Marriage+Is+A+Private+Affair


 * By Jarrod Kilburn

A. Paragraph Summary of the Story**

In the story "Marriage Is A Private Affiar", Nnaemeka's father, Okeke has arranged a marriage for him. The marriage is a suitable match and would be looked upon favorably in the community they live in. However, Nnaemeka isn't in live with the girl his father has chosen for him; rather, he is in love with Nene, his wife to-be. Nnaemeka is now faced with a difficult decision: go against his father's wishes or marry a women that he's not in love with while the one he does love gets away.


 * B. Paragraph About Chinua Achebe**

Chinua Achebe was born and grew up in the Ibo village of Ogidi when Nigeria was still under British colonization. Though he won a scholarship to study medicine, Achebe's love of literature and his growing involvement with African nationalism changed his career. The nationalist movement brought a new sense of African self-awareness and confidence and made Achebe think that he and his fellow Africans may have their own stories to tell. As a move defining his roots, Achebe dropped his first name Albert, given to him in honor of Queen Victoria's Husband. In 1958, Achebe published his first novel, //Things Fall Apart.// Then, in 1960, a civil war occured in the new country of Nigeria, which was not unified. Achebe tried to secede from Nigeria and establish a new republic called Biafra. The war lasted three years and ws unsuccessful for Achebe, although it did give him inspiration to write his 1973 novel, //Girls at War.// During the war, Achebe appealed to Europe and the Americas for aid. When Nigeria retook control in 1970, he involved himself in political parties but soon resigned due to his dissatisfaction with the corruption and eltisim he witnessed. He lived in the U.S. for several years in the 1970's and returned in the 1990's after a car crash left him partially disabled. Over his lifetime, Achebe has written many novels; novels which focus on the traditions of Igbo society, the effect of Christian influences, and the clash of values during and after the colonial era. His style is based heavily on the Igbo oral tradition and combines straightforward narration with representations of folk stories, proverbs, and oratory. Among novels, Achebe has written a number of short stories, children's books, and essary collections. He is currently the Charles P. Stevenson Professor of Languages and Literature at Bard College in Annandale-on Hudson, NY.


 * C. A Picture of Chinua Achebe



D. My Literary Analysis

[|WORLD+LIT+ESSAY[1.doc]]

My Opinion**

In my opinion, I wouldn't recommend this stories to others. For one, the story's ending is incomplete and vague, and gives you no definite answer on what Okeke will do with his dilemma. There's no closure to it and I like closure in my stories. Also, it's not as if anything spectactularly incredibly happens during the story. It's mostly dialogue and told in a flash back. There's very little, if any, action in it, making it a dull read. If you dont really attempt to pay attention, the story will go in one ear and out the other, making it hard to follow. In all, //Marriage Is A Private Affair// isn't an awful story, but I wouldn't recommend it to you if you don't like boring stories with not much action occuring.