Chinua Achebe's 1960 novel, "No Longer at Ease," traces the struggle of an Igbo man to adjust to life in the colonial Nigerian civil service after leaving his village. The young man is unable to cope with life in a new culture and falls prey to the temptation of taking a bribe.
Obi Okonkwo
Obi Okonkwo is a man who is no longer at ease in his culture. His cultural estrangement from his homeland is typical of thousands of young people in Africa and India. Both these continents have a history of colonization. These young people often see problems within their own culture and want to escape to a new culture that is more accepting.
After his mother dies, Obi becomes depressed. His family suffers, and he reluctantly begins to accept bribes. This becomes a way of life for Obi and he takes his last bribe at the end of the novel, but is caught in a sting operation.
Chinua Achebe
No Longer at Ease is a 1960 novel written by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. It tells the story of an Igbo man, Obi Okonkwo, who leaves his village for a British education and a job in the Nigerian colonial civil service. In Britain, he struggles with the clash between his native African culture and the Western lifestyle. In the end, he accepts a bribe to get what he wants.
The world has lost a great writer. His work is widely read and revered, but that doesn't mean it's always easy to read Achebe's books. There is a certain burden of praise that comes with the book, and many readers aren't sure where to begin. In fact, many of the people who tweeted about Achebe's death hadn't even read his work.
His grandfather
Chinua Achebe writes with a mix of colloquial and literary English, mixing Igbo proverbs with European literature. The novel combines irony and unreliable narrators. The story has a strong theme of generational growth. The reader can relate to Obi's dilemma of balancing two cultures.
Culture in Nigeria in 1960
There are many aspects to cultural development in Nigeria. The British influence has had a major impact on the development of popular culture. They have encouraged local people to consume western products and have discouraged the production of entertainment locally. These factors have resulted in different types of pop-culture. While pop-music has strong authentic traditions, pop-literature reflects general popular concerns. In addition, performing arts have inherited the status of traditional performers. New technologies have also influenced the development of cultural industries and created internal markets.
The cultural milieu is extremely diverse. Ethnic groups and religious beliefs play a large role in this. The country has a diverse population, including people from the Igbo ethnic group.
His education
The novel No Longer at Ease by Chinua Achebe traces the effects of foreign education on Obi Okonkwo, a young Nigerian, whose experience in the United Kingdom has made him uncomfortable in his home country. He sees problems in the traditional culture and believes that he is inferior to the people in the west. This novel is a powerful and relevant tale of the challenges young people face when trying to adjust to a new culture.
Despite his status and education, Obi is not entirely comfortable with his life. He has to deal with certain expectations placed on him by the Union and the villagers. He is expected to live a glamorous life while also being warned to be frugal. Moreover, he is a long way from home and his family. This distance causes him to miss many important life lessons that he had gained from his family. This results in a complicated adult life for Obi, who used to enjoy a happy childhood.
His disillusionment with colonial culture
Chinua Achebe's No Longer At Ease explores the effects of colonial culture on African life. Set during the end of the colonial period, the novel shows the prejudice that pervades the colonial society. In the novel, two Irish nuns are discouraged from socializing with African men. This novel shows a different side of the clash of cultures in the world.
While things fall apart in the novel, achebe provides historical context by referring to the transition between coherent realism and alienated modernism. This reflects the fact that the movement from precolonial autonomy to late colonial modernity is historically contingent. Achebe's book demonstrates this, though Joyce does not do the same.
