DIALOGUE, IDENTITY, AND ANTI-COLONIALISM IN CHINUA ACHEBE’S „THINGS FALL APART“ AND „ARROW OF GOD“

JEZIK, KNJIŽEVNOST I DIJALOG (2024): 103–113

AUTHOR(S) / АУТОР(И): Jafar Baba

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DOI: 10.46793/LLD24.103B

ABSTRACT / САЖЕТАК:

Chinua Achebe’s novels, Things Fall Apart (1958) and Arrow of God (1964), are masterful portrayals of the complexities of Igbo society in Nigeria on the cusp of colonialism. Achebe strategically uses dialogue to assert an African identity independent of the distortions and misrepresentations imposed by colonial narratives. In Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo’s rigid adherence to hyper-masculine ideals leads to inflexible dialogue. His inability to express vulnerability contributes to his tragic downfall. Arrow of God further explores how dialogue intersects with power, where Ezeulu, the Chief Priest, shares similar tendencies of rigidity and dialogic inflexibility with Okonkwo. In contrast, characters like Obierika and Moses Unachukwu demonstrate how dialogue can promote self-reflection and understanding within traditional society. The novels show how the breakdown of dialogue, both internally within communities and externally with encroaching colonial powers, has devastating consequences. Achebe’s meticulous use of dialogue in both novels serves a tripartite purpose: not only does it unveil the layers of societal dynamics, but it also acts as a potent tool to resist colonial misrepresentations of Africa and offers Achebe’s own vision of a reformed Igbo identity.

KEYWORDS / КЉУЧНЕ РЕЧИ:

dialogue, postcolonialism, identity, resistance, Achebe

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