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The Post-Colonial Reality in Chinua Achebe's Novels [PP: 88-94] Nirupa The Post-Colonial Reality in Chinua Achebe’s Novels [PP: 88-94] Nirupa Saikia Department of English, Government Aizawl College Aizawl, Mizoram, India ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article History The primary concern of Chinua Achebe, the recipient of the Man Booker The paper received on: International Prize, 2007, was his society, more precisely, the destiny of his 20/11/2014 people. As the fundamental feature of his novels was social realism, they Accepted after peer- served as an authentic record of the changing African world. Achebe, perhaps review on: the most authentic literary voice from Africa, wrote not only to record the 17/02/2015 African, especially Nigerian, life but to analyse the reality experienced by the Published on: native people in different times and situations. In his view, the writer must be 07/03/2015 accountable to his society. To him it was absurd to think of art as a pure and autonomous entity coming into existence by itself in an aesthetic void. Keywords: Accordingly, his aim was to make his fiction an instrument of awareness Chinua Achebe’s Novel, seeking to elevate the social reality to a higher level. In this regard, the paper Feminism, is an attempt to show Achebe’s endeavour to expose the rampant corruption Igbo, and evil in Nigeria to exert a decisive and positive influence on his people. Nigeria, His faith in female power as an agent of traditional morality is also Post-colonial, highlighted in the paper. Social commitment, Suggested Citation: Saikia, Nirupa. (2015). The Post-Colonial Reality in Chinua Achebe’s Novels. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 3(1), 88-94. Retrieved from http://www.eltsjournal.org International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies ISSN: 2308-5460 Volume: 03 Issue: 01 January-March, 2015 1. Introduction distinct stages of history, starting from …[A] single canvas, Guernica, by Picasso Africa's ancestral past to contemporary himself could so frighten the state machinery of present, are fictionalized in his novels with a Spanish fascism. For how could a mere painting rare critical sensibility and a profound sense on canvas exercise such awe unless in some way of responsibility. The portrayal of the it accorded with, or had a disquieting traditional society and its confrontation with relationship to, recognizable reality? an alien civilization in Things Fall Apart Achebe, C. (1988b:95) (1958) and Arrow of God (1964), the chaotic The novels of Chinua Achebe plight of Nigeria during the colonial regime undoubtedly bear a firm assertion of his in No Longer at Ease (1960), the post- conviction about art's "disquieting independent corrupt political situation in A relationship" with a "recognizable reality". Man of the People (1966) and the vivid Although conceding the fact that art cannot rendering of the contemporary post-colonial be a carbon copy of life, he exhibits a Nigerian reality in Anthills of the Savannah positive awareness to its immense power of (1987) clearly points at his social persuading and motivating people by commitment. displaying disagreement with the existing A strong sense of social awareness authority or administration. According to marks the writings of not only Achebe but Achebe, in Chametzky,J. (1987:74), as long also other prolific African writers like Wole as the artist is not in conflict with the Soyinka, Mongo Beti, Ngugi Wa Thiong'O authority on account of his social and Buchi Emecheta as well. According to responsibility, the artist, despite his talent Ngugi (1971:04) the novelist must swim, and excellence, is bound to be a failure: struggle and define himself in the "And where you have the poet not bothering mainstream of his people's historical drama. about, when you have the emperor not The first generation African writers were bothering about the poet, you can be sure mainly engaged with the culture-conflict that something is wrong". He further states: theme, the confrontation between the native "Perhaps what I write is applied art as and the western cultures and its distinct from pure" (Achebe,1988b, p.30). consequences. But the turbulent Africa of He agrees with Frank Kermode (1975) who the present day no longer allows her writers offers a "practical” definition of fiction as to be nostalgic about the pre-colonial past. "something we know does not exist, but In this context, Soyinka (1988) states: which helps us to make sense of and to The African writer needs an urgent move in the world" (p.37). Achebe too finds release from the fascination of the past. man perpetually inventing fiction to Of course, the past exists… it is co- overcome problems in actual life. To him, existent in present awareness. It clarifies "it (fiction ) begins as an adventure in self- the present and explains the future, but it discovery and ends in wisdom and human is not a fleshpot for escapist indulgence… conscience" (1988b:105). (p.19) 2. Discussion In the traditional African sense, art is in the service of man (Achebe, 1975: 19) and The "recognizable reality" in Achebe's the artist is a spokesman of his community, novels is that of Africa, especially of acting as the conscience of his society. So Nigeria, in its different phases of socio- the literary artist should confront the truth political and cultural evolution. The four Cite this article as: Saikia, Nirupa. (2015). The Post-Colonial Reality in Chinua Achebe’s Novels. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 3(1), 88-94. Retrieved from http://www.eltsjournal.org Page | 89 International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies ISSN: 2308-5460 Volume: 03 Issue: 01 January-March, 2015 and force his countrymen to see themselves nepotism becomes an admirable trait, Nanga as others see them. considers the nation to be a cake from which The immediate concern of Achebe's each tribe should try to get as large a share novels is the condition of Nigeria. After as possible. Achebe's point is quite clear: the recording brilliantly the colonial traumas turgid problems faced by Nigeria cannot be and conflicts experienced by his people in solved by depending on the general will. his first three novels, Achebe sets on to Even the role of the African intellectual portray the post-colonial reality in A Man of elites is quite disappointing. Odili Samalu, the People (1966) and Anthills of the an enlightened educated youth, proves Savannah (1987). As reality is not static himself to be a self-deceiving and self- and always in a process of change, Achebe indulgent anti-hero. He analyzes the evil adapts himself with the changing reality by practices and corruptions yet he himself capturing different points of time in his indulges in them unscrupulously. Being an novels. In A Man of the People, he turns his alienated figure, he considers himself above back on the European presence to expose the his people, a hybrid who advocates western evils nurtured by the Nigerians themselves. philosophy by rejecting all local allegiances The novel is, in fact, a serious indictment on which he turns down as "primitive loyalty". post-independent Nigeria, a scathing In his involvement with Nanga, the corrupt exposure of the corrupt political practices, Minister, Odili exposes more of his cynicism of the mass and the ineffective role character than the Minister. Despite his played by the self-deceiving, self-indulgent, determination to behave indifferently with and alienated intellectual elites. The his former teacher (Nanga happened to teach moribund political experiences of him in school), he is elated as Nanga independent Nigeria is explored mainly recognizes and embraces him in a school through the political career and dubious function. Afterwards, he accepts the activities of Chief Nanga, the Minister of Minister's invitation to the capital to try for a Culture who came to power by civil-service post. The material comforts in distinguishing himself as a heckler in the the Minister's official residence fascinate Parliament. The novel is a commentary on Odili and his idealistic philosophy slowly Nanga's ministerial career with long disappears. He starts justifying the ceremonial tours round the country and temptations of men of power. He even abroad, accumulation of wealth and property becomes doubtful about bringing "into and numerous sex scandals. His grand politics niceties and delicate refinements official residence and his three blocks of that belonged elsewhere" (Achebe, 1988a, seven-storied luxury flats, which he owns in p.11). Odili's later opposition to Chief his wife’s name, stand in sharp contrast with Nanga is entirely on a personal grudge. the shacks where majority of the people live Nanga has molested Elsie, his girlfriend. Yet and who can afford only pails for excrement. instead of saving her, he leaves the house Yet the common people exhibits a cynical with a sense of defeat and later on seeks and apathetic attitude as they find no wrong revenge by inciting Edna, Chief Nanga's in corruption; “ ‘Let them eat,' was the prospective "parlour wife" to break her people's opinion, 'After all when white men engagement with Nanga and also by used to do all the eating did we commit contesting Nanga in the Election. Here, suicide?'” (Achebe, 1988a, p.144). As Achebe gives a detailed description of the Cite this article as: Saikia, Nirupa. (2015). The Post-Colonial Reality in Chinua Achebe’s Novels. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 3(1), 88-94. Retrieved from http://www.eltsjournal.org Page | 90 International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies ISSN: 2308-5460 Volume: 03 Issue: 01 January-March, 2015 horrifying Nigerian election campaign, Savannah is marked by gross abuse of violence, election fraud, bribery, power, social injustice, repression, violence, victimization of opponents and exploitation brutality and a general torpor exhibited by of mass media by the ruling the common people.
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