It's very much a mid-century humanist novel, with social issues at the forefront, but it's a good one, and even though the symbolism can be a bit heavy at times, the novel doesn't come off as a didactic show-and-tell session. Regardless of whether or not some of those demands are unfair for Obi, he is not honoring of them and demonstrates the difficulty in adhering to their traditional views while engaging with the outside world. Odogwu laments the lack of true greatness in his own people, but the important thing to note is that he does not seem to blame that fact on the Nigerians but on the system that has rendered them impotent in their own country. Perhaps if Obi had considered his elders’ words as worthy of his time he may have avoided some of the tragedies of his young life. Navigation. All Quotes He seems to float through life, occasionally annoyed or worried, as with money and Clara's affections, but when it comes to major, life-changing events, he does not ever seem to marshal enough courage or will to go after them. His education and his living situation, job, and companions are fully of the white man's world. All of the warnings concern Obi’s becoming entranced by the pleasures of the world and forgetting his commitments and his morals. He shows very little interest until the judge wonders aloud how a young man with so much promise could have done this. It also does not account for some of the tragedies that befall some of the people closest to him, such as Clara. Explanation of the famous quotes in No Longer At Ease, including all important speeches, comments, quotations, and monologues. For the many warnings regarding his present and future conduct that he receives, Obi experiences as many moments of letting down the Umuofia Progressive Union and, more generally, his people. Quotes By Chinua Achebe. This situation is one of the central conflicts in the text, and can be said to contribute to Obi's passivity and indecisiveness – he is paralyzed by his in-between-ness. Clara certainly has her flaws, but her abortion is an unequivocal tragedy that is sudden and cruel. See a complete list of the characters in No Longer At Ease and in-depth analyses of Obi Okonkwo, Clara, and William Green. Mr. Okonkwo has almost completely embraced the world of the colonizer, as demonstrated in his Christianity and his love of the written word. He is best known for his... What are the causes and effects of Obi's downfall in the novel? Conventional tragedy is too easy. No Longer At Ease Quotes. Introduction; Summary; Themes; Characters; Analysis; Quotes… This is ironic for many reasons. “The impatient idealist says: 'Give me a place to stand and I shall move the earth.'

Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Poet and novelist Chinua Achebe was one of the most important African writers of the last century. "What would be the point of going to Umuofia? It evinces the problems inherent in the system in which Obi is. It was said that if you touched a soldier, Government”, “A person who has not secured a place on the floor should not begin to look for a mat.”, “Was it not a common saying among his people that a man should not, out of pride and etiquette, swallow his phlegm?”, “A fox must be chased away first; after that the hen might be warned against wandering into the bush.”. Thus, it is easy for the reader to understand why Obi does what he does, but it is not understandable to those who placed him in such a situation. Obi Okonkwo is in the court at his trial, listening idly to the judge. "Greatness is now in the things of the white man.". Identity Duty Lies and Deceit Society and Class Family Marriage Dreams, Hopes, Plans Love Principles Isolation.

Obi's listlessness did not show any signs of decreasing even when the judge began to sum up. No Longer At Ease ; Quotes; Study Guide. Weeks earlier a similar statement had left Obi unmoved, as he had lost his mother and Claraleft, but now unwanted tears leap to his eyes. He does not choose the job they’d like him to have, has trouble paying them back, chooses a girl they do not approve of, and dishonors them by accepting bribes and then getting caught. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of No Longer at Ease by Chinua Achebe. Not affiliated with Harvard College. “We are sending you to learn book. This is simultaneously understandable as well as lamentable. Obi's decision not to return to Umuofia for his mother's funeral -- his beloved mother, to whom he claimed to be very close -- is a low point for the protagonist. At the same time, he found himself a stranger in England. There are always members of the colonized who are attracted to the world of the colonizer, and indulge in some of the same beliefs and behaviors. The hero dies and we feel a purging of the emotions. However, he is still connected to Umuofia and his heritage, occasionally preferring Nigerian food and remembering with fondness his childhood. He is able to see both into the minds of the English and those of his own country because he, in a sense, belongs to both cultures.

His beliefs are typical of the paternalistic views of the English, who believe that they have a right to take over another country and utilize its resources and reorganize its government. It is no wonder given their climate an… Suggestions Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Idealism in No Longer at Ease; Obi’s Parents and Their Reluctance to Accept Obi’s Engagement to Clara Therefore, he feels that his failure is doubled because he has had so much advantage on his side. The things that they once considered great are now diminished. Everybody expected a young man from England to be impressively turned-out.”. Welcome back. Search all of SparkNotes Search. Obi seems to lack passion for anything, and is thwarted by his own ambivalence. These distance him from his fellow Nigerians and bring him somewhat closer to his son, who is similar in that embrace. Obi's own negative character traits are exacerbated by this system, and he becomes even more prideful, passive, and morally dubious. Make your voice heard on Election Day.

REGISTER TO VOTE! He wished they were here today to see. It goes on hopelessly forever. This causes conflict because it is perhaps because of his "education" that he does not know how to sneak the bribes the way others had. Such things are done in the name of civilizing a backwards people, and bringing them prosperity and progress. But such a place does not exist. It was only when he said: "I cannot comprehend how a young man of your education and brilliant promise could have done this" that a sudden and marked change occurred. Read a Plot Overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter Summary and Analysis. "Obi wanted to rush out of his car and shout: “Stop. However, this shows itself problematic because his education has been foreign. GradeSaver, 4 June 2015 Web.

While at the trial, Obi has shown himself to be somewhat indifferent to those around him. And the symbol of white man’s power was the written word, or better still, the printed word.". Error rating book. He loves English literature and speaks English most of the time. Achebe contrasts white and black culture in his novels. The learned judge, as we have seen, could not comprehend how an educated young man and so on and so forth.". This feeling was sometimes so strong that he found himself feeling ashamed of studying English for his degree. First it makes him realize that the kind attitude held by the submissive "old Africans" is wrong. Nothing gave him greater pleasure than to find another Ibo-speaking student in a London bus. Osborne-Bartucca, Kristen. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of No Longer at Ease by Chinua Achebe. Here, white, English culture is depicted as soulless, deadening, immoral, and Nigerian culture is depicted as authentic, uplifting, and sustaining. Suduiko, Aaron ed. Visit BN.com to buy new and used textbooks, and check out our award-winning NOOK tablets and eReaders. The warnings act as foreshadowing, as Obi indeed slips away from his heritage and his history and almost wholly embraces the world of the white man.

One of them went regularly to a market in the neighboring village and helped himself to whatever he liked. Mr. Green, Obi's boss, plays tennis with a British Council man and observes that he can believe why the young man did it, because all Africans are corrupt. First, and on the most basic level, it brings to the fore the idea that Obi sees failure within him. Furthermore, if one were to dig deeper into this quotation one would find that his education is the very sign of promise. And, further still, he happens to be educated in the same way that English with higher positions in Nigeria (such as Mr. Green) are educated.

Essays for No Longer at Ease. Make your voice heard on Election Day. Mr. Ikedi’s warning to Obi at the beginning of the novel (when he is about to leave for England) is only one of many warnings Obi receives. Mr. Green, like so many others, thinks he has a fondness for the place where he lives and works, but as Obi realizes, it is a false version of Nigeria, and one that derives from the need to fashion reality into something pleasing so as not to prick one's conscience. "In that short question he said in effect that Obi’s mission-house upbringing and European education had made him a stranger in his country –the most painful thing one could say to Obi.". It was humiliating to have to speak to one's countryman in a foreign language, especially in the presence of the proud owners of that language.

SparkNotes is brought to you by Barnes & Noble. "It was clear he loved Africa, but only Africa of a kind: the Africa of Charles, the messenger, the Africa of his gardenboy and steward boy.