Achebe, Chinua. Girls at War and Other Stories. Heineman Educational Books, 1972.
Girls at War and Other Stories at Goodreads
Overall Rating: 8/10
The stories in Chinua Achebe's Girls at War and Other Stories span two decades, and focus greatly on Nigeria's development: on culture, religion, urbanization, post-colonialism, revolution and famine. Customs are changing and so are people. The early stories focus primarily on traditional values and clashes with British ideology, whereas the later stories tackle Nigeria's fight for independence, and the brutal Civil War that broke out in 1967. Whatever Achebe writes about, his observations are acute and his story-telling skills marvelous. The satire and depiction of class attitudes and clashing viewpoints make for an excellent read. I am sure I missed much of the subtlety in the book, as it is removed from my own culture and I was not yet alive during the events depicted in the book or at the time the stories were written. Regardless, it is accessible and great literature. It's most impressive feature is the combination of humour and charm, alongside the dark reality of war and death.Aside from the last story, the stories in the collection are quite short, yet whether Achebe is criticizing political campaigning, social customs or gender relations, the brevity manages to encompass biting sarcasm and snarky humour, while telling an engaging, well-rounded story.
With his longtime publisher Heinemann, Achebe helped to establish the African Writers Series as part of the Heinemann Educational Books imprint. Achebe was concerned with the representation of Africa in western literature, and aimed to bring African writers to a greater international audience. The series published over one hundred books by African authors, with Achebe's own masterpiece Things Fall Apart being the first in the series, while his other African Trilogy novels, No Longer at Ease and Arrow of God being numbers three and sixteen, respectively. The original collection, Girls at War and Other Stories, is number 100.
The Madman 8/10
The Insider (Nwankwo-Ifejika), Enugu, 1971 (in a shorter version)
An encounter on market day between a vagrant and a wealthy landowner challenges the notion of what it is to be mad. An unnamed traveller leaves the road to search for water after seeing a group of women return to the road with water-pots on their heads. Meanwhile, landowner Nwibe leaves the bickering of his wives at home to work in his field. Once his work is done, Nwibe visits a stream to wash himself, and there the vagrant steals his clothing, believing Nwibe is the cause of much of his misery.
An absolutely wonderful story that toys with the idea of madness. People are defined not by their cast or their general behaviour, but by their community and customs, and what their neighbours believe is appropriate. The successful landowner crosses paths with a "madman" who seems to have taken residence in the nearby woods, and the landowner seems to have inherited the madness, as friends and neighbours who witness him run naked through the marketplace, deem him mad, sealing his fate.
The Voter 7/10
Black Orpheus, No. 17, 1965
Campaigner for the upcoming elections Rufus "Roof" Okeke pays two shillings to anyone who will vote for the current village political party, the People's Alliance Party (PAP) and its leader, the Chief Honourable Marcus Ibe. Yet when he is approached by a campaigner for the opposing party, the Progressive Organization Party (POP), who offers him five pounds for his vote, he greedily accepts. The campaigners from POP, however, are not satisfied with his word alone, and make him swear on an iyi that he will cast his vote for their leader, or the iyi will "take note."
The story is seeping in sarcasm, and is a joy to read. Every aspect of governance is driven by selfish greed, and democracy is a joke as the people are manipulated in their vote. This story was published in 1965, five years after Nigeria gained its independence from British rule.
Marriage is a Private Affair 7/10
The University Herald, Ibadan, May 1952
Nnaemeka receives a letter from his father informing him that he would like to begin the negotiations with his neighbour to arrange a marriage between their daughter and Nnaemeka. Yet Nnaemeka now lives in Lagos and has fallen in love with a woman named Nene. He visits his father in the village to tell him, and immediately a rift is made, as his father refuses to accept the outsider woman as his daughter-in-law.
Akueke 8/10
Reflections: Nigerian Prose and Verse, edited by Frances Ademola, Lagos: African University Press, 1965
Following the death of Akueke's mother, a rift grows between her and her brothers as she rejects every male suitor that seeks her hand in marriage. A brief yet complex story of belonging. The brothers love their sister dearly, but are guided by custom and not her emotional welfare.
Chike's School Days 7/10
Rotarian, April 1960
Amos has converted to Christianity, and on the advice of a white missionary-cum-bootlegger, married an Osu woman. They had five daughters before they had their first son, Chike, and the children were taught "the ways of the white man." Chike was enamoured with the English language, even though he did not know the meaning of many words, such as periwinkle. Amos's mother, who was also a Christian convert and took the name Elizabeth, was upset with the marriage and discussed the situation with the local diviner. She performed the rites as described by the diviner, but her son "remained insane" and went through with the marriage to the Osu woman named Sarah, so Elizabeth renounced her new-found religion and "returned to the faith of her people."
A humourous bit of satire, told with immeasurable charm.
The Sacrificial Egg 7/10
Atlantic Monthly, April 1959 (in a shorter version)
Umuru is an ancient city with a vast market that has been encroached upon by neighbouring communities. The market, it is said, is blessed by a deity who attracts people of faraway places from all directions, and now the market is filled with strangers who do not know how to properly behave. This angers the evil spirit Kitikpa, who has come to the market looking for a sacrifice. Julius Obi is longing for his bride-to-be Janet, who he had left one week ago, as Janet's ma warned him to stay away while the people lay out their sacrifices to Kitikpa.
Like many of the stories in the collection, this one looks at the changing landscape of Nigeria, the blending of cultures and generations, and the tensions that all this brings about.
Polar Undergraduate 6/10
The University Herald, December 1950
A brief satirical treatise on undergraduate course schedules and sleep deprivation. The earlier of the stories included in the collection, it was published in the University of Ibadan's school paper.
Vengeful Creditor 8/10
Okike, No. 1, 1971
In terms of biting satire, this story has some finely honed teeth. The government's plan to offer free education to its citizens backfires, as over a million people take advantage and the government is nearly bankrupt. The story follows the tribulations of the well-to-do Emenikes, who suffer the loss of various servants as they leave their posts in order to take advantage of free education. One particular baby-nurse named Vero is desperate to be educated that she attempts to kill the baby for which she is caring in order to be able to attend school. Much of the story is told through the point of view of the Emenikes, and we are through them given such logic as "the craze for education in this country will one day ruin all of us."
While the story manages to be quite funny, particularly via Mr. Emenike as he attempts to be a man of the house, the image we are left with is wholly tragic. A truly fine piece of writing.
In a Village Church 7/10The University Herald, 1951
As the people gather Sunday morning for church, our narrator observes the proceedings and those around them, and offers some insightful observations. A short and charming piece on church visits.
Dead Men's Path 8/10
The University Herald, January 1953
Michael Obi has been appointed the new headmaster of Ndume Central School. The young man and his wife are excited to bring their modern ideas to the "unprogressive" and "backward" school, and to challenge the narrow views of the "older and often less-educated" teachers. They plunge into their work, beautifying the campus grounds, when Michael notices an old villager passing through campus and discovers an old path that brought her there. He demands that the path be blocked so that the villagers cannot cut through the school grounds, but the locals are terrified, as this is the path that is taken by the spirits of the dead.
A wonderful story, the first by Achebe I ever read, I believe in Backpack Literature.
Uncle Ben's Choice 7/10
Black Orpheus, No. 19, 1966
Uncle Ben tells of his youth, his love of expensive things and his avoidance of women. All this leads to a New Year's night when he encounters Mami Wota in his bed, a spirit who grants men great wealth, but refuses to allow them to marry and have children.
An amusing, simpler story, charmingly written.
Civil Peace 7/10
Okike, No. 2, 1971
Following the Nigerian Civil War, the Igbo communities attempt to rebuild their lives. Fresh running water is again becoming available, yet the country has a long way to go in order to rebuild. Jonathan Iwegbu has a house, at least, though it has fallen to ruin, and managed to hide a bicycle during the conflict which he has now retrieved. He has also managed to save himself, his wife and three of his four children during a devastation that saw the death of close to four million civilians. Achebe appears to be criticizing the state that offered what was essentially little help to the Biafran communities, and Jonathan, skillful and smart, manages to equip his family with the means to build a better future. Local thieves come literally knocking on his door, self-professing themselves as good thieves and asking for only a hundred pounds of what the family has managed to garner.
Girls at War 8/10
Girls at War and Other Stories, Heineman Educational, 1972
Over a period of nearly two years, Reginald Nwankwo from the Ministry of Justice encounters a young militia girl, from the beginning of the Nigerian Civil War. The story chronicles the changing viewpoints over time, as the promise of freedom is dampened by death and starvation, while many not only do their best to survive, but also profit from the war.
This latter story does not have the humour of Achebe's earlier works, as it deals with tragic events and presents a world that is broken physically and in spirit. An excellent, powerful story.
For more of this week's Wednesday Short Stories, please visit Patti Abbott's blog.
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