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Language of African Literature Blog Post

"While Ngugi’s extract was used to practice the annotation and structuring of a Paper 1, the content and theme of the article can also be used to inform a deeper appreciation of Things Fall Apart
In what ways does this text influence your understanding of Achebe’s use of language and stylistic choices in Things Fall Apart?"
           Ngugi’s discussion on his native language, and how colonial policies influenced it and his way of life directly lead to familiar topics discussed or alluded to in Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”. Within “Things Fall Apart”, Achebe utilises Igbo proverbs, songs, folktales, and integrates the Igbo language into the text (uses Igbo words in certain parts of the novel). Because of Ngugi’s text, an addition depth or motivation is added to the understanding of Achebe’s use of language and stylistic choices in “Things Fall Apart”. Ngugi mentions that his people’s “…appreciation of the suggestive magical power of language was reinforced by the games we played with words through riddles, proverbs…”, which “Things Fall Apart”, with the Igbo culture, features, with proverbs, Igbo words, folktales etc., being mentioned and used within the story. After reading this text, it is evident that Achebe’s choices regarding language and style were not simply to form a connection with the Igbo people/culture, but rather to produce it directly from the Igbo culture. The usage of Igbo words in lieu of English for certain segments and phrases in the book, without providing translations, establishes “Things Fall Apart” as a definitively Igbo text; along with the usage of Igbo proverbs and folktales.

            Furthermore, the extract from Ngugi’s “Decolonizing the Mind”, deals with the effects of colonialism on his language (as mentioned earlier), specifically mentioning “this harmony [reference to previous paragraph in text] was broken” and “…language of my education was no longer the language of my culture”. The arrival of the British in “Things Fall Apart”, signifies the destruction of Igbo harmony, thus further relating it with the ideas and themes behind “Decolonising the Mind”.

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