Marriage: A Private Affair – A Critical Analysis of Chinua Achebe’s Story
Marriage is a Private Affair by Chinua Achebe
Literal Comprehension
This thought-provoking story, “Marriage is a Private Affair,” by renowned Nigerian author Chinua Achebe, explores the complexities of love and marriage across cultural boundaries. The narrative centers on Nnaemeka, an Ibo man, and Nene, a woman from a different tribe, who fall in love and decide to marry in Lagos. Knowing his father Okeke’s staunch traditional beliefs, Nnaemeka delays informing him of the engagement. According to
Read MoreTess of the d’Urbervilles: A Summary and Analysis
What did the parson tell John Durbeyfield? The parson told him that he belonged to the oldest branch of the ancient and noble family of d’Urberville and that her family once owned all the land in the district.
What happened when the three brothers passed the field where the girls were dancing? The youngest and handsomest of the brothers joined the dance with the girls, but Tess, one of the girls, stood a little apart from the others because she was still embarrassed about her father.
What kind of
Read MoreThe Church in the 19th and 20th Centuries: Transformations and Responses
Key Data of the Time
The new findings of the second half of the nineteenth century developed during the twentieth century. Transportation and communication established new relations between peoples and nations. New literary and pictorial movements emerged. It was the era with the highest number of people killed in wars. Weapons leveled entire cities, and millions of innocents were murdered in concentration camps. In Spain, past tensions resurfaced, leading to severe political and religious clashes.
Read MoreThe Rise of the Novel: A Literary History and Analysis
The Rise of the Novel: A Literary History and Analysis
The Prose of the World
A Definition
According to the dictionary, a novel is:
- a fictional prose narrative of considerable length, typically having a plot that is unfolded by the actions, speech, and thoughts of the characters.
- the literary genre represented by novels.
More Definitions
The novel is a worldwide cultural instrument which helped redefine:
- the time and space where we live
- the way we speak and talk
- how we feel
- what we do
Hybrid Genre
The novel:
Read MoreUnderstanding Okonkwo: A Study Guide for Things Fall Apart
Literary Terms
Direct Characterization
The author directly tells the reader about a character’s personality and attitude.
Indirect Characterization
The reader has to figure out the character based on their actions, physical appearance, words, and what others say about them.
Motivation
The reasons that compel a character to act as they do.
Myth
An anonymous, traditional story that explains a belief, custom, or mysterious natural phenomenon.
Tragic Hero
A person who is neither completely good nor bad, who commits
Read MoreThe Pursuit of Happiness: A Journey of Self-Discovery and Values
The happy man is at peace with himself
The man seeks happiness and freedom.
There have been two types of happiness:
• Man abdineo: order and balance.
2. Dionysian Happiness: for new sensations.
Happiness is a result and life is a means to externalize the most humane thing we
inside, so that happiness is the subjective experience of being good with yourself.
The road to happiness: a set of small illusions
It is a form of travel rather than a final statement, since there is no absolute happiness.