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Destruction of Igbo Characters in the Narrative of Chinua Achebe

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Destruction of Igbo Characters in the Narrative of Chinua Achebe A Colonial, Postcolonial, and Existential Sense of Self- destruction of Igbo Characters in The Narrative of Chinua Achebe Thesis Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Department of European Languages and Cultures One Volume Abdallah Abormealeh University of Lancaster September 2020 Abstract Taking Sartre’s existential theories as a point of departure, this thesis examines the theme of self-destruction as a phase resulting from the loss of identity among Igbo characters, both during and after British colonisation. Mainly concerned with colonialism and its aftermath, this thesis focuses on selected novels by the Nigerian writer, Chinua Achebe, especially Things Fall Apart and Arrow of God, set during the British colonial era, and No Longer at Ease and A Man of the People, set in a post-colonial context. I contend that this theme of self-destruction can not only be examined from colonial/post-colonial perspectives, but also from an existential angle by focusing on the absolute freedom of choice or free will of self- aware characters, who can make and take responsibility for their own decisions, and whose ‘authentic existence’ plays a major role in their decision-making. Consequently, the most important questions explored in this thesis include the following: To what extent can the self-proclaimed superiority of white colonisers over the ‘inferiority’ of colonised blacks lead to the latter’s self-destruction? Moreover, what is the impact of self-awareness on the decisions made by colonised people, which eventually result in their self-destruction? Likewise, how does the representation of self-destruction vary from one character to another? And finally, how can the investigation of self-destruction help colonised people to decolonise their own country and resist the effects of colonisation? 2 Contents Abstract .................................................................................................................................. 2 Acknowledgments .................................................................................................................. 5 Dedication .............................................................................................................................. 6 Chapter One: Introduction...................................................................................................... 7 Chapter Two: Okonkwo’s Downfall as a Multi-faceted Conflict in Achebe’s Things Fall Apart: an Existential and Post-colonial Crisis ..................................................................... 26 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 26 2.2 Conceptualising Okonkwo’s Identity as Unstable: A Sociological Perspective ........ 30 2.3 ‘Adopt’, ‘Adapt’ and ‘Adept’: An Identity Crisis ...................................................... 35 2.4 Okonkwo’s Experiences before the Arrival of The White Man: Violations, Struggles and Exile ........................................................................................................................... 41 2.5 Okonkwo’s Experiences after the Arrival of the White Man: Alienation, Social Death and Physical Death ................................................................................................. 51 2.6 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 56 Chapter Three: Social Alienation: An Existential and Post-colonial Sense of Self- destruction in Achebe’s No Longer at Ease ......................................................................... 59 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 59 3.2 The Influence of Western Education: The Irony of Helpless and Hopeless Integration within Igbo Society .......................................................................................................... 64 3.3 Obi’s Unstable Identity: Foreshadowing a Tragic End .............................................. 69 3.4 Obi’s Transformation: Subjectivity versus Universality ............................................ 86 3.5 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….. 91 Chapter Four: Arrow of God and the Crisis of Identity ....................................................... 93 4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 93 4.2 Ezeulu’s Complex Confrontation: Against the White Man, within Igbo Society, or with Himself? ................................................................................................................... 98 4.3 Ezeulu’s Identity Crisis: A Colonial and Existential Trend ..................................... 110 4.3.1 Freedom of Choice............................................................................................. 123 4.3.2 Responsibility .................................................................................................... 124 4.4 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 125 Chapter Five: A Man of the People: A Take on Existentialism and Post-Colonial Criticism ............................................................................................................................................ 126 5.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 126 5.2 Said’s Post-Colonialism and Achebe’s A Man of the People .................................. 138 5.3 Bhabha’s Post-Colonialism and A Man of the People ............................................. 140 3 5.4 Existentialism in A Man of the People ..................................................................... 144 5.4.1 The Characters ................................................................................................... 144 5.4.2 Authenticity in the Characters’ Lives ................................................................ 145 5.5 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 156 Chapter Six: Conclusion .................................................................................................... 158 References .......................................................................................................................... 164 4 Acknowledgments This thesis would not have been completed without the inestimable support of a group of people to whom I am deeply indebted. First, I would like to extend warm gratitude to my supervisors, Dr. Charlotte Baker and Dr. Amit Thakkar, for their invaluable academic feedback and patience. The academic skills and educational experience that I gained at the Department of European Languages and Cultures have provided me with a life-changing opportunity to pursue my academic goals. There is no doubt that my supervisors’ scholarly knowledge and expertise have helped strengthen my project. I am therefore eternally thankful for their critical comments and vital guidance throughout the preparation and writing up of my thesis. Similarly, I must not forget the contribution made by all staff members in the Department. In addition, I would like to extend special thanks to my dear sister, Basema, for her emotional and financial support, as well as to my mother (with her endless tenderness), brothers, sisters, and extended family. I am also deeply thankful to my loyal and supportive wife, Muna, for her great patience and steadfastness in the face of the struggles that we encountered, due to the difficult circumstances encountered during my PhD studies. I am eternally grateful for her encouragement and willingness to bear with me, as I pursued my studies abroad. Furthermore, I am extremely thankful to Ms. Gwenllian Park for her invaluable professional feedback. Finally, I owe special thanks to my best friend, Rashed al- Rasheed, for his great emotional encouragement and support during my time as a PhD student, as he constantly reminded me to “keep going and never give up”. 5 Dedication This thesis is dedicated to the soul of my father. 6 Chapter One: Introduction Hybridity is not a problem of genealogy or identity between two different cultures which can then be resolved as an issue of cultural relativism. [Rather] [h]ybridity is a problematic of colonial representation and individuation that reverses1 the effects of the colonialist disavowal. (Bhabha, 1994, p.114) Okonkwo was popularly known as the ‘Roaring Flame’. As he looked into the log fire he recalled the name. He was a flaming fire. How then could he have begotten a son like Nwoye, degenerate and effeminate? Perhaps he was not his son. No! he could not be. His wife had played him false. He would teach her! But Nwoye resembled his grandfather, Unoka, who was Okonkwo's father. He pushed the thought out of his mind. He, Okonkwo, was called a flaming fire. How could he have begotten a woman for a son? At Nwoye's age Okonkwo had already become famous throughout Umuofia for his wrestling and his fearlessness. (Achebe, 1958, p.56) Nigeria’s colonial history is one of struggle, racism, and ethnic and cross-cultural conflict. Post-colonial African writers, especially Nigerians, have been obliged to position themselves within their country’s colonial history and its accompanying ethnic and cultural clashes. In particular, their
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