An Interview with Chinua Achebe

             In today’s shared inquiry discussion, our class explored Chinua Achebe’s work in relation to the cultural or literary context. This was completed by discussing our inquiry questions from Achebe’s Interview with ‘The Atlantic,' published on August 2^nd, 2000. In this interview, the author of Things Fall Apart (1958) examines his opinions on the cultural and historical background of Nigeria, African literature, and colonization. From this shared inquiry discussion, my most meaningful takeaway was his motive and purpose on writing Things Fall Apart. The novel, published two years before Nigeria’s Independence, celebrates and revisits the complex cultural authenticity and tradition of the Ibo tribe. Furthermore, he suppresses the dangers of hegemonic assimilation to motivate the Nigerian society for independence. As discussed in my group, Achebe clearly demonstrates that “stories will create a shift in power” and that one should not be “victims of other people’s accounts.” By demonstrating the danger of the single story, Achebe illuminates the importance of literature and language as an effective weapon to justify inaction, slavery, and imperialism. Considering this, I found it particularly interesting to relate his perspective and the context of composition, to Achebe’s literary work.  

            One quote that resonated with me the most was “There’s a reaction to a reaction, and there will be a further reaction to that. And I think that’s the way it will go, until what I call a balance of stories is secured.” In this quote, Achebe is referring to the European literature with “supported a certain view of Africa.” As he mentioned, over the last four or five hundred years, European literature presented Africa in a narrow lens and lurid terms, referring to them as ‘beasts,’ to justify the slave trade and slavery. Furthermore, the underlying message of this statement relates to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s discussion of ‘the danger of a single story,’ as a single story showcases a people as one thing, ultimately generating an incomplete stereotype. In order to complete people’s dignity, a balance of stories must be published. This illustrates the importance of the novel Things Fall Apart, as it balances the story of a colonized nation and hegemonic power. This ultimately counter-argues colonization and pushes the shift in power of stories.