Chinua Achebe

»Born in 1930 in Southern Nigeria

»Brought up by a pioneer Christian family in the large village of Ogidi

»Early center of Anglican missionary work

»Attended a primary school run by Church Missionary Society

• 1944 Attended Government College in Umuahia• 1953 Received his B.A. from the University College of

Ibadan• 1954 Joined the Nigerian Broadcasting Company in

Lagos• 1958 He wrote Things Fall Apart• 1960 Wrote No Longer at Ease• 1962-66 Wrote three more novels• 1969 Toured and lectured at universities in the US• 1971-1975 Wrote four more novels• 1976 Professor of English- University of Nigeria• Went on to write seven more novels, a book of short

stories, and founded the magazine UWA NDI IGBO

Nigeria • Located in Western AfricaLocated in Western Africa• Twice the size of CaliforniaTwice the size of California• Natural Resources: natural gas, petroleum, tin, Natural Resources: natural gas, petroleum, tin,

iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, arable landarable land

• Most populous country in Africa Most populous country in Africa • Composed of more than 250 ethnic groupsComposed of more than 250 ethnic groups• Official Language: EnglishOfficial Language: English• Others are: Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), FulaniOthers are: Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani

• Life expectancy at birth:– total population: 47.44 years 

male: 46.83 years female: 48.07 years

• Very high risk of infectious diseases:– bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A,

and typhoid fever, malaria, meningococcal meningitis, and Avian Influenza (Avian Flu)

“The Second Coming”

Turning and turning in the widening gyre

The falcon cannot hear the falconer;Things fall apart; the center cannot

hold;Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.

Themes

1. Change vs. Tradition

2. Masculinity

3. Language/Cultural Differences