, reality of change

Introduction

Literature over generations has been a veritable record of the struggle of a man in establishing his relationship to the community and to the divine as an individual. Hence, it has often been used as a vehicle to express a country’s political, cultural and emotional attitudes. African literature in English is first and foremost a literary activity that highlights the close and uncanny relationship between Literature and life in Africa. It is a very serious intellectual and cultural activity that serves as a tool for the acculturation and socialization of the Africans. Thus it has produced some most enduring literary pieces by any standards in the world.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Mrs. S. Ganga Lakshmi, M.A., M.Phil., MBA
Assistant Professor of English
SRNM College
Sattur-626203
Tamilnadu
India
prakashgenga2014@gmail.com
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