Setting:
In the 1950’s, in the years preceding the independence of the country then-known as Colonial and Protectorate of Nigeria, a colony of the British Empire, a battle between the cultures of the local past and the foreign future had been fought for many years now. The predominantly Christian south of the country, mixed with the African culture that survived the invasion of the British, and the own-made traditions of each tribe, made sure that the battle would be a long one. As seen in the story, casualties weren’t physical, but rather the rifts between the relationships of the people accepting the coming change and the ones wanting to live in the past, are what count as the victims of this war of culture and tradition. Achebe tries to …show more content…
It can be seen how reluctant he was to tell his father (the personification of the local African traditions and culture), about their engagement, knowing how he would react, since he himself is a part of a tribe with strong sense of tradition and community. But on the other hand, it was obvious that he had made his mind, that there was no changing plans, he would marry Nene, even if it hurt his father and their traditions. Achebe created this character to show how the new generation, which grew up with the Cultural Revolution, is trying to break away from the, sometimes, oppressive past, but still hoping to bring the old culture with …show more content…
She is what Omeke fears and hates: the change that made Nnaemeka not follow what had been traditions for generations. She is the new and foreign to the culture of the old man. She is a teacher and lives on her own, something so different and hard to comprehend to her father-in-law that he chooses to ignore and hate her, instead of adapting and understanding. For me, she is the most important character, because we see her talk to Nnaemeka, trying to mend the relationship of the new generation and the past. Because she knows that just because you change, you shouldn’t forget the past, because it’s part of the people, part of their culture and history, and that change is merely an addition to what is already there, like she is an addition to Nnaemeka, and with that, an addition to Omeke, the local culture. Eventually, we see her reach out personally, begging Omeke to finally change his mind for the sake of his grandchildren, who want to see their grandfather. This is a metaphor of the new culture accepting that the past traditions of the local tribes also have to be a part of the future generations, who are searching for an own national identity. She even promises to stay in Lagos, which symbolizes the change accepting that the people of a country must remember and honor the traditions of the past without the intervention of the foreign
In the 1950’s, in the years preceding the independence of the country then-known as Colonial and Protectorate of Nigeria, a colony of the British Empire, a battle between the cultures of the local past and the foreign future had been fought for many years now. The predominantly Christian south of the country, mixed with the African culture that survived the invasion of the British, and the own-made traditions of each tribe, made sure that the battle would be a long one. As seen in the story, casualties weren’t physical, but rather the rifts between the relationships of the people accepting the coming change and the ones wanting to live in the past, are what count as the victims of this war of culture and tradition. Achebe tries to …show more content…
It can be seen how reluctant he was to tell his father (the personification of the local African traditions and culture), about their engagement, knowing how he would react, since he himself is a part of a tribe with strong sense of tradition and community. But on the other hand, it was obvious that he had made his mind, that there was no changing plans, he would marry Nene, even if it hurt his father and their traditions. Achebe created this character to show how the new generation, which grew up with the Cultural Revolution, is trying to break away from the, sometimes, oppressive past, but still hoping to bring the old culture with …show more content…
She is what Omeke fears and hates: the change that made Nnaemeka not follow what had been traditions for generations. She is the new and foreign to the culture of the old man. She is a teacher and lives on her own, something so different and hard to comprehend to her father-in-law that he chooses to ignore and hate her, instead of adapting and understanding. For me, she is the most important character, because we see her talk to Nnaemeka, trying to mend the relationship of the new generation and the past. Because she knows that just because you change, you shouldn’t forget the past, because it’s part of the people, part of their culture and history, and that change is merely an addition to what is already there, like she is an addition to Nnaemeka, and with that, an addition to Omeke, the local culture. Eventually, we see her reach out personally, begging Omeke to finally change his mind for the sake of his grandchildren, who want to see their grandfather. This is a metaphor of the new culture accepting that the past traditions of the local tribes also have to be a part of the future generations, who are searching for an own national identity. She even promises to stay in Lagos, which symbolizes the change accepting that the people of a country must remember and honor the traditions of the past without the intervention of the foreign