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1 CHINUA ACHEBE

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3 Chinua Achebe Novelist, Poet, Critic David Carroll Professor of English University of Lancaster

4 David Carroll 1980, 1990 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 2nd edition All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London WI P 9HE. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. First edition 1980 Second edition 1990 Published by MACMILLAN PRESS LTD Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS and London Companies and representatives throughout the world ISBN ISBN (ebook) DOI / ISBN paperback A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library First published in the United States of America 1980 Second edition 1990 published by ST. MARTIN'S PRESS, INC., Scholarly and Reference Division 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y ISBN

5 Contents Preface Chronology vii ix 1 Introduction 1 2 Things Fall Apart 32 3 No Longer at Ease 62 4 ArrowofGod 86 5 A Man of the People Short Stories and Poetry Anthills of the Savannah Conclusion 186 Notes 196 Select Bibliography 199 Index 203

6 To my wife, Dorothy

7 Preface The most recent version of this study appeared in Since then Achebe has published a political diagnosis of his country, The Trouble with Nigeria (1983); a collection of essays, Hopes and Impediments (1988); and after a gap of many years, a major new novel, Anthills of the Savannah (1987). Writing about his work has continued apace. In response, I have extended the Introduction to trace Ache be's developing ideas of the role of the writer and critic in Africa; included a new chapter on Anthills of the Savannah; revised the Conclusion; and brought the Bibliography up to date. All references to Achebe's works are to the following editions, published by Heinemann: Things Fall Apart (1958), No Longer at Ease (1960), Arrow of God (second edition, 1974), A Man of the People (1966), Beware, Soul Brother (1972), Girls at War and Other Stories (1972), Morning Yet on Creation Day (1975), The Trouble with Nigeria (1984), Anthills of the Savannah (1987), Hopes and Impediments (1988). The spelling 'Igbo' is used throughout to refer both to Achebe's people and language, except in quotations where the form 'lbo' will occasionally be found. This is in accordance with Achebe's own practice where, in his later writing, he implies that the former is the indigenous, the latter the non-african usage. I wish to record my gratitude to the University of Toronto for its generous assistance during the original writing of this study; to the University of Lancaster for more recent help; and to Chinua Achebe for kindly providing information for the Chronology. I thank again Paul Edwards of the University of Edinburgh, that committed Africanist, for his encouragement during our years at Fourah Bay College, Freetown. David Carroll University of Lancaster vii

8 Acknowledgements The author and publishers are grateful for the following copyright holders who have given permission to quote from the works of Chinua Achebe: Bolt & Watson Ltd. on behalf of the author for extracts from 'Onitsha, Gift of the Niger' and 'The Novelist as Teacher' from Morning Yet on Creation Day; Heinemann Educational Books Ltd. for extracts from Beware, Soul Brother; William Heinemann Ltd. for extracts from Things Fall Apart. viii

9 Chronology Albert Chinualumogu Achebe born at Ogidi, Eastern Nigeria, the fifth of six children, to Christian evangelist parents. After Government College, Umuahia, he graduated from University College, Ibadan, with a BA (London). Talks Producer with the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation. Studied at the BBC in London. Things Fall Apart published. Controller, NBC, Lagos. Awarded the Margaret Wong Memorial Prize for his contribution to African Literature. Nigerian Independence. No Longer at Ease published. Travelled in East Africa on a Rockefeller Fellowship. Director of External Broadcasting, NBC. Travelled in the United States, Brazil and Britain on a UNESCO Fellowship. Arrow of God published. Received the Jock Campbell New Statesman Award for Literature. A Man of the People published. First military coup in Nigeria in January; second coup in July. Biafra declared its secession from the Federation of Nigeria in May. Fighting begins in July. Achebe sent on political missions to Europe and North America in Biafran cause. Senior Research Fellow at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka ( ). Biafra unconditionally surrendered in January. Beware, Soul Brother (poems) published (revised edition, 1972). Founder editor of Okike: an African Journal of New Writing. Awarded first Commonwealth Poetry prize. Girls at War and Other Stories published. Awarded Hon. D.Litt. by Dartmouth College, USA. (Eleven other universities have subsequently awarded him honorary degrees.) ix

10 X Chronology Residence in the United States: Visiting Professor of English, University of Massachusetts ( ), and University Professor of English, University of Connecticut ( ). Professor of English, University of Nigeria at Nsukka: early retirement 1981, made Emeritus Professor Morning Yet on Creation Day (essays) published. Honorary Fellow, Modern Language Association of America. Nigerian National Merit Award; and Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (London). Appointed Deputy National President, People's Redemption Party. Visiting Professor of English, University of Guelph, Canada; Regents Professor of English, University of California at Los Angeles. Anthills of the Savannah published. Visiting Professor of African Studies, University of Massachusetts. Hopes and Impediments (essays) published. Visiting Professor of English, City University of New York.