Political Context • Approval of the entire clan is necessary before any major decision is made. • Egwugwu, the representative of the ancestral spirits, are integral in administering tribal justice. • Ndichie, the elders of the village, have a place of honour in the clan and their advice is respected. • The priests get their power from the Oracle, and…
Category: Novel Study
Things Fall Apart Background Information
Things Fall Apart is an English-language novel by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe published in 1958 by William Heinemann Ltd in the UK. It is seen as the archetypal modern African novel in English, one of the first to receive global critical acclaim. It is a staple book in schools throughout Africa and is widely read and studied in English-speaking countries…
Things Fall Apart Guided Reading Questions
Chapter 1 • How was Okonkwo’s identity in the village formed? Give some details of Okonkwo’s physical identity. • How would Okonkwo describe a successful man? • Describe Unoka. In whose eyes was he a failure? Was he a starving artist? pacifist? • Compare Unoka and Okonkwo. Chapter 2 • Describe some of the traditions and rituals. •…
The Lion and the Jewel by Wole Soyinka
Wole Soyinka, the author of twenty plays, six novels and six collections of poems, represents Yoruba tradition in his comic play. In the play, The Lion and the Jewel, the conflict between tradition and modernization covers a significant portion of Wole Soyinka’s work. He was the first African writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Morning The play is set in the village of Ilujinle. Note Lakunle’s age. Despite…