Chinua Achebe

1. Chinua Achebe • Eric Kim • Nick YunAllison Lee

2. Biography

3. background • Albert Chinualumogu Achebe • 16 November 1930 ~ Present • Nigerian novelist, poet, professor and critic. • Most famous novel: Things Fall Apart

4. Childhood • Raised in the Igbo village of Ogidi in southeastern Nigeria • Parents were christian.

5. Ogidi

6. Passion • Storytelling was a main part of Igbo tradition • His parents told him many stories as a child. • He also read numerous books including Midsummer Night’s Dream.

7. Childhood education • In 1936, he entered St Philips’ Central school and his intelligence in reading and writing was recognized. • By 12, he moved to Nekede, where he attended Central School. • Took the SAT and was accepted into the governemnt college in Umuahia.

8. Nekede

9. Education • 1944 - Achebe attended Government College in Umuahia • 1953 - Achebe attended the Universtiy College of Ibadan where he recieved his BA. • University of College of Ibadan accepted his indegenous name (Chinua)

10. College of Ibadan

11. Occupation • In 1954, he joined the Nigerian Broadcast Company in Lagos • In 1958, Achebe published his first novel, Things Fall Apart. • In 1960, Achebe published No Longer At Ease • 1961, he was the director of External Services in charge of the Voice of Nigeria.

12. Occupation • (1967-70) Nigerian Civil War • In 1967, Achebe entered the Biafran governement service and cofounded a publishing company with his friend. • In 1970, He became director of Heinemann Educational Books Ltd. • By 1971, he was the editor of Okike, the leading journal of Nigerian new writing. • In 1976, He became professor of English at the University of Nigeria.

13. Occupation • In 1983, he published The Trouble With Nigeria. • In 1984, he founded the magazines UWA, NDI, IGBO. • In 1985, He became a professor emeritus at the University of Nigeria. • In the 1990s, Achebe was a faculty member at Bard College, where he has taught literature to undergraduates. • An automobile accident in 1990 left Achebe confined to a wheelchair permanently to this day.

14. Major Works

15. Major WOrks

16. Other works • Poetry • Beware, Soul-Brother • Short Stories • Civil Peace • Dead Men’s Path • Marriage Is A Private Affair • Essays • Morning Yet on Creation Day • Hopes and Impediments • The Trouble with Nigeria • ---

17. Importance to African American Literature

18. Legacy • “the father of modern African writing” • One of the first • paved the way for other writers • published other writers’ works

19. Quote by Achebe • “My position is that the Nobel Prize is important. But it is a European prize. It’s not an African prize...Literature is not a heavy weight championship. Nigerians may think you know, this man has been knocked out. It’s nothing to do with that.”

20. Summary • Chinua Achebe was born in an Igbo village by the name of Ogidi. He was extremely dilligent and showed quick and excellent progress in school. He went to several universities including Imuahia and Ibadan. Once he graduated with a BA, he pursued his career in many fields mostly focusing around English. He was an English professor in many areas including the University of Nigeria. Achebe has successfully published many books and poems including his most famous novels Things Fall Apart, A Man of the People, and the Arrows of God. Today Chinua Achebe is known as a novelist, professor, poet, and a critic. He has greatly influenced African literature as well as literature outside of Africa. Chinua Achebe was an honorable man who till this day has shown nothing but determination.

21. DISCUSSION

22. Discussion • Why do you think Achebe wrote in English? If you were in Achebe’s shoes, would you write your novel in English or in your native tongue?

23. Discussion • Do you think Achebe wrote his novels for entertainment or for a different message?

24. discussion • Why do you think Achebe’s books receieved so much attention rather than other books?

25. QUOTES

26. Quotes • “During the planting season, Okonkwo worked daily on his farms on his farms from cock-crow until the chickens went to roost.” • This quote is simply put Okonkwo worked extremely hard and looking at his present state, he became extrmeely successful. • This represents Chinua himself because he worked countless hours on reading and writing and he was indeed recognized for his hard work and became extremely successful.

27. Quotes • “The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.” • This was is conveying the message that the white man has slowly encroached and taken over the customs of their culture making their tribe fall apart. • This relates to not only Chinua’s belief but the majority of Nigeria and imperialist victims at the time. African nations being colonized always feared the white man and his beliefs and this is exactly why.

28. Bibliography • Apart, the renowned author of Things Fall. "Chinua Achebe." African American Literature Book Club: African American Books by Famous . 23 Apr. 2009 <http://aalbc.com/authors/chinua.htm>. • "BBC - BBC Four Profile - Chinua Achebe." BBC - Homepage. 23 Apr. 2009 <http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/profile/chinua-achebe.shtml>. • "Chinua Achebe biography." Essortment Articles: Free Online Articles on Health, Science, Education & More... 23 Apr. 2009 <http://www.essortment.com/all/chinuaachebebi_rwpx.htm>. • "Chinua Achebe: An Overview." Postcolonial and Postimperial Literature: An Overview. 23 Apr. 2009 <http://www.postcolonialweb.org/achebe/achebeov.html>. • name:. "Chinua Achebe." Chinua Achebe. 23 Apr. 2009 <http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/achebe.htm>.