African Society Culture and Language in the Novels of Chinua Acheb A Postcolonial Perspective

Abstract

This research proposes to discuss representation of Igbo Culture, Society and Language in Chinua Achebe s novels, namely Things Fall Apart (1958), No Longer at Ease (1960), Arrow of God (1964), A Man of the People (1966), and Anthills of the Savannah (1987).In the last two decades of twentieth century culture has been problematized in the fiction of Nigerian novelists in postcolonial perspective. Chinua Achebe, a Nigerian writer, appropriated the colonizing west s language and narrative to present the colonial encounter from an African perspective. Interestingly, both African and Non-African scholars believe that Achebe s novels unconsciously reproduced the essentialism that reduced Africa into a single complete discourse; a total invention of African literary culture. By analyzing Achebe s most read novels, the study argues that Achebe s works present a picture of NigerianIgbo culture as well as western European culture. Achebe depicts Igbo culture as a part of transformation after the impact of colonization. But the self-preservation of the natives is persistent; and colonization is not atotal subjugation of the indigenous terrain. Igbo unity and integration challenges Africa s efforts in nation building. Achebe had also tried to peep into the culture and society to show how Igbo land was socio-politically stronger than other nations. newline