CIVIL PEACE

BY
CHINUA ACHEBE

A R I Z AT U L H I D AYA H A B D U L L A H
 POSTCOLONIAL THEORY
• The main concern of African Literature of the 1950 is its focus on the
destabilizing effect of European colonialism on African Society (Hussain,
2010).
• Achebe reflected on the imposition of western values on traditional and
tribal Africa and examined the new conflict that accompanied the colonial
rule.
• Achebe exploited English to express himself for greater audience. He
refashioned it by a blend with indigenous languages.
• Eg: -The use of ou in neighbours
- The voices of the thieves in African dialect such as akara an
demijohn
• Achebe uses English as his medium because he wants to communicate in a
language that is widely understoodand respected in international circles.
 OVERVIEW
• In Civil Peace he shares the African people condition after war and how
they struggle to survive.
• From the story, readers can get the image of African people, especially
Nigerian that been colonized by the British Empire, then by their own
nation brothers, but the impact was not always negatives.
• They still had spirit to renascent, build their own life and fight against
different enemies, violence and corruption inside their own society.
 THEMES
Power of positive thinking
• This story praises the power of positive thinking through Jonathan's
success.
• Jonathan’s optimism is introduced in the very first sentence of the story,
when it is revealed that he considers himself as extra-ordinarily lucky.
• Few would describe a man who lost his son in a civil war as lucky, but
Jonathan continues to deeply appreciate the “blessings” he has received,
among them the lives of his other family members, his resurrected bicycle,
his damaged but still standing “little zinc house”, and the ex-gratia money.
• Though he has suffered immeasurable losses in the war, his ability to set
aside the past and hope for the future allows him to successfully manage
the difficult post-war landscape.
 War
• The set is in the aftermath of the Nigerian Civil War of 1967, which
devastated the country’s infrastructure and economy, particularly the
Southeastern region near Enugu, where the story unfolds.
• The destruction of the war permeates the narrative.
• Jonathan is elated when he finds his home still standing, remarking that a
neighboring building was reduced to rubble. He has learned to accept
destruction as a given.
• Homeless men gather outside an unopened mine hoping for work, and
cooking what little food they have in small metal tins. Their situation has
been reduced to one of helplessness. Finally, the desperation and violence
that drives the thieves is a direct outgrowth of the war.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

• Albert Chinụalụmọgụ Achebe.

• Born and raised in Ogidi, a town in eastern Nigeria.
• He left Nigeria to teach when the country was put under
military rule.
• Although Achebe writes in English, he attempts to
incorporate Igbo vocabulary and narratives.
 CHARACTER
Main character:
• Jonathan Iwegbu
– Responsible
• He work hard to support his family financial. (pg.53 para 1)
– Optimistic
• He exhibits a happy tone in the face of death.
– Intelligent
• He puts his money in his trouser pocket so that he will not spend
it. (pg. 54 para3)
SETTING

• Place • Time
-Enugu – During the end of the Civil
war. (1970)

- His little house, Ogui Overside.

• The setting of place, Enugu also becomes important place that
convince readers that it is part of the history of Nigerian war.
• Enugu became the bastion of secession and rebellion and the Federal
Government of Nigeria expected that its capture would mean the
end of secession.
• By the 4th October 1967, Enugu was captured and with this capture
1 Infantry Division took time to refit and reorganize (Atofarati, 1992).
The division had the impression belief that the fall of Enugu would
automatically mean the collapse of the rebellion.
LANGUAGE AND STYLE

• Simile
-Maria and the children sobbed in audibly like lost souls.
-...his throat felt like sand-paper.
• Spelling of the words are not in standard English.
-’make you hopen de door.’ (local)
THANK YOU