Friday, January 29, 2010
Achebe's Audience
I think Ngugi is correct when he claims Achebe’s work is Afro-European fiction not African literature. However, I don’t believe he is right to criticize Achebe’s way of writing. Although it is important to inform Africans themselves on the evils of colonization, it is also important for the Western audience to realize why the African culture is worth preserving. Because Achebe chose to write in English, this novel was clearly written for a European audience. Also, Achebe provides a glossary of Ibo words translated into English as well as a detailed description of cultural practices. This would not have been necessary if he was trying to write for an African audience. Achebe uses Okonkwo to represent the ignorance and instability present in Nigeria. However, he also portrays the beauty of folk tales that should be kept and passed orally though generations and the liveliness of African weddings like that of Obierieka’s daughter. The essence of this novel is to show Westerners that if they destroy people like Okonkwo through colonization, they will also destroy the rich culture of the Nigerian people. This is a powerful message that needs to reach the European world since they are the ones doing the colonizing.
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I agree! Interesting points made here. I agree that Achebe was very obviously writing for an English audience, and I think that was wisely done. Not only is he portraying the consequences of colonization and the conflicts within his own country, but he is also demonstrating his literary talent. He is going against those awful stereotypes and prejudices by producing a best-selling piece of literature. Although English was his second language, he was still able to write with clarity and talent and overall rhetorical skill. Now imagine how great of a writer he is in his native language. Imagine how good he is at telling stories of his culture to people in his culture. By writing in English, Achebe not only conveys his meaning to the target audience, as you mention, but he also proves that he is a talented, intelligent human being and makes very persuasive points.
ReplyDeleteThe true essence of this novel, I agree, is to give Westerners a chance to see the culture what they are destroying by colonization. Okonkwo is the ideal character for showing the Ibo culture, although his many faults, he can be seen as the preserver of the culture through Achebe's work. However, I do believe that it would have been more effective to reach out to the Ibo people themselves in order to make them realize what colonization is doing to their way of life.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the opening point that was made, that Ngugi was correct in deeming Achebe's book Afro-European in nature, and that he isn't necessarily right for criticizing Achebe's work. By choosing to use English as the language for the book, the message had a better chance of reaching farther and wider than it would have if Achebe had written only in his mother-tongue, and as a possible effect of it's reaching farther, a better chance of making a difference. This is not because the work itself isn't good, but because of the English language being as widespread as it is. It is interesting how event though we may not like Okonkwo's character, we still feel bad for the rest of the clan, despite the short-comings of one member and their traditions that differ from ours. Achebe did very well using this technique.
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