Shared Inquiry Discussion: An African Voice

Discussion Questions to Get us Started.

(Interpretive questions are marked with an 'I', Evaluative an 'E' and Factual an 'F')

• I: Why do you think Achebe wasn't aware of the resonance that 'Things Fall Apart' would have on other cultures while he was writing it? 

• F:According to Achebe, when does literature perform its wonders?

• E: Is it necessary to "allow yourself" to identify with people in a story in order for us to do so? Is it possible to avoid identifying? 

• I: Based on the third question, why did Achebe title the novel "Things Fall Apart"? 

• E: In the context of a nation, do the "rules of independence" really have to be learnt? Why or why not? 

• F: What was the European portrayal of Africans in literature during colonial times? Why was this so? 

• I: What does storytelling have to do with power? Explain. 

• E: Do you know any examples of stories that have created a "shift in power"? 

• I: Why do some African writers choose to tell their stories in English? 

• I/E: Have the opinions held by Europeans on Africans in colonial literature been eradicated? Are there any examples? 

• I: Does the place where a story is written have an effect on a story? What?

Most Meaningful Takeaway.

In today's discussion on the cultural and literary contexts of Achebe's work, the main idea that interested me was that of identification. 

We discussed this from a variety of perspectives, looking at who Achebe identified with, which cultures were able to identify with the book, and even who amongst ourselves could personally identify with his story. 

One of the interesting points that came up was whether or not Achebe could really identify with Nigeria. We argued that this 'bond' to his country may not be as strong -  especially keeping in mind the historical context of the country's unification, which was a product of British colonization. This, we felt, might explain why he emphasized the "great diversity of vibrant peoples" when speaking about Nigeria in his interview. 

With this in mind, our view of the text changes. I realized anew how important the relationships within a village were - because in the context of those people 'Nigeria' does not exist. Our modern affiliation and patriotism to our countries can be applied to how the characters felt about their clan - perhaps giving us a better idea of how strong and important these bonds were. I believe that drawing these comparisons (e.g. ozo = political figure?) helps us to better understand how the characters thought and acted. It also gives an added severity to Okonkwo's exile. 

When discussing whether we personally identified, it was also very interesting to see varied answers depending on different cultural backgrounds. Another point that was raised was that identifying with these characters does not necessarily always feel good, for what if it is oppression that we are identifying with? For example, in the book Okonkwo hangs himself in the end - a depressing conclusion if readers could relate to his struggle against society. I also thought that perhaps Achebe intended this as a taunt, daring readers who also felt oppressed to change their ending and warning them of what would happen if they remained inert against the oppressive forces. 

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