Chapter II
Representation of Hegemony in Achebe’s Things Fall
Apart
2.1 Novel
Novel is a long prose essay containing a sequence of a person's life story
with the people around them by accentuating the character and traits of each
character. The novel describes a tale or fiction in the form of writing using words
which have many contents such as; science, history to get any information and
knowledge. In a novel, the author usually makes every effort to guide the reader to
the various descriptions of the reality of life through the story contained in the
novel.
The word novel comes from Latin; which means a new tale or story. The
word originally comes from Latin adjective novellas or novus that means “new”.
It is adopted in the 16th century by English language from Italian language
Novella, which is used to describe a short tale portraying incidents and often
amorous intrigues of everyday living. Abrams (1981:119) in Nurgiyantoro
(2005:9) said “Secara harfiah novella berarti „sebuah barang baru yang kecil‟
dan kemudian diartikan sebagai „cerita pendek dalam bentuk prosa‟”. (“Novella
means „a small brand new thing‟ and then is intepreted as „a short story in prose
form‟”). Istilah Novella dan novelle mengandung pengertian yang sama dengan
istilah Indonesia novelet (Inggris : novelette), yang berarti sebuah karya prosa
fiksi yang panjangnnya cukupan, tidak terlalu panjang, namun tidak terlalu
pendek. (The term Novella and novelle contains a same definiton as the
1
Indonesian term novelet (English : novelette), which means a fictional literary
work that has enough length, not too short yet not too long (Nurgiyantoro, 2005:
10)).
A novel often being compared to short story. The differences between
Novel and short story mainly could be seen from its formality form and story
length. A long story, say contains a hundred pages, clearly could not be called a
short story, but it clearly is a novel. According to Nurgiyantoro (2005:11) Dari
segi panjang cerita, novel (jauh) lebih panjang dari pada cerpen. (=From the
length of the story, Novel is far longer than short story). Based on the sentence,
novel could describe someting freely, presents something more, more detailed and
greater involvement of the various problems that are more complex.
Novel is a long narrative that is normally in form of prose which
describes fictional characters and events, usually in the form of a sequential story.
Sumardjo and Saini (1986:29-30) defined novel as a prose in a broad scale.
Dalam arti luas novel adalah cerita berbentuk prosa dalam ukuran yang
luas. Ukuran yang luas ini dapat berarti cerita dengan plot (alur) yang
kompeks, karakter yang banyak, tema yang kompleks, suasana cerita yang
beragam, dan setting cerita yang beragam pula. Namun “ukuran luas” di
sini juga tidak mutlak demikian, mungkin yang luas hanya salah satu
fiksinya saja, misalnya temanya sedang karakter, setting, dan lain-lainnya
hanya satu saja.
(=Novel as a prose in a broad scale. The word “broad” refers to a story
with a complex plot (plot), various characters, complex theme, various of
atmospheres and settings of the story. However, the range of the "broad" is
not absolute, however, perhaps it is only one fictional element, for
example the theme, while the characters, settings and others are only
ones).
2
Novel, as a fiction, is a literary work formed in a narrative story that has
entertainment value as one of its purposes. The story, however it is offered, is
supposed to entertain the reader. In the other words, to read a novel means to
enjoy the story, and to gain entertainment from it. Wellek & Warren (1977: 212)
in Nurgiyantoro (2005:3) :
Betapapun saratnya pengalaman dan permasalahan kehidupan yang
ditawarkan, sebuah karya fiksi haruslah tetap merupakan cerita yang
menarik, tetap merupakan bangunan struktur yang koheren, dan tetap
mempunyai tujuan estetik.
(=However the experiences and life problems it offers, a work of fiction
must remains as an interesting story, remains as a coherent structure
building, and still has an aesthetic purpose).
2.2 Kinds of Novel
In literary work, readers often try to differentiate between serious novels with
popular novels.
a.
Serious novel
According to Nurgiyantoro (2005:18) membaca novel serius, jika kita
ingin memahaminya dengan baik, diperlukan daya konsentrasi yang tinggi
dan disertai kemauan untuk itu. (=read serious novels, if we wish to
understand it well, the necessary powers of concentration are high and
accompanied by a willingness for it). Therefore, „high consentration‟ it means
that the reader should be able to understand to find the real meaning, the
reader need more time not only with one sitting to reading serius novel, and
then the reader need to be alone to reading this novel, no one can distrub,
until the reader can focus on the novel.
3
Serious novel mostly contains experiences and problems based on the
real life. It invites the reader to be absorbed deeply into the story, in order to
comprehend the problem of the story line. With those contents, this kind of
novel does not only offers entertainment to the readers, but also the worthy
experience and knowledge that can be learned through the problem of the
story.
Mostly, serious novels take the problems of real life as the basic sample
for the idea of the story. The idea then wrapped and presented as a “new
world”.
b.
Popular novel
Popular novel is a novel that has immense popularity in its time, and has
many readers, usually among teenagers. This kind of novel mostly contains
minimum amounts of complexity in the story. Hence, according to Stanton
(1965:2) in Nurgiyantoro (2005:19) novel popular lebih mudah dibaca dan
lebih mudah dinikmati karena ia memang semata-mata menyampaikan cerita.
(=popular novel is easier to understand and easier to be enjoyed since it is
nothing more than delivering the story). Popular novel is easier to understand
because its restated the records of life in the hope that readers will recognize
back experiences so amused that a figure recounts it in a language that is
generally already known to the reader, so that the reader does not feel
unfamiliar with the words contained in the novel.
According to Kayam (1981:88) in Nurgiyantoro (2005:18), novel poluler
adalah peran kehidupan, dan tidak banyak memperbincangkan kembali
4
kehidupan dalam serba kemungkinan. (=popular novel is a role of life, and
does not offer more problems in life with many possibilities). It purpose to
retell the records of life events, hoping that the readers will recall those events
in their lives and will be entertained with it. A good popular novel can invite
the readers to identify themselves in the story.
2.3 The Elements of Novel
Novel has elements that are related to each other closely. Novel has two
important elements, which is intrinsic and extrinsic element. Intrinsic elements are
the ones that directly build up the story from inside, some of them are theme, plot,
character, setting, point of views, language or figure of speech, etc.
Unsur intrinsik adalah unsur-unsur yang membangun karya sastra itu
sendiri. Unsur yang dimaksud, misalnya, peristiwa, cerita, plot,
penokohan, tema, latar, sudut pandang, bahasa. Unsur ekstrinsik adalah
unsur yang berada diluar karya sastra, tetapi tidak langsung
mempengaruhi bangunan atau sistem organisme karya sastra. Unsur yang
dimaksud, misalnya biografi pengarang, psikologi, ekonomi, poltik dan
social (Nurgyantoro, 2005:23).
(=Intrinsic elements are elements that build up the literary work itself. The
elements in question, for example, events, story, plot, characters, theme,
setting, point of view, language. Extrinsic element is an element that is
located outside of literary works, but does not directly affect the
organism's system building or works of literature. The specified item, such
as a biography of the author, psychology, economics, political and social
(Nurgyantoro, 2005:23)).
This study is focusing on intrinsic elements, but only focused on plot,
character and setting that has an important role in literary works. According to
Stanton (1965: 11-36) in Nurgiyantoro (2005:25) :
5
Membedakan unsur pembangun sebuah novel kedalam tiga bagian : fakta,
tema dan sarana pengucapan. Fakta dalam sebuah cerita meliputi
karakter, plot, dan setting. Ketiganya merupakan unsur fiksi yang secara
faktual dapat dibayangkan peristwanya, eksistensinya dalam sebuah
novel.
(=Distinguishing the building blocks of a novel into three parts: facts,
themes and means of pronunciation. Facts in a story covering the
characters, plot, and setting. All three are elements of fiction which in fact
can be imagined events, its presence in a novel).
Therefore, three (plot, character, and setting) elements must be viewed as
one entity in a whole series of stories.
2.3.1
Plot
Plot is an important element of fiction, not a few people even consider it as
the most important among the various elements of fiction others. In a novel, the
events are presented in a certain order. The events that were sorted and built the
backbone of the story is called plot.
According to Klarer (2005:14) Plot is the logical interaction of the various
thematic elements of a text which lead to a change of the original situation as
presented at the outset of the narrative. An ideal traditional plot line encompasses
the following four sequential levels: Exposition-Complication-Climax or Turning
Point-Resolution. The exposition or presentation of the initial situation is
disturbed by a complication or conflict which produces suspense and eventually
leads to a climax, crisis, or turning point. The climax is followed by a resolution
of the complication (French denouement), with which the text usually ends. Most
traditional fiction, drama, and film employ this basic plot structure, which is also
called linear plot since its different elements follow a chronological order.
6
Aristotle in Culler (1997:84) says that plot is the most basic feature of
narrative, that good stories must have a beginning, middle, and an end, and that
they give pleasure because of the rhythm of their order. Plot on the events of the
story should state the logical and coherent relationships that form the unity or
wholeness. Based on the reason before, the reader should be able to capture the
common thread in the stories flow from the beginning to the end of the story. The
common thread that spans the whole story is called plot.
2.3.2
Character and Traits
Similar with the elements of the plot, character and traits is an important
element in the work of narrative. Plot may only be regarded as the backbone of
the story, but it raises a question, “who told it?”. “Who is doing something and
are subject to something called the events in the plot, who created the conflict, and
others?”. It all refers to character and characterization.
Stanton (1965:17) in Nurgiyantoro (2005:165) Penggunaan istilah
karakter menyaran pada dua pengertian yang berbeda, yaitu sebagai tokoh-tokoh
cerita yang ditampilkan, dan sebagai sikap, ketertarikan, keinginan emosi dan
prinsip moral yang dimiliki tokoh-tokoh tersebut. (=The use of the term character
refers to two different sense, namely as the characters are displayed, and as
attitudes, interests, desires and emotions held moral principles such figures). Thus,
characters can mean "actors in stories' and can also mean 'disposition'. Between a
character with a disposition which has a coherence intact.
7
Tokoh cerita adalah orang yang ditampilkan dalam suatu karya
naratif,atau drama yang oleh pembaca ditafsirkan memiliki kualitas moral
dan kecenderungan tertentu seperti yang diekspresikan dalam ucapan dan
apa yang dilakukan (Abrams,1981:20) in (Nurgiyantoro,2005:164).
(=The character's story is the one that appears in the narrative of a work, or
the drama that has been interpreted by readers of moral qualities and
specific trend as expressed in the speech and what is done
(Abrams,1981:20) in (Nurgiyantoro,2005:164)).
Based on the quotation above, it can be said that the relation between
character and its personal quality depends on the readers‟ acceptation. The readers
can get the personality of a character through its utterances (verbal) and actions
(non verbal).
The traits of character in fictional work can be described either by implicit
or explicit delineation. Abrams (1981:21) stated that characters are expressed in
what they say (the dialogue) and what they do (the action). The alternative
methods available by author in characterizing the persons in a narrative are
showing and telling.
In showing (also called the dramatic method), said Abrams, the author
simply presents the characters talking and acting and leaves the reader to infer the
motives and dispositions that lie behind what they say and do. It means that the
author does not describe or convey the character explicitly; the reader is free to
appreciate the characterization of the character based on their subjectivity.
Meanwhile in telling, the author intervenes authoritatively in order to
describe, and often to evaluate, the motives and dispositional qualities of the
characters. With the telling method, the reader is straightly given the description
8
of the characterization by the author. In other words, the description is not
implicitly described in the dialogues, but usually is described explicitly in the
narration. It means that these two things is a unity in figures.
Based on its function, characters can be distinguished on the central
character and subordinate character. The central character is divided into
protagonist and antagonist. The protagonist is the main character who plays an
important role as well as a leader. Antagonist character is a character that is not
subordinate to the central position in the story, but its presence is needed to
support the main character who is often referred to as the supporting cast. This
character usually has a bad temper and is evil.
2.3.3
Setting
The presence of setting in a fiction is very important. Fiction as a world
within a world, made it possible for it to be equipped with occupant figures and
problems. According to Klarer (2005:25) Setting is a particular context of time
and place in order to support action, characters, and narrative perspective from an
additional level.
The presence of this character absolutely needs space, place, and time.
Setting in literature does not only serve to demonstrate the scene and time of the
event. Setting also serves as a projection of the inner state leaders who create an
atmosphere and become a picture of the characters themselves are concerned, but
not always in accordance with the setting of the event sets. Besides, the
atmosphere in the story may change or evolve.
9
Setting is a physical background of elements of place and space in a story.
Mengelompokan latar bersama dengan tokoh dan plot, ke dalam fakta
(cerita) sebab ketiga hal inilah yang akan dihadapi, dan dapat
diimajinasikan oleh pembaca secara faktual jika membaca cerita fiksi.
Atau ketiga inilah yang secara konkret dan langsung membentuk cerita
(Stanton, 1965) in Nurgiyantoro (2005:216)).
(=Grouping the background along with the characters and the plot, to the
fact (the story) because these three things is what will be encountered, and
can in fact be imagined by the reader when reading fiction. Or they will
concretely and directly up the story (Stanton, 1965) in (Nurgiyantoro
2005:216)).
Setting in a literary work can be used for some purpose. First, to increase
the confidence on the character, movement and action. Second, setting of a story
has a direct relation with the common sense and the overall meaning of the story.
Third, setting can be created with a specific purpose in creating an atmosphere
that is beneficial and useful.
Abram (1981:175) in Nurgiyantoro, (2005:216) latar disebut juga sebagai
landas tumpu menyaran pada pengertian tempat, hubungan waktu, dan
lingkungan sosial tempat terjadinya peristiwa-peristiwa yang diceritakan.
(=Setting also is a base that referred to a sense of place, time relations, and social
environment where the events are being recounted). Setting can provide a
foothold of a story concretely and clearly, to give the impression of reality to the
reader, creating an atmosphere as if it really happened. Thus, the reader can easily
operate the imagination and can participate critically with knowledge of the
setting.
10
2.4 Hegemony
Hegemony-hegeisthai (Greek) means to lead, leadership, and a power that
exceeds the power of the others. Hegemony is often confused with ideology.
Hegemony is not an egalitarian project, but one that legitimates the leadership of
one social sector by winning the consent of others. In the ideological hegemony
contained, but not necessarily vice versa (Baba,1990:82).
Hegemony dalam bahasa yunani kuno disebut ‟eugemonia‟, sebagaimana
dikemukakan encyclopedia Britanica dalam prakteknya di Yunani,
diterapkan untuk menunjukan dominasi posisi yang diklaim oleh negaranegara kota (polis atau citystates) (Hendarto,1993:73) in (Patria & Arief,
2015:115).
(=Hegemony in the ancient Greek language called 'eugemonia', as stated
encyclopedia Britannica in practice in Greece, applied to show the
dominance of the position claimed by the city-states (polis or citystates)
(Hendarto,1993:73) in (Patria & Arief, 2015:115)).
In this definition, hegemony shows a leadership of a particular country that
is not only a city-state against other states related loosely or tightly integrated
within a „controlled' state.
Hegemony was developed by an Italian Marxist philosopher Antonio
Gramsci. Hegemony concept developed on the basic deconstruction against
orthodox Marxist concepts. According to Thomas (2009:37) :
The „Gramscian moment‟ consists in the distance taken between those two
moments between 1931 and 1932, between the description of hegemony as
a “metaphysical event” and the discovery of a type of hegemony that
would be a philosophical fact. Just as Marx proposed that the expansive
political form of the commune was the political forms at last discovered
under which to work out the economical emancipation of labour, or a
„non-State State‟.
11
Gramsci comes to propose that the philosophy of praxis is the expansive
philosophical form at last discovered of a genuine proletarian hegemony,
renewing from head to toe the whole way of conceiving philosophy itself.
The starting point of Gramsci's concept of hegemony is that a class and its
members exercise the power of the classes below by means of force and
persuasion. Hegemony is not a relationship of domination by using power, but
rather a relationship agreement with the use of political and ideological
leadership.
The supremacy of social group manisfest itself in two ways, as
„domination‟ and as „intellectual and moral leadership‟ A social group
dominates antagonistic groups, which it tend to „liwuidate‟ or subjugate
perhaps even by armed force; it leads kindred and allied groups. A social
group can, indeed must, alreadey exercise „leadership‟ before winning the
govermental power (this indeed is one of the principal conditions for the
winning of such power); its subssequently becomes dominant when it
exercises power, but even if it holds it firmly in its graps, it must continue
to „lead‟ as well (Gramsci, 1976, 57-58).
The quote clearly indicates a totality that is supported by the union of two
concepts: leadership (direction) and dominance (dominance). The relationship of
these two concepts implies three things: first, made domination over all enemies,
and leadership do to all allies. Secondly, leadership is a precondition for
overcoming the state apparatus, or in the narrow sense of government power. And
third, once a state power can be achieved, the two aspects of this class supremacy,
either directing or domination, continues.
12
The concept is taken on strength (force) and approval (consent). For
Gramsci, social class will gain superiority (supremacy) in two ways, namely by
means of domination (dominio) or coercion (coercion) and the second is through
intellectual and moral leadership. How is the latter which was later called by
Gramsci as hegemony.
On the other side dominance is a concept of reality that spreads through
society in an institution or group to influence someone to establish morality,
customs, religion, political principles and all social relations, especially those that
refer to moral. According to Patria & Arief (2015:123) :
Ada dua interpretasi hegemoni, yang pertama melihat hegemoni sebagai
kepemimpinan moral tanpa keikutsertaan praktek dominasi. Sementara
pandangan kedua melihat hegemoni dapat berarti kepemimpinan moral
dan dominasi sekaligus.
(=There are two interpretations of hegemony, the first to see hegemony as
the moral leadership without the participation of the practice of
domination. While a second view of hegemony can mean moral leadership
and dominance as well).
Gramsci tried to discuss how a leader should take action if he wants to
lead the establishment of a new country. That intellectual leader must be fused
together with the people or to became people (Gramsci, 1976;126).
Bagaimana menciptakan sebuah hegemoni? Hegemoni merupakan sebuah
rantai kemenangan yang didapat melalui mekanisme konsensus ketimbang
melalui penindasan terhadap klas sosial lainnya. Ada berbagai cara yang
dipakai, misalnya melalui institusi yang ada dimasyarakat yang
menentukan secara langsung atau tidak langsung struktur-struktur kognitif
dari masyarakat (Patria & Arief, 2015:121).
(=How to create a hegemony? Hegemony is a chain of victories obtained
through consensus mechanisms rather than through the suppression of
13
another social class. There are various ways in which, for example through
existing institutions in society that determine directly or indirectly
cognitive structures of society (Patria & Arief, 2015:121)).
Therefore, hegemony is essentially an attempt to herd people to assess and
look at social problems within the framework specified.
Hegemony of the ruling class against class that dominated, as noted above
actually built by consensus mechanism. For Gramsci, that person without having
the opportunity sincerely to express opposition, it can not be said to an agreement.
According to Femina in (Hendarto, 1993:80) There are three categories of
adjustments in the consensus, namely; because of fear, because they are used, and
because of the awareness and consent. The latter type is hegemonic according to
Gramsci.
According to Hendarto (1993; 820) Gramsci said that mechanism of
institutions (schools, churches, political parties, mass media, etc) to be 'hands' of
the ruling group to determine the dominating ideology. Language becomes an
important means to serve the function of hegemony. Social conflicts limited both
in intensity and in scope, because the ideology that is formed desires, values and
expectations according to a predetermined system.
Gramsci came to the conclusion that the character of a mass consensus in
society as a contradictory consciousness. That is, the hegemony conducted by the
dominant class is the result of a consensus vague. Based on that reality Femia in
Patria & Arief (2005: 128) provides the level of consensus mass hegemony. Three
14
levels of hegemony which Gramsci argued that, hegemony total (integral),
hegemony degenerate (decandent), and hegemony over the minimum.
Based on the explanation is meant by integral hegemony is a society that
shows the level of moral and intellectual unity sturdiness. Hegemony degenerate
(decandent hegemony) is facing disintegration of hegemony in which there is a
hidden conflict. Although the rules have been set by the mob mentality that
dominates but is not fully aligned with the thought that dominates. Minimum
domination is hegemonic in which groups of people do not want to adjust the
interests and aspirations of the people who hegemony. They would retain the rules
that have been made against the new countries that have aspired by the hegemonic
group.
Hegemoni digambarkan sebagai suatu equilibrium antara masyarakat
sipil dan masyratakat politik. Atau secara spesifik, suatu realitas politik
dimana terdapat equilibrium antara „kepemimpinan (direction)‟ yang
berbasiskan pada persetujuan, dengan „dominasi (domination) yang
berbasiskan pada kekerasan (Patria & Arief, 2005: 179).
(=Hegemony is described as an equilibrium between civil society and
political society. Or specifically, a political reality in which there is
equilibrium between 'leadership (direction)' based on the approval, with
dominance (domination) based on violence (Patria & Arief, 2005: 179)).
In this perspective Gramsci makes the formulation of the state as a
political society plus civil society, or hegemony reinforced with violence.
According to Anderson in Patria & Arief (2005: 142) The first model of
hegemony Gramsci is associated with cultural and moral leadership are
implemented within civil society. In this model, the state put the power of
15
coercion in the form of police and armed forces. The second model, at this stage
he saw the importance of education and law enforcement agencies in carrying
hegemony.
According to the reason above Gramsi explain the concept of the state
integral, state integral is the result of a combination of coercion in society and the
leadership of the hegemonic, Country integral is a hegemony that is coated with a
sheath in the form of power of coercion hegemony, even working level of
consciousness, but he was always accompanied by measures of coercion
(Gramsci, 1976; 263).
Therefore, it can be concluded that the integral state has two aspects. First,
violence (means of coercion). Second, the enforcement tool of hegemonic
leadership (means of estabilishing hegemonic leadership), such as education,
religion, the media and others. it can be concluded that the concept referred to
Gramsci is a hegemony that is protected by armed violence.
According to Gramsci (Bennett 1983: 200) there are three ways to form an
idea, namely language, public opinion (common sense), and folklore. Language is
the main meaning and has an enormous influence on the spread of a certain
concept of the world. The more extensive and more and more languages are
mastered, the easier spread of ideologies that can be done. The general opinion is
a place that also serves ideology against ideology. Folklore in general include
belief systems, opinions and superstitions also play a role in helping hegemony,
power that serves to force a society without violence. Basically hegemony is not
16
imposed from above also does not develop freely and not accidental, but the
hegemony obtained through negotiation and agreement.
In every society the intellectuals play an important role. Gramsci's
intellectual differentiate into two kinds:
a) Traditional intellectuals are the ones who fill scientific positions, such as
literature, economics, law, and so on, including those involved in schools,
universities, and state institutions.
b) Organic intellectual is a group formed organically, ie those which are part
institutif class struggle. Gramsci, organic intellectuals support the cause
openly sided with the oppressed classes.
The intellectuals are the dominant groups deputies exercising the subaltern
function of social hegemony and political government. These includes :
1. The „spontaneous‟ consent given by the great masses of population to
the general direction imposed on social life by the dominant
fundamental group; this consenst is „historically‟ caused by the
prestige (and consequent confidence) which the dominant group enjoy
because of its posistion and function in the world of production;
2. The apparatus of state coercive power which „legally‟ enforce disipline
on those groups who do not „consent‟ either actively or passively. This
apparatus is, however, constituted for the whole of society in
anticipation of moments od crisis od command and direction when
spontaneous consent has weakned (Gramsci, 1976:12) in Patria &
Arief (2015:158).
Based on the explaination above, the first points that Gramsci spoke of
spontaneous consent given to the dominant group on the social life can be
accepted due to the consequent confidence which the dominant group enjoyed, as
17
he said religion brought about the truth that the dominant group is considered
correct according to indigenous groups that followed by consensus. In the second
part Gramsci discussed how authorities are imposing the legal means to obtain
approval within indigenous groups, as well as the existence of a trial for those
who break the rules have been made to a dominant group, and does not cover the
possibility of violence if the indigenous groups rejected the idea which are given.
Therefore, the writers know that hegemony defined to emphasize on forms
of expression, way of application, the mechanisms that run to maintain and
develop themselves through the victims, so the effort was successful and
influenced and shape the nature of their minds. Through the ideological
hegemony, the dominant group can be spread, and the values and beliefs are
interchangeable. However, unlike the manipulation or indoctrination, hegemony
thus looks reasonable, people accept it as fair and voluntary. One of the strengths
of hegemony is how it creates a way of thinking or certain dominant discourse,
which is considered true, while the other discourse is considered wrong.
Hegemony here considered can become a tool of how values or discourse that is
dominant it's disseminated and percolating in the minds of the audience so that it
becomes a shared consensus.
18
2.5 Frame work of Hegemony
HEGEMONY
SUPREMACY A SOCIAL
GROUP
DIRECTION
DOMINANCE
INTELLECTUAL
&
MORAL LEADERSHIP
DOMINATION
CONSENSUS
COERCION
CIVIL SOCIETY
POLITIC SOCIETY
LANGUAGE
PERSUASION
SCHOOL
CHURCH
TOTAL/
INTEGRAL
GOVERNMENT
MILITARY
Bureaucracy
ETC
DECENT
19
COURT
MINIMUM
ETC
2.6 Achebe’s Things Fall Apart
Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart is probably the most authentic narrative
ever written about life in Nigeria at the turn of the twentieth century. Although the
novel was first published in 1958 two years before Nigeria achieved its
independence, thousands of copies are still sold every year in the United States
alone. Millions of copies have been sold around the world in its many translations.
The novel has been adapted for productions on the stage, radio, and on television.
Teachers in high schools, colleges, and graduate schools use the novel as a
textbook in many types of classes from history and social studies to comparative
literature and anthropology.
Chinua Achebe's multi-million seller Things Fall Apart (1958) is widely
considered the first major piece of African literature written in English. It
dramatises the conflict between the Igbo people and their traditional way of
life in a Nigerian village, and the successful incursion of Christian
Missionaries who bring not only their religion, but laws and government as
well. The novel is remarkable for its simple elegance of style. Achebe's
prose never over reaches itself, always finding the exact right word to
describe character and situation. What's all the more remarkable is that
Things Fall Apart, which is mature in tone and outlook, was written by a
young man in his twenties whose first language was not English (Saliba,
2011) .
When Things Fall Apart was first published, Achebe announced that one of
his purposes was to present a complex, dynamic society to a Western audience
who perceived African society as primitive, simple, and backward. Unless
Africans could tell their side of their story themselves, Achebe believed that the
African experience would forever be "mistold," even by such well-meaning
authors as Joyce Cary in Mister Johnson. Cary worked in Nigeria as a colonial
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administrator and was sympathetic to the Nigerian people. Yet Achebe feels that
Cary, along with other Western writers such as Joseph Conrad, misunderstood
Africa. Many European writers have presented the continent as a dark place
inhabited by people with impenetrable, primitive minds; Achebe considers this
reductionist portrayal of Africa racist. He points to Conrad, who wrote against
imperialism but reduced Africans to mysterious, animalistic, and exotic "others."
In an interview published in 1994, Achebe explains that his anger about the
inaccurate portrayal of African culture by white colonial writers does not imply
that students should not read works by Conrad or Cary. On the contrary, Achebe
urges students to read such works in order to better understand the racism of the
colonial era. Things Fall Apart is set in the 1890s and potrays the clash between
Nigeria‟s white colonial government and the traditional culture of the indigenous
Igbo people.
According to Dirda (2008) :
Things Fall Apart has long been revered for its imaginative re-creation of
Ibo culture just before it collided with British colonialism. A review in the
Times Literary Supplement spoke of the book as "penetrating tribal life
from the inside." And yet it's important to realize that this isn't an
anthropological document, but rather a work of literature, the imaginative
creation of a sophisticated artist. There's nothing "primitive" about the
author at all.
Achebe‟s Novel shatters the stereotypical European portraits of native
Africans. He was careful to portray the complex, advanced social institutions and
artistically he is just as careful not to steteotype the Europeans. Yet, he was very
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descriptive of the white men such as the mostly benevolent Mr. Brown, the
jealous Reverend Smith, and the ruthlessly calculating District Commisioner.
2.7 Achebe’s Biography
(www.notablebiographies.com/A-An/Achebe-Chinua.html, 19th May 2016
06:12pm) Chinua Achebe was born on November 15, 1930, in Ogidi in Eastern
Nigeria. His family belonged to the Igbo tribe, and he was the fifth of six children.
Representatives of the British government that controlled Nigeria convinced his
parents, Isaiah Okafor Achebe and Janet Ileogbunam, to abandon their traditional
religion and follow Christianity. Achebe was brought up as a Christian, but he
remained curious about the more traditional Nigerian faiths. He was educated at a
government college in Umuahia, Nigeria, and graduated from the University
College at Ibadan, Nigeria, in 1954.
As with so many things, the success of Nigerian author Chinua Achebe is
best understood in reverse. One of the most influential writers of the 20th
century began his career at 28 with a novel that was anything but an instant
classic Achebe, who died recently at 82, is best known for the impact he
made on the world‟s understanding of Africa with his first book, “Things
Fall Apart.” In its obituary of Achebe, the Associated Press notes that the
novel was rejected multiple times, and that only 2,000 copies of the first
edition were printed (Oliver, 2013).
Achebe was unhappy with books about Africa written by British authors
such as Joseph Conrad (1857–1924) and John Buchan (1875–1940), because he
felt the descriptions of African people were inaccurate and insulting. While
working for the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation he composed his first
novel, Things Fall Apart (1959), the story of a traditional warrior hero who is
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unable to adapt to changing conditions in the early days of British rule. The book
won immediate international recognition and also became the basis for a play by
Biyi Bandele. Years later, in 1997, the Performance Studio Workshop of Nigeria
put on a production of the play, which was then presented in the United States as
part of the Kennedy Center's African Odyssey series in 1999. Achebe's next two
novels, No Longer At Ease (1960) and Arrow of God (1964), were set in the past
as well.
By the mid-1960s the newness of independence had died out in Nigeria, as
the country faced the political problems common to many of the other states in
modern Africa. The Igbo, who had played a leading role in Nigerian politics, now
began to feel that the Muslim Hausa people of Northern Nigeria considered the
Igbos as second-class citizens. Achebe wrote A Man of the People (1966), a story
about a crooked Nigerian politician. The book was published at the very moment
a military takeover removed the old political leadership. This made some
Northern military officers suspect that Achebe had played a role in the takeover,
but there was never any evidence supporting the theory.
During the years when Biafra attempted to break itself off as a separate state
from Nigeria (1967–70), however, Achebe served as an ambassador
(representative) to Biafra. He traveled to different countries discussing the
problems of his people, especially the starving and slaughtering of Igbo children.
He wrote articles for newspapers and magazines about the Biafran struggle and
founded the Citadel Press with Nigerian poet Christopher Okigbo. Writing a novel
at this time was out of the question, he said during a 1969 interview: "I can't write
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a novel now; I wouldn't want to. And even if I wanted to, I couldn't. I can write
poetry something short, intense, more in keeping with my mood." Three volumes
of poetry emerged during this time, as well as a collection of short stories and
children's stories.
After the fall of the Republic of Biafra, Achebe continued to work at the
University of Nigeria at Nsukka, and devoted time to the Heinemann Educational
Books' Writers Series (which was designed to promote the careers of young
African writers). In 1972 Achebe came to the United States to become an English
professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (he taught there again in
1987). In 1975 he joined the faculty at the University of Connecticut. He returned
to the University of Nigeria in 1976. His novel Anthills of the Savanna (1987)
tells the story of three boyhood friends in a West African nation and the deadly
effects of the desire for power and wanting to be elected "president for life." After
its release Achebe returned to the United States and teaching positions at Stanford
University, Dartmouth College, and other universities.
Back in Nigeria in 1990 to celebrate his sixtieth birthday, Achebe was
involved in a car accident on one of the country's dangerous roads. The accident
left him paralyzed from the waist down. Doctors recommended he go back to the
United States for good to receive better medical care, so he accepted a teaching
position at Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. In 1999, after a nineyear absence, Achebe visited his homeland, where his native village of Ogidi
honored him for his dedication to the myths and legends of his ancestors. In 2000
Achebe's nonfiction book Home and Exile,consisting of three essays, was
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published by Oxford University Press (http://www.notablebiographies.com/AAn/Achebe-Chinua.html 6th Des 2016 21:15am).
Through his works, Achebe expresses a powerful cry for an end to
worldwide
oppression.
In
an
autobiographical
comment
published
in
Contemporary Novelists, he described himself as “a political writer.” He
explained that his politics are “concerned with universal human communication
across racial and cultural boundaries as a means of fostering respect.
Achebe has become renowned throughout the world as a father of modern
African literature, essayist, and professor of English literature at Bard
College in New york. But, Achebe‟s achievments are most concretely
reflected by his prominence in Nigeria‟s academic culture and in its literary
and political institutions (Spark Notes, 2014).
Chinua Achebe is one of Nigeria's greatest novelists. His novels are written
mainly for an African audience, but having been translated into more than forty
languages, they have found worldwide readership. Achebe is a Nigerian writer
whose role as a socially committed storyteller is drawn from his ethnic Igbo
traditions. He has written a number of novels, short stories, poems, essays, and
articles, garnering worldwide critical acclaim and popular success.
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