PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI · 2017-12-18 · Language Education Study Program Sanata Dharma University. ... digunakan untuk mendukung analisis seperti buku-buku tentang

CULTURAL CONFLICTS EXPERIENCED BY OBI OKONKWO

AS REVEALED IN CHINUA ACHEBE’S NO LONGER AT EASE

A Thesis

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree in English Language Education

By:

Susanti Malasari

Student Number: 041214124

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA

2009

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

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CULTURAL CONFLICTS EXPERIENCED BY OBI OKONKWO

AS REVEALED IN CHINUA ACHEBE’S NO LONGER AT EASE

A Thesis

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree

in English Language Education

By:

Susanti Malasari

Student Number: 041214124

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA

2009


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ABSTRACT Malasari, Susanti (2009). Cultural Conflicts Experienced by Obi Okonkwo as Revealed in Chinua Achebe’s No Longer at Ease. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program Sanata Dharma University. This thesis discusses a novel entitled No Longer at Ease written by Chinua Achebe. It is about a young man, Obi Okonkwo, who returns from studying abroad in England. The influence of western culture makes Obi Okonkwo live with two different cultures. It makes Obi Okonkwo rebel against his Ibo traditions and customs. That is why he tries to break the rule of the tradition by making a decision to marry an osu. However, Obi Okonkwo’s parents, friends and also lover stand against his decision because it is clear that marrying an osu is forbidden in Ibo society. The clashed perception between Obi Okonkwo and his relatives, friends and also his lover leads him to the main conflict of the novel. There are two problems formulated in the problem formulation, they are: (1) How is Obi Okonkwo’s character described in the novel? (2) How does western culture influence the major conflict of Obi Okonkwo? The method of this study is library research. There are two main data that the writer used in this study: primary data and secondary data. The primary data is the novel No Longer at Ease. The secondary data is the data that are used to support the analysis such as some books in literature, sociology, culture and also some articles related to Ibo and Western culture taken from the electronic sources. In order to answer the first problem, the writer used theories of character and characterization. To find out the answer of the second problem, the writer used sociology theories, cultural theories, review on Ibo and Western culture in particular those related to marriage. In addition, the writer used sociocultural approach because it deals with the influence of culture on a conflict in one’s life.

The analysis of the first problem shows that Obi Okonkwo is described as a smart, dishonest, idealistic, responsible, educated, loving and caring person. On the other hand, the analysis of the second problem concerns with the influence of Western culture on the major conflict of Obi Okonkwo. It is concluded that Obi Okonkwo’s decision to marry Clara is the cause of the major conflict. It happens because Obi Okonkwo has been influenced by Western culture that makes him have new perceptions about marriage.

This thesis also gives suggestions for future researchers and for English teaching. There are other things that can be analyzed by future researchers such as the relation between the writer and the story and the influence of love in the major character. The writer also suggests some parts of the novel as the materials for teaching writing for the second semester students of English Education Study Program.


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ABSTRAK Malasari, Susanti (2009). Cultural Conflicts Experienced by Obi Okonkwo as Revealed in Chinua Achebe’s No Longer at Ease. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Skripsi ini membahas sebuah novel berjudul No Longer at Ease karangan Chinua Achebe. Novel ini menceritakan tentang seorang laki-laki muda bernama Obi Okonkwo yang baru saja kembali dari Inggris. Pengaruh kebudayaan barat membuat Obi Okonkwo hidup dengan dua kebudayaan yang berbeda. Hal itu membuat Obi Okonkwo menentang tradisi dan kebudayaan Ibo yang dianutnya. Oleh karena itu, dia mencoba untuk melanggar tradisi masyarakatnya dengan membuat keputusan untuk menikahi seorang osu. Akan tetapi, orang tua, sahabat-sahabat dan kekasih Obi Okonkwo menentang keputusannya karena masyarakat Ibo melarang seseorang untuk menikahi osu. Perbedaan persepsi diantara Obi Okonkwo dengan kerabatnya, sahabat-sahabatnya dan kekasihnya membuatnya masuk ke dalam konflik utama dalam novel ini. Ada dua masalah yang dinyatakan dalam rumusan masalah: (1) Bagaimana karakter Obi Okonkwo dideskripsikan? (2) Bagaimana pengaruh budaya barat terhadap konflik utama yang dialami oleh Obi Okonkwo?

Skipsi ini menggunakan metode studi pustaka. Ada dua sumber utama yang digunakan dalam skipsi ini: sumber utama dan sumber kedua. Sumber utamanya adalah novel No Longer at Ease. Sumber keduanya adalah data yang digunakan untuk mendukung analisis seperti buku-buku tentang kesusasteraan, buku-buku tentang sosiologi, buku-buku tentang kebudayaan dan juga beberapa artikel tentang kebudayaan Ibo dan kebadayaan barat yang diambil dari sumber-sumber elektronik. Untuk menjawab pertanyaan pada masalah pertama, saya menggunakan teori penokohan. Untuk menemukan jawaban masalah kedua, saya menggunakan teori sosiologi, teori budaya, dan ulasan tentang budaya Ibo dan budaya barat pada khususnya yang berhubungan dengan pernikahan. Saya juga menggunakan pendekatan sosial-budaya karena analisis skripsi ini berkaitan dengan pengaruh budaya terhadap konflik dalam kehidupan seseorang.

Analisis masalah pertama menunjukkan bahwa Obi Okonkwo adalah seorang yang pandai, tidak jujur, idealis, bertanggung jawab, berpendidikan dan penyayang. Analisis masalah kedua membahas tentang pengaruh kebudayaan barat terhadap konflik utama yang dialami oleh Obi Okonkwo. Dapat disimpulkan bahwa keputusan Obi Okonkwo untuk menikahi Clara adalah hal yang menjadi sebab konflik utama. Hal tersebut terjadi karena Obi Okonkwo telah terpengaruh oleh budaya barat yang membuatnya mempunyai persepsi-persepsi baru tentang pernikahan.

Skripsi ini juga memberi saran bagi para peneliti selanjutnya dan bagi pengajaran bahasa Inggris. Ada beberapa hal yang dapat dianalisa oleh para peneliti selanjutntya seperti hubungan antara pengarang dengan cerita dan pengaruh cinta pada karakter utama. Penulis juga mengusulkan beberapa bagian


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dari novel sebagai materi untuk mengajar keahlian menulis yang diperuntukkan bagi mahasiswa semester dua jurusan pendidikan bahasa Inggris.


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I face inconvenience to get something precious in my life...

God gives me this chance to prove that I can make one of my dreams comes true...

However this is not the end of my efforts because there is a greatest dream that I want to achieve...

This thesis is gratefully dedicated to: • My beloved parents • My younger brother • My Sun • Myself


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all I would like to thank my God, Allah SWT for the Most

Gracious love, mercy and guidance in all my life. His strength empowers me to

face this hard life especially in writing my thesis. Allah is the only power in my

life. I would like to thank Mrs. Henny Herawati, S. Pd., M. Hum. for her time,

advice, ideas, comments, suggestions and also for her patience in guiding me

during the writing process of my thesis. She is much more than a thesis advisor.

She is a very great thesis advisor. I also would like to thank Sister Margaret,

Paskalina Widiastuti Ratnaningsih, and Silvia Krisnawati for reading and

correcting my thesis. I appreciate their help, patience and kindness.

A great appreciation goes to all lecturers of English Education Study

Program for helping me to broaden my knowledge that is very useful in writing

this thesis. I also thank all the staff at the secretariat who are always ready to

help me in administrative matter during my study. My deepest thanks go to

Sanata Dharma University librarians for their kindness in helping me finding

references that are useful for my study and my thesis.

My greatest gratitude goes to my family: My Father, Murjoko Maiyanto,

my mother, Warsih, and also my younger brother, Setyo Budi Ariyanto, who

always encourages me. I thank them for their love, support and prayers. I also

thank for every smile, every joke and every great moment in our lives. I thank

them for everything they have given to me. May God always give us a great

amount of peace so that we can have such a great live in this world. I also thank


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my younger brother’s girlfriend, Dhesi. I thank her for her caring and

encouragement. Grateful thanks go to My Sun. I thank him for his love, support

and encouragement. I thank him for sharing great moments with me and

brightening my days. I will never forget all of them.

My special thanks go to my mutual friends, Susan, Bekti and Vensi for

coloring my days. They all have been so nice and great friends to me who are

willing to help me whenever I need. I thank them for every laugher and tear. We

will be good friends forever. May God bless them all. I also thank Yayun for the

novel. My deepest thanks go to Mbak Upik, Ferdi, Mbak Ari, and Mbak Niken

for their help and encouragement. Special thanks go to Mas Adi, Randy,

Immanuel and also Mas Andri for their encouragement and support. I also thank

my classmates, who are so friendly and kind. I will miss our days together. I

would express my gratitude for my partners in conducting PPL II, KKN and SPD

project. I thank them for such a great cooperation.

I would like to thank my Sweety Supra Fit AB 5225 G. I thank it so much

for accompanying me everywhere. I thank it for being my friend in all conditions.

It is the most loyal friend that I have ever had.

Last but not least I would like to express my deepest thanks to everybody

who has helped and supported me in writing my thesis and for those who have

come and beautified my life. I cannot mention one by one but I truly thank them

for everything they have given to me. May the best come to us all.

Susanti Malasari


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

TITLE PAGE ................................................................................................ i

APPROVAL PAGES .................................................................................... ii

STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ........................................... iv

ABSTRACT ................................................................................................... v

ABSTRAK ....................................................................................................... vi

PAGE OF DEDICATION ............................................................................ viii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................... ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................. xi

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ................................................................ 1

A. Background of the Study . ........................................................................... 1

B. Problem Formulation .................................................................................. 3

C. Problem Limitation ..................................................................................... 4

D. Objectives of the Study .............................................................................. 4

E. Benefits of the Study .................................................................................. 4

F. Definition of Terms .................................................................................... 4

CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ........................ 7

A. Theoretical Review ..................................................................................... 7

1. Theory of Literature ......................................................................... 7

a. Theory of Character ................................................................ 7


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b. Theory of Characterization ..................................................... 9

1) Meaning of Characterization ............................................ 9

2) Ways of Characterization.................................................. 9

c. Theory of Critical Approach .................................................. 10

d. Theory of Conflict .................................................................. 12

2. Sociological Theory of Conflict ................................................... 12

3. Cultural Theory of Social Class and Caste System ...................... 14

a. Social Class ........................................................................... 14

b. Caste System ......................................................................... 14

4. Review on Igbo Culture .................................................................. 15

a. Caste System ......................................................................... 15

b. Igbo Marriage Tradition ........................................................ 17

5. Review on Western Culture ............................................................ 17

a. Social Class in the United States ........................................... 17

b. Western Marriage Tradition .................................................. 18

B. Theoretical Framework .............................................................................. 18

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ............................................................ 20

A. Object of the Study ..................................................................................... 20

B. Approach of the Study ................................................................................. 21

C. Method of the Study .................................................................................... 22


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CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ......................................................................... 23

A. The Description of Obi Okonkwo .............................................................. 23

1. Smart ............................................................................................... 25

2. Dishonest. ......................................................................................... 26

3. Idealistic ........................................................................................... 28

4. Responsible ...................................................................................... 31

5. Educated ........................................................................................... 33

6. Loving and Caring ........................................................................... 36

B. The Influence of Western Culture on the Major Conflict of Obi –

Okonkwo .................................................................................................... 41

1. The Identification of the Cause of the Major Conflict of Obi –

Okonkwo ......................................................................................... 41

a. Perceptions of Clara ............................................................... 43

b. Perceptions of Obi’s Friends .................................................. 45

c. Perceptions of Obi’s Parents ................................................... 47

2. Obi’s New Perceptions about Marriage .......................................... 50

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ........................... 56

A. Conclusions ................................................................................................ 56

B. Suggestions ................................................................................................. 59

1. Suggestions for Future Researchers ................................................ 59

2. Suggestions for English Teachers: The Implementation of

No Longer at Ease to teach writing ................................................. 59


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REFERENCES .............................................................................................. 62

APPENDICES ............................................................................................... 65

Appendix 1: Summary of No Longer at Ease ................................................. 66

Appendix 2: Biography of Chinua Achebe ..................................................... 69

Appendix 3: Chinua Achebe’s Works ............................................................. 76

Appendix 4: Picture of Chinua Achebe .......................................................... 77

Appendix 5: Map of the Places in the novel ................................................... 78

Appendix 6: Syllabus ...................................................................................... 79

Appendix 7: Implementation of No Longer at Ease to Teach Writing ........... 81


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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter consists of six major parts. The first part, background of the

study, explains the writer’s reasons in choosing the topic. The second part,

problem formulation, formulates the problems that the writer wants to discuss.

The third part, problem limitation, describes the focus and the scope of the study.

The fourth part, objectives of the study, presents the objectives of this study. The

fifth part, research benefits, presents the benefits of this study. In addition, the last

part, definition of terms, explains some key terms used in this study.

A. Background of the Study

As social beings, human beings could not live by themselves. They are

always related to their society. It means that they need their society to fulfill their

needs. They need to interact with their society in order to survive. The interaction

between them is often called social interaction. According to Gillin and Gillin

(489) “social interaction refers to social relations of all sorts in function - dynamic

social relations of all kinds – whether such relations exist between individual and

individual, between group and group, or between group and individual, as the case

may be.” In the process of social interaction, human beings may find some

problems. The problems may cause conflict between them.

Fichter (230) states “conflict is that form of mutual interaction through

which two or more persons attempt to remove each other, either by annihilating or


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by rendering the other party ineffectual.” While Gillin and Gillin (625) state

“conflict is the social process in which individuals or groups seek their ends by

directly challenging the antagonist by violence or threat of violence.” However,

conflicts are not necessarily violence but it can be the conflict in the form of

contrary ideas or values. There are many causes of conflicts. According to Gillin

and Gillin, conflicts may grow up through cultural differences. This statement is

supported by LeBaron which states “culture is always a factor in conflict, whether

it plays a central role or influences it subtly and gently.”

It is so because there are some people who have a narrow view of

another’s culture. Usually people feel proud of their own culture. However, their

way of thinking sometimes leads them to judge another culture is worse compare

to their own culture. Therefore, conflict cannot be avoided. People usually feel

that they belong to certain cultural values, whenever they are threatened by others

they will act violently or they may react to it by being angry with the people who

threaten them. It means that cultural differences may raise conflict between

individual or between groups in the society even conflict in the family.

This phenomenon makes people who deal with literature have an idea that

cultural conflict may become a great soul of a story. A story that raises issues of

cultural differences offers great values for human beings. The novel that the writer

chose is one of the novels that raise social and cultural issues in human life that

we can easily find in our society. It tells about a man, Obi Okonkwo, who has just

come back from England after four years of studying abroad. During his years in

England, Obi Okonkwo is unconsiously influenced by western culture.


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As a result, while Obi Okonkwo comes back to his hometown, he lives

with two different cultures. His Ibo culture is mixed with western culture. He is an

Ibo but he has westernized ways of thinking. As a result, Obi Okonkwo feels that

he is uncomfortable with his own culture. In addition, he rebels against the Ibo

traditions that he previously believes in and follows western traditions.

Culture is something precious for a country. It is the identity of a country.

A good country must be able to keep their own culture because by keeping their

culture, it means that they keep their own identity. What the writer found in the

novel is that the major character cannot maintain his own culture which raises the

major conflict among the characters. The conflict occurred between the major

character and his lover and between the major character and his family. This novel

is very interesting since it shows how western culture influences the major

conflict of Obi Okonkwo. That is why the writer wants to analyze more on the

conflict which is caused by the influence of western culture in this novel. The

writer hopes that this work becomes an overview that culture has a big role in the

traditional society which still holds on to their traditional rules.

B. Problem Formulation

1. How is Obi Okonkwo’s character described in the novel?

2. How does western culture influence the major conflict of Obi Okonkwo?


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C. Problem Limitation

This study focuses on the discussion on the major character’s description

in the story and the discussion on how western culture influences the major

conflict of Obi Okonkwo.

D. Objectives of the Study

In this study, there are two objectives that the writer wants to achieve. The

first is to find out how Obi Okonkwo’s character is described in the novel. The

writer tries to explore his attitudes and behavior and also how he is characterized

by another character. The second objective is to find out how western culture

influences the major conflict of Obi Okonkwo.

E. Benefits of the Study

There are at least two groups of people who get the benefits of the study.

They are readers in general and students. The readers in general get more

knowledge on how cultural differences cause conflicts in the society. The writer

hopes that this study gives contribution to the readers and the students who want

to take the same study.

F. Definition of Terms

To avoid misunderstanding and to get better understanding, the writer

provides the definitions of some terms that are used in this study.


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The first term is character. Gill (127) states “a character is someone in a

literary work who has some sort of identity (it does not need be a strong one), an

identity which is made up by appearance, conversation, action, name and

(possibly) thoughts in the head.” In this study, the term character has two

meanings. Firstly, it means the person that becomes the focus of the novel that is

described deeply through their attitudes and performance. Secondly, they are

described through their psychological behavior which is concerned with their

emotion, feeling and motivation.

The second term is conflict. According to Laurence Perrine (44) conflict

means a clash of action, ideas, desires or wills between two individuals or among

people in the society. In this study, conflict refers to the problems caused by the

influence of western culture that the major character faces in the story.

The third term is culture. Fichter (270) states “culture is the total

configuration of institutions that people in a society share in common.” In this

study, culture refers to the tradition that the major character holds and new beliefs

that the major character acquires when he is studying in England.

The fourth term is Ibo or Igbo. Igbo is one of ethnic groups in Negeria.

According to Froiland “the Ibos live in the Iboland.” VanderSluis explains that

“Igbo people find their home in a rich and fertile crescent created by the lower

Niger River within Nigeria.” In this study, Igbo refers to the ethnic in which Obi

Okonkwo belongs to.


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The sixth term is Diala. According to Igwe, Diala are the freeborn. Igwe

states that in its literary meaning Diala means “the son of the soil.” He also states

that Diala are “the master.” In this study Diala refers to the Obi Okonkwo’s caste.

The seventh term is Osu. According to Onyemaechi, “an osu is a person

who is sacrificed or consecrated alive together with his or her descendants to the

service of a pagan god.” Igwe states osu are “the slaves, the strangers, the

outcasts, and the untouchables.” In this study, osu refers to Clara’s caste.

The last term is bride price. Onyemaechi states bride price is “a token

appreciation for the loss of a daughter.” According to him bride price is given to

the bride’s father or relatives. He also states that bride price is a form of a contract

between the couple. In this study, bride price refers to some money that Obi

Okonkwo has to pay to his bride’s father or relatives.


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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter includes the theories that the writer takes in the research to

support the analysis of the formulated problems stated in chapter I. This chapter is

divided into two parts. They are theoretical review and theoretical framework.

Theoretical review covers the theories of literature, sociological theory of conflict,

cultural theory of social class and caste system and reviews on Igbo and western

culture. Theoretical framework describes the application of all theories used in

this study.

A. Theoretical Review

This part deals with literary theory that the writer uses in the research to

support the analysis of the study. In this part, the writer presents The Theory of

Character, The Theory of Characterization, The Theory of Critical Approach, The

Theory of Conflict, The Sociological Theory of Conflict, Cultural Theory of

Social Class and Caste System, and also Reviews on Igbo and Western Culture.

1. Theory of Literature

a. Theory of Character

Gill (127) states “a character is someone in a literary work who has some

sort of identity, an identity which is made up by appearance, conversation, action,

name and (possibly) thoughts in the head.” While Stanton (17) states that


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“character is commonly used in two ways; it designates the individuals who

appear in the story and it refers to the mixture of interests, desires, emotions and

moral principles that makes up each of these individuals.” On the other hand,

Robert and Jacobs (119) defines “character is an extended verbal representation of

a human being, the inner self that determines thought, speech, and behavior.”

There are many ways to distinguish character. According to Stanton (17)

characters in a story play very important roles because the characters make the

readers understand the story. Major character is the most important but he needs

other characters to make the story more interesting. According to Milligan (155)

there are two types of character. The first type is called major character, a

character who plays an important role in the story. A major character appears

more often than the other character because he or she is the center of the story.

The second type is minor character, a character who plays a less important role in

the story. This character does not appear in the story frequently because his or her

role is only to support the major character to develop the story in the novel.

Barnet and Burto (228-229) explain about flat and round character. They

state “flat character is relatively simple and usually has only one trait: loving wife

(or jealous wife), tyrannical husband (or meek husband), braggart, pedant,

hypocrite, or whatever.” On the other hand, Barnet and Burto states “a round

character embodies several or many traits that cohere to form a complex

personality.” Holman and Harmon (83) state that character may be static or

dynamic based on their development and changes. Static characters are characters

who do not undergo any changes in their behavior, appearance, disposition, and


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their way of thinking. Dynamic characters, unlike static characters undergo

changes in their personalities, outlook and the way of thinking. According to

Barnet and Burto “a flat character is usually static (at the end of story the

character is pretty much what he or she was at the start), a round character is

likely to be dynamic, changing considerably as the story progress.”

b. Theory of Characterization

1) Meaning of Characterization

Characterization is establishing the distinctive character of the persons in a

narrative (Abrams, 24). There are two methods that can be used in order to reveal

the personality of the character. They are direct method and indirect method.

2) Ways of Characterization

There are nine ways of character analysis as stated by Murphy (161-173)

to make the characters understandable and come alive for the readers. First,

character can be analyzed through personal description. Here readers can analyze

a character by seeing the character’s appearance. Second, readers can analyze

character through character as seen by another. Other characters play an important

role to a character. They have their own judgment of a character. Their judgment

will help the readers to know the character’s personality.

The third way is through speech. Whatever the character says in any

situation will show what kind of person the character is to the readers. By using

this method, the readers will easily determine what kind of person is the character.


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Fourth, character can be analyzed through past life. A character’s past life

let the readers to know what factors that shape a person’s character. Fifth, the

readers can analyze a character by paying attention to the conversation of other

characters. Here readers can analyze a character by seeing other characters’

conversation about a character. What other characters say about a character may

become a clue of his or her personality. Sixth, readers can analyze a character by

focusing on his or her reactions toward the various situations and events. How the

person reaches various situations will give a clue to the readers to know a person’s

character. How the character solves the problems shows his or her personality.

Seventh, a character can be analyzed by direct comments. Direct

comments make the readers have a better understanding about a character in a

story. Eighth, readers can analyze a character by paying attention to a character’s

thought. The reader will be able to know a person’s character through what the

character is thinking about and what is going on in the person’s mind. And the last

way to analyze a character can be done by seeing a character’s mannerism, habits

or particular behavior. The habits or activity of the character can help the readers

to see his characterization.

c. Theory of Critical Approach

Reading a novel offers many advantages. Besides the interesting story,

there are many life values that we can get by reading a novel. The life values

provided by a novel are very good to improve our knowledge. However, readers

have to comprehend and analyze the story to get the life values of the novel. For


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that reason, readers need some approaches in analyzing the values. Rohrberger

and Woods Jr. (6-15) state there are five approaches that we can use to analyze

and make understandable judgment of the literary works. The five approaches are

the formalist approach, the biographical approach, the sociocultural-historical

approach, the mythopoeic approach, and the psychological approach.

The formalist approach focuses on the total integrity of a literary work. It

concerns on its esthetic value. It investigates the work of literature itself. It

examines a literary work without the reference to facts of the author’s life and the

genre of a literary history, society and culture. The biographical approach is used

when readers want to examine a literary work based on the author’s ideas and

personality understanding of the literary work. The critics insist that a work of art

is a reflection of a personality. The sociocultural-historical approach deals with

the reference of social, cultural and historical background of a literary work. The

critics of this approach believe that it is necessary to investigate the society and

culture in which a work was created. The mythopoeic approach attempts to find

particular recurrent patterns of human thought, which are considered sharing the

same universal beliefs to certain community mind. Finally, the psychological

approach, involves effort to locate and demonstrate certain recurrent patterns. This

approach deals with human’s psychology aspects such as imagination, thought

and behavior.


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d. Theory of Conflict

According to Roberts and Jacobs (88) “conflict may be presented not as

direct opposition, but rather as a set of comparative or contrastive ideas or

values.” While Jaffe and Scott (2) state that “conflict simply means that a story

brings together two opposing forces which we call a protagonist (that is, “one who

struggles for”) and an antagonist (“one who struggles against”) and then resolves

the resultant struggle between these forces.” According to them conflict is a

necessary element in fiction. They state that conflict is the backbone of a story; it

is conflict that provides the pattern and direction and gives the sense of a story

going somewhere. On the other hand, Stanton (16) explains that there are two

kinds of conflicts, “the internal conflicts between two desires within a character”

and “the external conflicts between characters or between a character and his

environment.”

2. Sociological Theory of Conflict

Fichter (230) states “conflict is that form of mutual interaction through

which two or more persons attempt to remove each other, either by annihilating or

by rendering the other party ineffectual.” While Gillin and Gillin (625) state

“conflict is the social process in which individuals or groups seek their ends by

directly challenging the antagonist by violence or threat of violence.” According

to Koenig (262) “conflict usually involves violence and is personal, in its higher

forms it becomes an impersonal struggle to establish and preserve rules of justice

and moral precepts.”


13

Gillin and Gillin (633-634) distinguish there are four roots of conflict. The

first root of conflict is individual differences. According to Gillin and Gillin

“individual differences give different point of view and provide disparities which

lead to clashes.” The second is that cultural differences. Cultural differences often

make people misjudge another culture so that it may form conflicts between

individual and also conflict between groups. The third is clashing interests. Each

individual has its own interests. The differences of interests may become the

source of conflict. The last root is social change. Social change may divide and

separate people into groups which cause competition. Therefore, it may become

the cause of the conflict.

Simmel (263) in Koenig’s book distinguishes four types of conflict. The

first type is war. War is universal in primitive life. He states that “relationships

between tribes are almost always marked by hostility.” In addition, he states “war

provides almost the only means of contact between alien groups; so long as peace

exists, the groups remain indifferent to each other.” The second type is feud or

factional strife. It is “an intragroup form of war.” According to him feud or

factional strife is “based on an alleged injustice done to one member, or family,

by another which is regarded by the group as a threat to its unity.” The third type

of conflict is litigation. It is a “conflict which assumes a judicial form”. Simmel

states “it is a struggle waged by an individual, or group, to protect rights to

possessions.” The last type of conflict is the conflict of impersonal ideals. He

states “in the conflict of impersonal ideals, the struggle is differentiated from the

personalities waging it.” Because this type of conflict is carried on by individuals


14

not for themselves but for an ideal, the struggle often assumes an extremely fierce

and merciless character.

3. Cultural Theory of Social Class and Caste System

a. Social Class

According to Bates and Fratkin (321) “social class is used to describe

people who have generally similar educational histories, job opportunities, and

social standing.” According to Nanda (312) “in a class system, the different strata

(classes) are not sharply separated from one another but form a continuum.”

Hodges (173) in Bertrand’s book states “social class is a distinct reality which

embraces the fact that people live, eat, play, mate, dress, work, and think at

contrasting and dissimilar levels.” According to Hodges, the levels in the social

classes are the mixed of shared analgous occupational orientations, educational

backgrounds, economic wherewithal, and life experiences. Bertrand (170) states

“in class system there is no rigid limitation on movement from one strata to

another.” It means that in this kind of system, people have chance to move from

one class to another. The mobility can be upward or downward.

b. Caste System

Bates and Fratkin (324) state that “membership in caste system is managed

at birth.” According to them, caste is unchangeable. It means the caste is attached

permanently and they cannot move across the caste barrier though they have high

position in the society. In a caste system, “somebody must marry someone


15

endogamously within the caste.” This statement is supported by Nanda (313)

which says “a caste is based on birth.” She states that “an individual who belongs

to the caste of his or her parents cannot move from one caste to another.” In a

caste system society, an individual can marry only within his caste. According to

Nanda, “a caste system consists of a ranked and culturally distinct number of

interdependent endogamous group.” Caste system has a clear distinction between

castes. No matter how high a position of a person, he cannot move to the upper

caste. Bertrand (165) states that “caste system is characterized by a system of

horizontal classes or castes (strata) which represent functional areas within a

society.” According to him, caste system is recognized as the most rigid.

Therefore, it is called closed societies. Hence, the people do not have the

opportunity to move from one caste to another because it is blocked by strong

sanctions.

4. Review on Igbo Culture

Due to the different spelling between Ibo and Igbo in this thesis, the writer

wants to underline that Ibo and Igbo come from the same society and share the

same values of tradition.

a. Caste System

According to Igwe there are two classes of people in Igboland. The first

class is the Nwadiala. It means ‘sons of the soil’. They are the freeborn, the

masters. The second class is the osu. Onyemaechi states “an osu is a person who is


16

sacrificed or consecrated alive together with his or her descendants to the service

of a pagan god.” According to Igwe the “osu are the slaves, the strangers, the

outcasts, and the untouchables.” The osu is considered as low class so that there

are various forms of discrimination against them. He states that the osu are made

to live separately from the freeborn. That is why the osu are not allowed to join

any occasion with the freeborn, such as dancing, drinking, eating and having sex

relations. Igwe states that “no osu can pour libation or pray to God on behalf of a

freeborn at any community gathering”. He states that Ibo society believes that

“such prayers will bring calamity and misfortune.”

Another discrimination that is stated by Igwe is that “an osu cannot marry

a freeborn.” He states that if the freeborn marry an osu their family will be

dishonored. That is why freeborn families always forbid their members who want

to marry an osu. For this reason, marriages in Iboland are preceded by the elders

on both sides to go to the native villages in order to find out the social status. If it

is found that one of them is an osu, the plan will be cancelled. He states that the

osu caste system has refused to go away even among educated Igbos because this

cultural practice is hinged among religion, supernaturalism and theism. In

addition, Igbos are very religious and theistic people. Igwe states “osu are

regarded as unclean or untouchable because they are dedicated to the gods.”

According to him, “the dedication to the gods that makes the osu status a

condition of permanent and irreversible disability and stigma.”


17

b. Igbo Marriage Tradition

According to Onyemaechi, the marriage in Igbo society is patrilineal. He

states that a man should marry a woman from different community. According to

Agbasiere (96) “marriage is governed by the notion of birth status.” He states that

“it is forbidden for nwa or diala, freeborn, to marry an osu, a cut slave or ohu, a

bought slave and their descendants.” On the other hand, Onyemaechi states that

Igbo marriage is emphasized on arranged marriage rather than on love marriage.

In Igbo marriage tradition, there is what so called bride wealth or bride price. It is

a form of appreciation for losing a daughter. The bride price is given to the bride’s

father or relatives. Bride price is not a form of buying a wife. However, it is as a

mean of contract between the couples. According to Onyemaechi, there is no

marriage of romantic love in Igbo marriage tradition. The purpose of the marriage

is to establish a family. He states that in Igbo society “marriage is generally

regarded as a family and clan affair.” Onyemaechi states that poligamy is allowed

in Igbo marriage tradition. Nwayi adds pologamy is “regarded as a symbol of

success, wealth, and fame.”

5. Review on Western Culture

a. Social Class in the United States

Since British is a western country and it has similar class system to United

States, the writer uses the review of social class in the United States.

The United States is said to have an open class system: One’s position depends largely on achieved statuses such as occupation, education, and life style, and there is a good chance for upward mobility. She states that the open class system of the United States society is part of their


18

mythology and is based on the democratic principle of equality and opportunity for all. (Nanda, 312)

It means that people in this kind of society are equal. They have the same

opportunity in various means including education and marriage. In this kind of

society, people have chance to move to one class to another even to a higher

social class.

b. Western Marriage Tradition

Crabtree states, most western country apply romantic marriage. He states,

“it is an individual choice made by couples.” In romantic marriage, the couple

may choose to marry or become engaged first. According to Crabtree, couples are

free to do what they want to do though their family stand against them. It is so

because in western country, “individual and freedom is placed above the family.”

According to Sen, wedding rings or vows symbolize the western wedding. He

states that “wedding rings play a big role in western marriage.” Wedding rings

symbolize love and affection of the couples. Crabtree states that most western

culture and religious are strictly monogamous. In the west, poligamy is considered

as illegal.

B. Theoretical Framework

There are many theories that are applied in this study. These theories are

used to analyze and answer the problems that were formulated in the problem

formulations. For the first problem, the writer uses character and characterization

theories. The writer uses this theory to find out the characteristics of the main


19

character. There are two ways to convey information about characters. They are

direct or explicit characterization and indirect or implicit characterization. To find

out the answer of the second problem, the writer uses several socio cultural

theories and also reviews on Igbo and western culture. The socio cultural theories

provide the definition of conflict, kinds of conflict and also the definition of class

and caste systems. The reviews on Igbo and western culture provide the

information about Igbo caste system, western social class and also Igbo and

western marriage tradition. These theories help the writer in answering the

problems stated in chapter two. In other words, the writer will get a good

understanding how western culture influences the major conflict of Obi Okonkwo.


20

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

In this chapter the writer will explain about the primary data, approach and

procedures the writer uses to write this thesis. This part consists of subject matter,

approach, and procedures. The first part, object of the study, explains about the

novel the writer explores in this thesis. The second part, approach of the study,

contains the approach the writer uses to analyze the novel. The last part, method

of the study, consists of a series of steps the writer conducts in order to do this

thesis.

A. Object of the Study

This thesis studied No Longer at Ease written by Chinua Achebe, an

African author. The English version of this novel was published in 1960. This

book has 194 pages which is divided into nineteen chapters. No Longer at Ease is

Chinua Achebe’s second novel.

The story tells about a young man, Obi Okonkwo, who has just come back

to Nigeria after studying at a university in England. He studied in England for

about four years. After his return, Obi Okonkwo has different ways of thinking.

The influence of western culture makes Obi Okonkwo feel uncomfortable with his

Ibo tradition and customs. Therefore, he rebels against the tradition by claiming to

marry his lover, Clara Okeke, who is considered an osu, an outcast. Nevertheless,

his parents do not approve of it. Obi decides to ignore the custom, and he decides


21

to marry Clara. However, Obi’s mother warns him not to marry Clara otherwise

she will commit suicide. Obi tells Clara what has happened. Clara becomes

angry, and then she decides to break off their engagement. Afterwards, Clara’s

speeches imply that she wants to tell Obi that she is pregnant. Knowing Clara’s

pregnancy, Obi arranges an abortion but he does not have enough money to pay

for it.

Finally, Obi Okonkwo lends some money to his friend to carry out the

operation. Therefore, the operation is held. Unfortunately, Clara is hospitalized

because of some problems happened in the operation. After the operation, Clara

refuses to see Obi Okonkwo. Then, she decides to leave Obi. Shortly after Clara

leaves, Obi is informed that his mother is dead. However, Obi could not come to

his mother’s funeral. Obi becomes very frustrated. Moreover Obi Okonkwo is in a

grat financial difficulty. This situation makes Obi takes bribe for the first time and

he did it with the feeling of guilt. Afterwards, his taking bribes become habitual.

Unfortunately, when he takes his last bribes, he is caught and brought to the court.

B. Approach of the Study

In analyzing the work, the writer applied the approach that helped the

writer finds out the answers to the problem. Since traditional customs and beliefs

are related to culture and society, it is appropriate to use socio-cultural approach.

Socio-cultural approach is used to analyze the different culture of Ibo and

European in the story that causes the major conflict of Obi Okonkwo. The

approach is also used to find out how Ibo traditional customs and beliefs and also


22

how the character deals with the custom after he is influenced by the western

culture.

C. Method of the Study

This thesis uses library study as the data gathering method. There are two

main data that support the writer in conducting the thesis. The first is primary

data, that is the novel itself. The second is secondary data that is data that are used

to support the analysis such as theories and the data that the writer takes from the

library and the electronic sources.

There were some steps to analyze the novel. First, the writer read the novel

several times to get a better understanding. Second, the writer took notes about the

characters in the story. Third, the writer decided the topic that the writer wanted to

discuss in the thesis that is the conflict caused by cultural differences. Fourth, the

writer collected and took notes on some important information related to the topic

that the writer wanted to discuss. Fifth, the writer tried to find some theories from

books and the electronic sources. There are many theories related to this study.

Sixth, the writer took those theories and compiled them. Seventh, the writer

organized the analysis based on some theories then the writer wrote the analysis in

the form of a thesis. The last step was to draw the conclusions of the study based

on the result of the analysis. The writer made conclusions in this study that are

useful for the readers.


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CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

This chapter deals with the analysis of the two problems in the problem

formulation in the first chapter. This chapter is divided into two parts. The first

part aims to describe Obi’s character. The second part aims to find out how

western culture influences the major conflict of Obi Okonkwo.

A. The Description of Obi Okonkwo

Stanton (17) states that ”character is commonly used in two ways; it

designates the individuals who appear in the story and it refers to the mixture of

interests, desires, emotions and moral principles that makes up each of these

individuals.” There are many ways to distinguish character. According to Milligan

(155) there are two types of character. The first type is called major character, a

character that plays an important role in the story. A major character appears more

often that the other character because he or she is the center of the story.

The second type is minor character, a character that plays a less important

role in the story. This character does not appear in the story frequently because his

or her role is only to support the major character to develop the story in the novel.

Obi Okonkwo is considered as the major character because the story focuses on

him. Obi Okonkwo appears from the beginning until the end of the story and the

story talks about his life.


24

However, based on the internal complexity Obi Okonkwo is considered as

a round character. Barnet and Burto (228-229) states there are two kinds of

characters. They are flat and round character. According to them “a flat character

is relatively simple and usually has only one trait.” On the other hand, “a round

character embodies several or many traits that cohere to form a complex

personality.” Obi Okonkwo is considered as a round character because he has a

complex personality.

Holman and Harmon (83) state that a character may be static or dynamic.

A static character is a character that does not make any changes in their

personality. A dynamic character is a character that changes throughout the

progress of the story. Based on the theory, Obi Okonkwo is included as a dynamic

character. It is so because Obi Okonkwo’s character is developed in the story. In

the beginning, he states that only old African takes bribes and he will not take any

bribes but as the story progress he changes. In the end, Obi Okonkwo decided to

take bribes because he has financial problem.

According to Murphy (161-173), there are nine ways of characterization.

They are personal description, character as seen by another, speech, past life,

conversation of others, reactions toward the various situations and events, direct

comments, thought and mannerism. Usually a character can be described using

some ways of characterization which are proposed by Murphy. That is why Obi

Okonkwo’s character is analyzed by using some of the ways of characterization.

The following are Obi Okonkwo’s main characteristics:


25

1. Smart

Obi Okonkwo is a smart person. We can see this from Obi Okonkwo’s

background before his going to England. He went to England because he got a

scholarship from Umofia Progressive union.

Six or seven years ago Umofians abroad had formed their Union with the aim of collecting money to send some of their brighter young men to study in England. They taxed themselves mercilessly. The first scholarship under this scheme was awarded to Obi Okonkwo five years ago, almost to the day. (8)

Obi Okonkwo does not have any difficulty to get the scholarship. The

Umofia Progressive Union chooses Obi because they have a good reason for it.

They think that Obi is smart because they know that Obi Okonkwo has good

achievements in his school.

The selection of the first candidate had not presented any difficulty to the Union. Obi was an obvious choice. At the age of twelve or thirteen he had passed his Standard Six examination at the top of the whole province. Then he had won a scholarship to one of the best secondary schools in Eastern Nigeria. At the end of five years he passed the Cambridge School Certificate with distinction in all eight subjects. He was in fact a village celebrity, and his name was regularly invoked at the mission school where he had once been a pupil. (8-9)

Obi Okonkwo is known as a smart pupil in his school. Obi Okonkwo

always get good result in every subject and always at the top of the class. That is

why his teacher used to say that someday Obi Okonkwo will go to England

because of his smartness.

“You remember Mr. Anene, our class teacher, used to say that you would go to England. You were so small then with a running nose, and yet at the end of every term you were at the top of the class. You remember we used to call you “Dictionary’?” (41)


26

Besides Obi Okonkwo’s background before his going to England, there

are some reasons why Obi Okonkwo is considered as a smart person. After his

return from England, there is a reception to welcome Obi Okonkwo. On this

occasion, the welcome address states that the Umofia Progressive Union state that

Obi Okonkwo has great success in education. “Sir, we the officers and members

of the above-named Union present with humility and gratitude this token of our

appreciation of your unprecedented academic brilliant. . . .” (36).

Obi Okonkwo’s smartness is proved by his speech on the occasion. On the

occasion, Obi Okonkwo has a chance to give a speech to the audience. Obi

Okonkwo uses this chance to give the audience the idea of the value of education.

Obi Okonkwo speech about education shows that Obi Okonkwo is smart because

he has a wide view of education.

He told them about the value of education. “Education for service, not for white-collar jobs and comfortable salaries. With our great country on the threshold of independence, we need men who are prepared to serve her well and truly.” (37)

From the author’s direct comments, character as seen by another, and the

character’s speech, it can be seen that Obi Okonkwo is a smart person. He is smart

so that he deserves the chance to study in England. In addition, his smartness

enables him to be considered as an excellent and brilliant person. Obi Okonkwo is

a smart and knowledgeable person.

2. Dishonest

Obi Okonkwo is considered as a dishonest person even though he did it

not to hurt his father. One day Obi has a conversation with his father. His father is


27

a very religious person so that he asks Obi Okonkwo to have worship in a church.

Obi states that it is not necessary and finds any reason for it because he is no

longer religious. However, Obi Okonkwo does not tell the truth to his father. Obi

thought: “What happen if I stood up and said to him: “Father, I no longer believe

in your God?’ He knew it was impossible to do it, but he just wondered what

would happen if he did it (65).

Obi is not only dishonest about being unreligious but also tells a lie to his

father when his father asks him whether he read Bible or not while he was in

England.

“Did you have time to read your Bible while you were there?” There was nothing for it but to tell a lie. Sometimes a lie was kinder than the truth. Obi knew why the question had been asked. He had read his verses so badly at prayer that evening. “Sometimes,” he replied, but it was the Bible written in the English language.” (65)

Obi Okonkwo thinks that sometimes being dishonest is good. He thinks so

not to make another person knows that he is in a difficulty even he does not let his

lover knows about it. Obi Okonkwo’s being dishonest makes him quarrel with his

lover, Clara.

That evening he had a serious disagreement with Clara. He had not wanted to tell her about the overdraft, but as soon as she saw him she asked what the matter was. He tried to fob her off with some excuse. Clara’s way of getting anything from him was not to argue but refuse to talk. And as she usually did three-quarters of the talking when they were together, the silence soon became too heavy to bear. Obi would then ask her what the matter was, which was usually the prelude to doing whatever she wanted. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked when he had told her about the overdraft. “Well, there was no need. I’ll pay it easily in five monthly installments.” “That’s not the point. You don’t think I should be told when you’re in difficulty.”


28

“I wasn’t in difficulty. I wouldn’t have mentioned it if you hadn’t pressed me.” (116)

Obi Okonkwo thoughts and his speech help the readers to find out that Obi

Okonkwo is a dishonest person. Here, the reader can also understand the reasons

why Obi Okonkwo is dishonest.

3. Idealistic

Obi Okonkwo is an idealistic person. He states that only old Africans

corrupt but he believes that if the old Africans are replaced by the young who are

educated, corruption will end. That is the reason why he stands against corruption

and he says that he will not take any bribes.

“The civil service is corrupt because of these so-called experienced men at the top,” said Obi. “You don’t believe in experience? You think that a chap straight from university should be made a permanent secretary?” “I didn’t say straight from the university, but even that would be better than filling our top posts with old men who have no intellectual foundations to support their experience.” (22-23)

His idea about only old Africans taking bribes is opposed by his friend,

Christopher but Obi Okonkwo has his own reason to convince that his opinion

about it is correct.

“What about the Land Officer jailed last year? He is straight from the university.” “He is an exception,” said Obi. “But take one of these old men. He probably left school thirty years ago in Standard Six. He has worked steadily to the top through bribery - an ordeal by bribery. To him bribe is natural. He gave it and he expects it. Our people say that if you pay homage to the man on top, others will pay homage to you when it is your turn to be on top. Well, that is what the old men say.” “What do the young men say, if I may ask?” “To most of them bribery is no problem. They come straight to the top without bribing anyone. It’s not that they’re necessarily better than others,


29

it’s simply that they can afford to be virtuous. But even than kind of virtue can become a habit.” (23)

Obi Okonkwo is pretty sure that he will not take any bribes. That is why

he feels upset when in his job interview the chairman asks Obi Okonkwo’s reason

why he wants a job in the civil service.

“Why do you want a job in the civil service? So that you can take bribes?” he asked. Obi hesitated. His first impulse was to say it was an idiotic question. He said instead: “I don’t know how you expect me to answer that question. Even if my reason is to take bribes, you don’t expect me to admit it before this board. So I don’t think it’s a very useful question.” (46)

Obi Okonkwo’s idea in not taking bribes is proved by refusing the offer of

taking bribes from Mr. Mark who wants to apply for a Federal Scholarship for his

sister to study in England.

“You want application forms?” asked Obi. “No, no, no. I have got those. But it is like this. I was told that you are the secretary of the Scholarship Commission and I thought that I should see you. We are both Ibos and I cannot hide anything from you. It is all very well sending forms, but you know what our country is. Unless you see people . . .” “In this case it is not necessary to see anybody. The only . . .” “I was actually thinking of coming round to your house, but the man who told me about you did not know where you lived.” “I’m sorry, Mr. Mark, but I really don’t understand what you are driving at.” He said in English, much to Mr. Mark’s concentration. Miss. Tomlinson pricked up her ears like a dog that is not quite sure whether someone has mentioned bones. “I’m sorry – er – er- Mr. Okonkwo. But don’t get me wrong. I know this is wrong this is the wrong place to –er . . .” “I don’t think there is any point continuing this discussion,” Obi said again in English. If you don’t mind, I’m rather busy.” (98-99)

Obi Okonkwo feels proud because he successfully refuses the bribes. It is

so because he knows that it is hard to make that kind of decision. The decision in

which can easily change his idea about corruption.


30

After his encounter with Mr. Mark he did feel like a tiger. He had won his first battle hands-down. Everyone said it was impossible to win. They said a man expects you to accept ”kola” from him for services rendered, and until you do, his mind is never at rest. (100)

Obi Okonkwo’s idea against corruption is again to be tested. Mr. Marks’s

sister, Miss. Elsie Mark comes to Obi Okonkwo’s house. She approaches Obi and

tries to offer a bribe. She offers her body to Obi Okonkwo in order to get the

scholarship. Again, Obi refuses it firmly.

“Please, Mr. Okonkwo, you must help me. I’ll do whatever you ask.” She avoided his eyes. Her voice was a little unsteady, and Obi thought he saw a hint of tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry, terribly sorry, but I don’t see that I can make any promises.” (105)

Obi Okonkwo’s idea seems to be broken up when he starts to receive

bribes. Obi Okonkwo does that because of the fact that he is in big problems and

he is in financial difficulties. However, Obi Okonkwo’s idea about corruption

makes him feel guilty. “This is terrible!” he muttered. “Terrible!” he said aloud.

He woke up with a start in the middle of the night and he did not go to sleep again

for a long time afterwards (192).

Obi Okonkwo’s idea about corruption also becomes his standard in taking

bribes. Obi Okonkwo firmly holds the standard and requirements in getting the

scholarship. Therefore, Obi does not receive any kinds of bribes from anyone who

wants to apply for the scholarship. But Obi stoutly refused to countenance anyone

who did not possess the minimum educational and other requirements. On that he

was unshakeable (193).

Obi Okonkwo feels guilty and unhappy even though his financial

difficulties have gone. In due course he paid off his bank overdraft and his debt to


31

the Hon. Sam Okoli, M. H. R. The worst was now over, and Obi ought to have felt

happier. But he didn’t (193).

People say that taking bribes is not a big thing and they used to do it but

Obi Okonkwo feels that he does not like taking bribes; he feels that he is

uncomfortable doing that. People say that one gets used to these things, but he had

not found it like that at all (193).

The author’s direct comments, Obi Okonkwo’s reactions toward the

various situations and events, and his thought give explanation that Obi Okonkwo

is an idealistic person. Even though in the end of the story Obi Okonkwo is not as

idealistic as in the beginning of the story because he decides to take bribes but his

feeling guilty, unhappy and uncomfortable has shown that he is still an idealistic

person.

4. Responsible

Obi Okonkwo’s thought about his family condition shows that he is a

responsible person. Since Obi Okonkwo’s family live in a poor condition, his

parents work hard in order to survive. Even though Obi’s parents work hard, they

do not have enough money to make a living. When Obi Okonkwo comes home,

he cannot sleep because he keeps thinking about his family condition. He realizes

that his parents are old now so that they are not strong enough to work hard in

order to survive. Obi Okonkwo feels that he is responsible for his family.

Obi did not sleep for a long time after he had lain down. He thought about his responsibilities. It was clear that his parents could no longer stand on their own. They had never relied on his father’s meager pension. He planted yams and his wife planted cassava and coco yams. She also made


32

soap from leachings of palm ash and oil and sold it to the villagers for a little profit. But now they were too old for these things. (69) Obi Okonkwo makes a decision that he will help his parents. He feels that

it is important to help his parents so that his family can live in a good condition

and his brother can continue his school. Therefore, he decides to give some of his

salary to his family.

“I must give them a monthly allowance from my salary.” How much? Could he afford ten pounds? If only he did not have to pay back twenty pounds a month to the Umofia Progressive Union. Then there was John’s school fees. “We’ll manage somehow,” he said aloud to himself. “One cannot have it both ways. There are many young men in this country today who would sacrifice themselves to get the opportunity I have had.” (69-70)

Since Obi Okonkwo is responsible for his younger brother’s school fee, he

pays it when he has much money because he thinks that he might not be able to do

it if he has no money for it.

But sixteen pounds ten shillings was to go into brother John’s school fees for second term, which began in April. Obi knew that unless he paid the fees now that he had a lump sum in his pocket he might not be able to do so when the time came. (143) Obi Okonkwo’s sense of responsibility is also proved by his unwillingness

to receive money from Clara to cancel his overdraft. Obi feels that the overdraft is

his responsiblity. At the beginning he does not tell Clara about the overdraft but

finally Clara knows it. Obi tells Clara that it is not important to tell her about his

overdraft. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked when he had told her about the

overdraft. “Well, there was no need. I’ll pay it easily in five months installments.”

(116).


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From the statements, it is known that Obi does not want to give any burden

to Clara and he feels that he is the one who is responsible for that overdraft. After

knowing that Obi is in difficulty, Clara wants to help him so she gives Obi a

parcel that contains fifty pounds so that Obi can cancel the overdraft. However,

Obi does not want to receive the money.

All the way from Ikoyi to Yaba he was thinking how best he could make her take the money back. He knew it was going to be difficult, if not impossible. But it was quite out of the question for him to take fifty pounds from her. The question was how to make her take it back without hurting her. (123) In the end, Clara’s fifty pounds was stolen. Obi feels that he has to change

the money. After Clara’s abortion Obi makes a decision that he has to find money

and give it to Clara.

He had taken a firm decision about Clara’s fifty pounds. He must find it in the next two months and pay it into her bank. Perhaps they would get over the present crisis, perhaps not. But whatever happened, he must return the money. (176)

It is clear that from the author’s direct comments, Obi Okonkwo’s

thoughts, and speeches the reader can see that Obi Okonkwo is a responsible

person. Obi Okonkwo’s way of thinking, including his willingness to help his

family shows that he is a responsible person.

5. Educated

Obi Okonkwo is an educated person. Obi Okonkwo is an educated person

who got his degree from a western education. We have brought him Western

education (4). It is not difficult to find out that Obi Okonkwo is an educated

person. There are many reasons that show Obi Okonkwo is an educated person.


34

After Obi Okonkwo gives speeches to the audience at his reception, the chairman

asks whether Obi Okonkwo has got a job or not. Obi answered that he will have

his job interview on Monday. The chairman believes that an educated person like

Obi will not have any difficulties in finding a job. “Of course those of you who

know book will not have any difficulty,” said the Vice-Presidents on Obi’s left

(38).

When Obi Okonkwo talks to Joseph about his job interview, Joseph told

Obi Okonkwo that he is an educated person. An educated person may have great

knowledge and this is what Joseph tells to Obi. “You know more book than I, but

I am older and wiser (46-47). This sentence shows that in Joseph’s point of view,

Obi Okonkwo is an educated and knowledgeable person.

As an educated person Obi Okonkwo is aware of his surroundings. When

he is on the way to go to Umofia, there were two policemen who stopped the car

and asked the driver about the roadworthiness of the car. When the driver’s mate

approached the policemen, Obi looked in their direction. Obi knows that the

driver’s mate was going to give the policemen some money. The policemen

thought that Obi is a C.I.D man so the policemen act angrily and ask the driver’s

mate to go away. On the other hand, the other policeman had found fault with the

driver’s paper then the driver begged the policemen and drove away. The driver

was not comfortable with Obi’s action so he complained to Obi.

“Why you look the man for face when we want give um him two shillings?” he asked Obi. “Because he has no right to take two shillings from you,” Obi answered. “Na him make I no de want carry you book people,” he complained. “Too too know na him de worry una. Why you put your nose for matter way no concern you? Now that policeman go charge me like ten shillings."(50)


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In his office, Obi Okonkwo’s education is admitted by his colleague.

When Mr. Omo asks Obi Okonkwo to sign a document, he tells Obi that he asks

for Obi’s stamp. Obi does not know about the intended information. Obi thought

Mr. Omo asks for a stamp. Therefore, Mr. Omo wonders whether such an

educated person like Obi does not know about such things. Finally, Obi

understands after Mr. Omo explains to Obi about the information he wants to

convey.

“Where is your stamp?” he asked as soon as Obi arrived. “What stamp?” asked Obi. “You get B.A but you no know say you have to affix stamp to agreement?” Mr. Omo laughed a laugh of derision. He had very bad teeth blackened by cigarettes and kola nuts. One was missing in front, and when he laughed the gap looked like a vacant plot in a slum. His junior clerks laughed with him out of loyalty. “You think Government give you sixty pounds without signing agreement?” It was only then that Obi understood what it was all about. He was to receive sixty pounds outfit allowance. (76)

Since Obi Okonkwo is educated, Obi’s friend is proud of him. That is why

every time he hung up the phone he talks impressively about Obi Okonkwo’s

degree to his colleagues.

Joseph always put on impressive manner when speaking on the telephone. He never spoke Ibo or pidgin English at such moments. When he hung up he told his colleagues: “That na my brother. Just return from overseas. B.A. (Honors) Classics.” (88) Another reason can be seen from the direct comments of the author. When

Obi Okonkwo is caught, there is a direct comment from the author which stated

that Obi Okonkwo is an educated person.


36

Everybody wondered why. The learned judge, as we have seen, could not comprehend how and educated young man and so on and so forth. The British Council man, even the men of Umofia, did not know. And we must presume that, in spite of his certitude, Mr. Green did not know either. (194) In the court the author states that the judge wonders whether a man in such

degree of education corrupts.

Obi’s listlessness did not show any signs of decreasing even when the judge began to sum up. It was only when he said: “I cannot comprehend how a young man of your education and brilliant promise could have done this” that a sudden and marked change occurred. (2)

According to how the character reacts toward the various situations and

events, author’s direct comments, and also the character as seen by another it can

be seen that Obi Okonkwo is an educated person.

6. Loving and Caring

Obi Okonkwo is considered as a loving and caring person because of his

attitudes towards his family. When Obi comes back home, he is sad because he

sees his mother is old and weak. He never thought that his mother’s condition

would be worsened. He could not control his emotion so he cries when his mother

was holding him.

Obi’s homecoming was not in the end the happy event he had dreamt of. The reason was his mother. She had grown so old and frail in four years that he could hardly believe it. He had heard of her long periods of illness, but he had not thought of it quite this way. Now that all the visitors had gone away and she came and hugged him and put her arms round his neck for the second time tears rose in his eyes. Henceforth he wore her sadness round his neck like necklace of stone. (63)

On his return, Obi Okonkwo is also aware of his father’s condition. Obi

can clearly see that his father’s condition is better than his mother’s condition, but


37

he could not forget his father’s struggle for his family. He keeps in mind how his

father struggles for his family.

His father too was all bones, although he did not look nearly as bad as his mother. It was clear to Obi that they did not have enough good food to eat. It was scandalous, he thought, that after nearly thirty years’ service in the church his father should retire on a salary of two pounds a month, a good slice of which went back to the same church by way of class fees and other contributions. And he had his two last children at school, each paying school fees and church fees. (63)

As a loving and caring person, Obi Okonkwo loves his mother very much.

He feels that he has a special place in his mother’s heart. That is why when Obi’s

mother is sick, he is worried and he tries his best to come home in order to see his

mother’s condition.

“Where is Mother?” his eyes kept asking. He did not know whether she was in hospital or at home, and he was afraid to ask. “Your mother returned from hospital last week,” said his father as they entered the house. “Where is she?” (143)

Obi Okonkwo’s youngest sister told him that their mother is in her own

room. Obi immediately enters and sees his mother’s condition. Obi is saddened by

her condition.

As he looked at his mother on her bed, tears stood in Obi’s eyes. She held out her hand to him and he took it – all bone and skin like a bat’s wing. “You did not see me when I was ill,” she said. “Now I am as healthy as a young girl.” She laughed without mirth. “You should have seen me three weeks ago. How is your work? Are Umofia people in Lagos all well? How is Joseph? His mother came yesterday and I told her we were expecting you. . . .” Obi answered: “They are well, yes, yes, and yes.” But his heart all the while was bursting with grief. (145)

There are occasions that make the readers know that Obi is a loving and

caring person. When Obi knows that Clara is pregnant, his friend, Christopher


38

suggests to Obi to abort the baby. Obi pursues his friend’s suggestion but on the

day the abortion is conducted he is afraid of Clara’s condition. He is frightened by

his thoughts that he will not see Clara again.

The doctor counted his wad of notes carefully, folded it, and put it in his pocket. “Come back at five o’clock,” he told Obi, dismissing him. But when Obi got to his car he could not drive away. All kinds of frightening thoughts kept crowding into his mind. He did not believe in premonition and such stuff, but somehow he felt that he wasn’t going to see Clara again. (169)

Since Obi loves Clara, he feels guilty because he has asked Clara to abort

the baby. He feels guilty as he wants to tell Clara that he wants to get married with

her.

As he sat in the driver’s seat, paralyzed by his thoughts, the doctor and Clara came out and entered a car that was parked by the side of the road. The doctor must have said something about him because Clara looked in his direction once and immediately took her eyes away. Obi wanted to rush out of his car and shout: “Stop. Let’s go and get married now,” but he couldn’t and didn’t. The doctor’s car drove away. (169)

After Clara’s operation, Obi comes to the hospital and looks for the doctor

in order to know Clara’s condition. However, the doctor’s attendant says to Obi

that the doctor was out. Since Obi wants to know Clara’s condition, he waited for

the doctor.

Obi waited for an hour and a half before the doctor returned – without Clara. Sweat rained down his body. “Oh, are you here?” the doctor asked. “Come back tomorrow morning.” “Where is she?” “Don’t worry, she will be all right. But I want to have her under observation tonight in case of complications.” “Can’t I see her?” “No. Tomorrow morning. That is, if she wants to see you. Women are very funny creatures, you know.” (171)


39

Obi knows that Clara is angry with him. Obi tries to make an apology to

Clara. So, he tries to write a letter to her. However, it is not easy for Obi to write a

letter. But finally he did it. He tells Clara that he realizes his mistakes and he

would never hurt Clara if there is another chance for him. It shows that Obi loves

and cares for Clara.

Writing letters did not come easily to him. He worked out every sentence in his mind first before he set it down on paper. Sometimes he spent as long as ten minutes on the opening sentence. He wanted to say: “Forgive me for what has happened. It was all my fault. . . “He ruled against it; that kind of self-reproach was sheer humbug. In the end he wrote: “I can understand your not wanting ever to set eyes on me again. I have wronged you terribly. But I cannot believe that it is all over. If you give me another chance, I shall never fail you again.” He read it over and over again. Then he rewrote the whole letter, changing, I cannot believe to I cannot bring myself to believe. (178-179)

Another reason which shows Obi as a loving and caring person is that he is

shocked by his mother’s death. Obi had been utterly prostrated by the shock of his

mother’s death (182). Obi also feels guilty because he does not come to his

mother’s funeral. Moreover, he cannot make a good funeral for his mother.

On top of it came his mother’s death. He sent all he could find for her funeral, but it was already being said to his eternal shame that a woman who had borne so many children, one of whom was in a European post, deserved a better funeral than she got. (181)

Obi does not go to his mother’s funeral because he thought that it would

be useless. Obi knows that his mother would have been buried by the time he got

home.

Everybody was most kind Mr. Green said he could take a week‘s leave if he wished. Obi took two days. He went straight home and locked himself up in his flat. What was the point in going to Umofia? She would have been buried by the time he got there, anyway. The thought of going home and not finding her! In the privacy of his bedroom he let tears run down his face like a child. (183)


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Obi falls asleep and does not wake up until the day after. Obi’s guilty

feeling comes again to his mind. He feels ashamed and guilty because of not

going to his mother’s funeral.

He woke up with a start and saw that it was broad daylight. For a brief moment he wondered what had happened. Then yesterday’s thought woke violently. Something caught in his throat. He got out of bed and stood gazing at the light coming in through the louvers. Shame and guilt filled his heart. Yesterday his mother had been put into the ground and covered with red earth and he could not keep as much as one night vigil for her. (183)

Besides he is feeling guilty because he could not go to his mother’s

funeral, he thinks about his father. He thinks his father’s condition will be worse

without his mother. It proves that Obi loves his parents much.

“Terrible!” he said. His thoughts went to his father. Poor man, he would be completely lost without her. For the first month or so it would not be too bad,. Obi’s married sisters would all return home. Esther could be relied upon to look after him. But in the end they would have to go again. That was the time the blow would really fall – when everyone began to go away. (183-184)

That Obi Okonkwo is a loving and caring person is known from his

thoughts. Obi cares for the people who are close to his heart, his parents and his

lover. The author’s direct comments, Obi Okonkwo’s thoughts and speeches

enable the readers to recognize that Obi is a loving and caring person.

Using Murphy’s nine ways of characterization it can be seen that Obi

Okonkwo is described as a smart, dishonest, idealistic, responsible, educated, and

loving and caring person. However, the writer does not use all Murphy’s ways of

characterization in describing the character. The writer only uses some of the

ways of characterization, such as author’s direct comments, character as seen by


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another, the character’s speeches, the character’s thoughts and character’s reaction

toward the various situations and events.

B. The Influence of Western Culture on the Major Conflict of Obi Okonkwo

1. The Identification of the Cause of the Major Conflict of Obi Okonkwo

This part discusses how western culture influences the major conflict of

Obi Okonkwo. In fiction, “conflict may be presented not as direct opposition, but

rather as a set of comparative or contrastive ideas or values” (Roberts and Jacobs,

88). However, based on its sociology meaning, “conflict is the social process in

which individuals or groups seek their ends by directly challenging the antagonist

by violence or threat of violence” (Gillin and Gillin, 625). According to Gillin and

Gillin (633) there are three kinds of conflict. The first root of conflict is individual

differences. The second is that cultural differences. The last is clashing interests.

There is only one major conflict in the novel. It is a conflict that is caused

by cultural differences. The major conflict happened to Obi Okonkwo because

there is a different point of view between Obi and other characters. Obi Okonkwo

feels that his traditional rule is odd since his return from England. While other

characters, Obi Okonkwo’s lover, parents and friends, still hold their Ibo rules.

The major conflict happened due to Obi’s decision to marry his lover,

Clara. Obi decides to marry Clara because he loves her very much and so does

she. Obi’s decision to marry Clara is heard by his friends, his parents and his

society. However, Obi’s decision is opposed by his parents, friends and also

society because they know that Clara is an osu.


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According to Igwe there are two classes of people in Igboland. The first

class is the Nwadiala. It means ‘sons of the soil’. They are the freeborn, the

masters. The second class is the osu. According to Onyemaechi “an osu is a

person who is sacrificed or consecrated alive together with his or her descendants

to the service of a pagan god.” Igwe states “the osu are the slaves, the strangers,

the outcasts, and the untouchables.” He also states that osu is the second class in

Ibo society. They are considered as low class in the society. Considering that osu

is the low class in the society, there are many discriminations against them. They

cannot mingle with freeborn in the society; they are not allowed to join any

occasion with the freeborn. The most irritating discrimination is that osu are not

allowed to marry freeborn.

According to Agbasiere (96), Igbo marriage is governed by the notion of

birth. Therefore, it is forbidden for nwa or diala, freeborn, to marry an osu, a cut

slave or ohu, a bought slave and their descendants. Bates and Fratkin (324) state

that membership in caste system is managed at birth. According to them, caste is

unchangeable. It means the caste is attached permanently and they cannot move

across the caste barrier though they have a high position in the society. In a caste

system, somebody must marry someone endogamously within the caste. This is

what actually happens in the novel. Considering that Obi is a freeborn and Clara is

an osu, Obi’s parents do not approve of them to get married.

In this discussion, the writer emphazies that the cause of the conflict is the

different view between Obi Okonkwo and other charactes. In other words, the

cause of the problem is the clash between the pure Ibo tradition and the new point


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of view because of western influence. Therefore, the writer provides discussion on

other characters’ perceptions about marrying an osu. The other characters are

Obi’s lover, Obi’s friends, and Obi’s parents. This discussion aims to know other

characters’ perceptions about marrying an osu. In addition, this discussion leads a

further discussion on how western culture influences the major conflict of Obi

Okonkwo.

a. Perceptions of Clara

Clara knows exactly her status that she is an osu or an outcast. As an osu,

Clara is aware of her condition. She considers that she cannot marry a freeborn

like Obi. She knows that Obi’s parents and society will not approve of their

marriage. This fact makes Clara have an idea to tell Obi that she cannot marry

him. “I can’t marry you,“ she said suddenly as Obi tried to kiss her under the tall

frangipani tree at the edge of the swimming pool, and exploded into tears. (80)

Clara explains her understanding to Obi that an osu cannot marry a

freeborn. Therefore, she decides not to marry Obi. According to Clara, there is no

other way for them so she thinks it is the best way for them not to get married.

Clara knows that the society will oppose them because she is an osu.

“I am an osu,” she wept. Silence. She stopped weeping and quietly disengaged herself from him. Still he said nothing. “So you see we cannot get married,” she said, quite firmly, almost gaily – a terrible kind of gaiety. Only tears showed she had wept. (81)

The rule of Ibo tradition says that if an outcast will marry a freeborn and

the society knows their plan, the society will cancel their marriage. Therefore,


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Clara uses this reason to break off the engagement. It is so because she knows the

fact that society will be happy if they break off their engagement.

Clara said she was very sorry to let him down at this eleventh hour. But she was sure it would be in everybody’s best interest if they broke off their engagement. Obi was deeply stung, but he said nothing for a long time. Afterwards Clara repeated that she was very sorry. There was another long silence. (141)

Clara’s understanding about the rule of Ibo society makes her have an idea

that if Obi marries her, she will ruin Obi’s life. She knows that she will make

Obi’s family ashamed and make Obi get into trouble in the future.

Clara begged him not to misunderstand her. She said she was taking her present step because she did not want to ruin his life. “I have thought about the whole matter very carefully. There are two reasons why we should not get married.” “What are they?” “Well, the first reason is that your family will be against it. I don’t want to come between you and your family.” “Bunk! Anyway, what is the second reason?” She could not remember what it was. It didn’t matter, anyway. The first reason was quite enough. (141-142) Clara is pretty sure that it will be difficult for them to get married because

of the rule of the society. In Clara’s opinion, Obi’s struggle to marry her is useless

and it will just make them have more difficulties. “You are making things difficult

for yourself. How many times did I tell you that we were deceiving ourselves? But

I was always told I was being childish. Anyway, it doesn’t matter. There is no

need for long talk (162).

Igwe’s and Agbasiere’s statements on Igbo caste system and Igbo

marriage tradition shows that Clara still holds on to her Igbo tradition. Therefore,

she tells Obi that she cannot marry Obi because she is an osu.


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b. Perceptions of Obi’s Friends

Obi has two close friends. They are Joseph and Christopher. Joseph is an

uneducated person. However, he still holds on to Ibo tradition firmly. Christopher

is different from Joseph. He is an educated person but he has a good

understanding of living in two different cultures.

In Joseph’s opinion, Obi is lucky to know that Clara is an osu from the

beginning. Joseph feels that it is great to know it as early as possible because he

knows the fact that an osu cannot marry a freeborn. According to Joseph, it is

better for Obi to end his relationship with Clara since he cannot marry her.

“The very thing I was thinking to ask you. I was thinking how such a good and beautiful girl could remain unmarried until now.” Obi was undressing absentmindedly. “Anyhow, you are lucky to know at the beginning. No harm is done yet. The eye is not harmed by sleep,” Joseph said some what pointlessly. He noticed that Obi was not paying any attention. (81)

Joseph is closer to the Ibo tradition than Obi. He knows that in Ibo society,

there is no one who is willing to marry an osu because marrying an osu is

prohibited. In Joseph’s opinion, Obi’s decision to marry Clara rebels against Ibo

tradition. Therefore, Joseph thinks that Obi’s decision to marry an osu is wrong.

That is why Joseph tells Obi that he is better not to marry Clara.

“Look at me,” said Joseph, getting up and tying his coverlet as a loincloth. He now spoke English. “You know book, but this is no matter for book. Do you know what an osu is? But how can you know?” In that short question he said in effect that Obi’s mission – house upbringing and European education had made him a stranger in his country-the most painful thing one could say to Obi. (82) The fact that Clara is an osu makes Joseph come up to the idea that Obi’s

parents will not allow him to get married to Clara. Joseph is sure with his idea


46

because he knows exactly that Obi’s family hold Ibo tradition firmly. Ibo families

will not allow their sons or daughters to marry an osu.

“We came away. We couldn’t possibly stay after that. By the way, we are now engaged. I gave her a ring this afternoon.” “Very good,” said Joseph bitterly. He thought for a while and asked: “Are you going to marry the English way or are you going to ask your people to approach her people according to custom?” “I don’t know yet. It depends on what my father says.” “Did you tell him about it during you visit?” “No, because I hadn’t decided then.” “He will not agree to it,” said Joseph. “Tell anyone that I said so.” “I can handle them,” said Obi, “especially my mother.” (85) According to Joseph, marrying an osu is not a good choice. Marrying an

osu will put Obi in difficulties in the future. There are bad consequences of

marrying an osu. The consequences are not only for the one who marries the osu

but also for his generations in the future. According to Joseph, Obi’s decision to

marry Clara is irrelevant since it is not the time to marry anybody freely. Joseph’s

statements imply that Ibo society holds the rules of the tradition firmly.

“Look at me, Obi.” Joseph invariably asked people to look at him “What you are going to do concerns not only yourself but your whole family and future generations. If one finger brings oil it soils the others. In future, when we are all civilized, anybody may marry anybody. But that time has not come. (86)

Christopher is an educated person like Obi but his understanding of living

in two different cultures makes him have different view from Obi. Although he

has lived in another country like Obi he still respects his own culture. He

appreciates his culture by obeying the rules of his culture. Therefore, Christopher

states he does not want to marry an osu. According to him even though they are

now educated it does not mean that they can neglect their traditional rules and

customs.


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“You know, Obi,” he said, “I had wanted to discuss that matter with you. But I have learnt not to interfere in a matter between a man and a woman, especially with chaps like you who have wonderful ideas about love. A friend came to me last year and asked my advice about a girl he wanted to marry. I knew this girl very very well. She is, you know, very liberal. So I told my friend: ‘You shouldn’t marry this girl.’ Do you know what this bloody fool did? He went and told the girl what I said. That was why I didn’t tell you anything about Clara. You may say that I am not broad-minded, but I don’t think we have reached that stage where we can ignore all our customs. You may talk about education and so on, but I am not going to marry an osu.” (163)

Joseph and Christopher come from a different background of education

but they have the same idea. Both believe that marrying an osu is forbidden in Ibo

society. The fact that Joseph and Christopher have the same idea that they will not

marry an osu shows that they obey Ibo’s traditional rules and customs.

Igwe’s and Agbasiere’s statements about Igbo’s caste system and Igbo’s

marriage tradition shows that Joseph and Christopher stand against Obi’s decision

to marry an osu. It is so because Joseph and Cristopher know that marrying an osu

will bring Obi to more complicated problems in the future.

c. Perceptions of Obi’s Parents Obi’s father has known Obi’s decision to marry Clara. Obi’s father clearly

states to Obi that he does not allow Obi to marry Clara. The only reason is that

Clara is an osu. In Obi’s father’s opinion, the reason why Obi cannot marry Clara

is quite clear. From his father’s statements, it can be seen that it is obvious that

marrying an osu is prohibited.

“You cannot marry the girl,” he said quite simply. “Eh?” “I said you cannot marry the girl.” “But why, Father?”


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“Why? I shall tell you why. But first tell me this. Did you find out or try to find out anything about this girl?” “Yes.” “What did you find out?” “That they are osu.” “You mean to tell me that you knew, and you ask me why?” (151)

People’s status in Ibo caste system society is determined by his level of the

caste in his society. The people in this kind of society cannot change his status

easily. In this case, an osu cannot move to the higher status even if they have a

good job or considered as a good people in his society. That is why Obi’s father

will not let Obi marry Clara.“I know Josiah Okeke very well.” he was looking

steadily in front of him. His voice sounded tired. “I know him and I know his

wife. He is a good man and a great Christian. But he is an osu (151-152).

According to Obi’s father, marrying an osu is a shame. The society may

isolate a man or a woman who marrries an osu. Obi’s father’s idea indicates that

marrying an osu will bring Obi to have difficulties in the future. Obi’s father states

that it is not only Obi who will face the difficulties in the future but also his sons

and daughters. The statements indicate that the consequences of marrying an osu

are very tough.

“Osu is like leprosy in the minds of our people. I beg of you, my son, not to bring the mark of shame and of leprosy into your family. If you do, you children unto the third and fourth generations will curse your memory. It is not for myself I speak, my days are few. You will bring sorrow on your heads of your children. Who will marry your daughters? Whose daughters will you sons marry? Think of that, my son. We are Christians, but we cannot marry our own daughters. (152)

Obi’s mother has the same idea with Obi’s father. She does not like Obi’s

plan to marry Clara. Obi’s mother states it is hard for her to let Obi marry an osu.

It means that breaking the tradition is something very fatal in a traditional society.


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“I did not tell anybody about that dream in the morning. I carried it in my heart wondering what it was. I took down my Bible and read the portion for the day. It gave me some strength, but my heart was still not at rest. In the afternoon your father came with a letter from Joseph to tell us that you were going to marry an osu. I saw the meaning of my death in that dream. Then I told your father about it.” She stopped and took a deep breath. (154) People who hold their traditions firmly are willing to do anything to keep

their tradition in order not to be isolated by their society. People prefer death than

being ashamed because they have ignored the tradition. Therefore, Obi’s mother

comes up with a very extreme idea. Obi’s mother does not want to be ashamed by

approving Obi’s marriage with Clara. That is why she threatened to kill herself if

Obi marries Clara. It is clear that Obi’s parents do not like Obi’s decision to marry

Clara. They do not agree with Obi’s plan because Obi’s parents still hold their

tradition firmly.

“I have nothing to tell you except one thing. If you want to marry this girl, you must wait until I am no more. If God hers my prayers, you will not wait long.” She stopped again. Obi was terrified by the change that had come over her. She looked strange as if she had suddenly gone off her head. “Mother!” he called, as if she was going away. She held up her hand for silence. “But if you do the thing while I am alive, you will have my blood on your head, because I shall kill myself.” She sank down completely exhausted. (154)

Obi’s parents’ perceptions clearly show that the tradition rules are very

strict. It shows that if somebody rebels against the rule of the society he will face

tough consequences in the future. Therefore, Obi’s parents stand against Obi’s

plan to marry Clara. Using the theories of conflict, theory on caste system, review

on Igbo caste system and Igbo marriage tradition, it can be seen that the

perceptions of Obi’s parents strenghten the two previous perceptions. The core of


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those perceptions is marrying an osu is not a correct decision for a freeborn like

Obi Okonkwo. The only reason is that they still hold their rule of society firmly.

The value of the tradition makes the other characters have such ideas which is

very different to Obi’s way of thinking.

2. Obi’s New Perceptions about Marriage

It can be seen that Obi’s society opposes his decision to marry Clara who

is considered as an outcast. According to Agbasiere (96) Igbo marriage is

governed by the notion of birth. Therefore, it is forbidden for nwa or diala,

freeborn, to marry an osu, a cut slave or ohu, a bought slave and their descendants.

The major conflict in Obi’s life is because there is a clash of ideas between Obi

and other characters. The other characters such as Obi’s lover, Obi’s friends and

Obi’s parents opposed his decision to marry Clara because Clara is an osu, while

Obi thinks that he can marry anybody since he loves the person he wants to marry.

Obi has new perceptions about marriage after his return from England because he

has been influenced by western culture.

When Clara tells Obi that she cannot marry him because she is an osu, he

tries to convince Clara by telling her that he has made a decision to marry her. He

also tells Clara that he can handle his parents. Even when Obi knows that he fails

to convince Clara he still persuades her by telling her that everything will be all

right. What makes Obi do such a thing is because he has been influenced by

western culture. He believes that he is free to decide with whom he will get

married. Crabtree states that romantic marriage is common in most western


51

countries. He states that it is an individual choice made by couples. There are at

least two reasons which show that Obi’s perceptions about marriage has been

influenced by western culture so he has new perceptions about marriage.

The first reason can be seen in Obi’s statements when he tells his decision

to marry Clara to one of his close friends, Joseph, and when he has a discussion

about Clara with his father. Both of the discussions show that Obi wants to stand

by his own decision. He tries to convince Joseph and his father that his decision to

marry Clara is the right decision for him. On this occasion it can be seen that Obi

wants to marry Clara because he thinks that he is free to choose his mate.

According to Crabtree, couples are free to do what they want to do though their

family stand against them. It is so because in western countries, individual and

freedom are placed above the family. Obi Okonkwo thinks that everybody has the

same level in this world. So it does not matter for him to marry Clara because Obi

has a western view about equality. Nanda (312) states that “the open class system

of the United States society is part of their mythology and is based on the

democratic principle of equality and opportunity for all.” That is why when Obi

discusses his decision to marry Clara to Joseph and Joseph opposes his idea, Obi

insists firmly that he is going to marry Clara. Obi does not care what his

surrounding says because he thinks that he is broad minded and the people who

oppose his decision are odd minded. “I am going to marry her,” Obi said.“What!

Joseph sat up in bed.“I am going to marry her.” (82)

Obi feels that he is right. He thinks that he can simply marry anyone he

wants. He thinks that it is not the era when people cannot stand in his own


52

decision. He feels that his decision to marry Clara is in his own hands. He says

that there is no one who can stop his decision to marry Clara.

Obi felt better and more confident in his decision now that there was an opponent, the first of hundreds to come, no doubt. Perhaps it was not a decision really, for him there could be only one choice. It was scandalous that in the middle of the twentieth century a man could be barred from marrying a girl simply because her great-great-great-great-grandfather had been dedicated to serve a god, thereby setting himself apart and turning his descendants into a forbidden caste to the end of Time. Quite unbelievable. And here was an educated man telling Obi he did not understand. “Not even my mother can stop me,” he said as he lay down beside Joseph. (82)

Another reason which shows that Obi has a western view about equality is

his statements when he tries to convince his father. Since his father does not let

him marry Clara, he finds out ways to convince his father. Knowing that his father

is a good Christian, Obi uses the idea of Christianity to defend his position. He

uses the idea of Christianity to show his father about the value of equality between

human beings.

“I don’t think it matters. We are Christians.” This had some effect, nothing startling though. Only a little pause and a slightly softer tone. “We are Christians,” he said. “But that is no reason to marry an osu.” “The Bible says that in Christ there are no bond or free.” “My son,” said Okonkwo, “I understand what you say. But this thing is deeper than you think.” (151)

He tries to explain to his father that Christianity teaches equality. Then, he

tries to make his father believe that people have the same status with one another

in this world. Obi uses his understanding on equality to show that his decision to

marry Clara is correct. He thinks that since people are equal they are free to marry

anybody. In his opinion, there is no reason not to marry Clara because he has the

same status with Clara. When his father firmly says that Christianity is not the

reason to marry an osu, with his westernized way of thinking he tries to ensure his


53

father by giving more arguments about the idea of Christianity that is related to

equality.

“What is this thing? Our father in their darkness and ignorance called an innocent man osu, a thing given to idols, and thereafter he became an outcast, and his children, and his children’s children forever. But have we not seen the light of the Gospel?” Obi used the very words that his father might have used in talking to his heathen kinsmen. (151)

Obi’s westernized way of thinking makes him think broadly. When his

father tells him about the consequences of marrying an osu, he tells his father that

everything will change in the future. Obi believes that in the future people will be

more modern and broad minded. He believes that in the future people will be

different. Obi thinks that in the future he does not face such a complicated

problem about the idea of marrying an osu.

“But all that is going to change. In ten years things will quite different to what they are now.” The old man shook his head sadly but said no more. Obi repeated his point again. What made an osu different from other men and women? Nothing but the ignorance of their forefathers. Why should they, who had seen the light of Gospel, remain in that ignorance? (152)

The second reason that shows Obi has been influenced by western culture

which makes he has new perceptions about marriage is his ideas of marriage

tradition. According to Onyemaechi, in Igbo’s marriage tradition, there is what is

so called bride wealth or bride price. It is a form of appreciation for losing a

daughter. The bride price is given to the bride’s father or relatives. Bride price is

not a form of buying a wife. However, it is as a means of agreement between the

couples. Obi knows that there is such a tradition in his society. However, when

Joseph tells him about the idea of bride-price, Obi thinks that it is not necessary to

pay bride-price to the women’s parents.


54

“When you have paid a hundred and thirty pounds bride-price and you are only a second-class clerk, you find you haven’t got any more to spare on other women.” “You mean you paid a hundred and thirty? What about the bride-price law?” “It pushed up the price, that’s all.” ‘It’s a pity my three elder sister got married too early for us to make money on them. We’ll try and make up on the others.” “It’s no laughing matter,” said Joseph. “Wait until you want to marry. They will probably ask you to pay five hundred seeing that you are in the senior service.” (47-48)

Obi, being influenced by western culture, tells Joseph that he will not pay

the bride-price. Obi tells that he will not pay for a wife. The idea that Obi does not

want to pay bride-price shows that Obi has new perceptions about marriage. He

states that if he wants to marry someone he does not need to pay the woman’s

parents. It is so because Obi’s way of thinking has been influenced by western

culture. The statements give an impression that Obi wants to neglect his tradition

and follows western culture.

“I’m not in the senior service. You have just been telling me that i won’t get the job because I told that idiot what I thought of him. Anyway senior service or no senior service, I’m not paying five hundred pounds for a wife. I shall not even pay one hundred, not even fifty.” (48)

Obi’s new perceptions about marriage tradition is also shown when Joseph

tells Obi to change his mind related to his decision about his decision to get

married with Clara. He tells Joseph that it is too late to change because Obi has

been engaged to Clara, while Joseph tells Obi that it is not late to change because

in his opinion that ring does not mean anything. “It is not,” said Joseph. What is

an engagement ring? Our fathers did not marry with rings. It is not too late to

change (86). Obi has given Clara an engagement ring that is why he thinks that it

is too late to change. This engagement ring shows that Obi has followed western


55

culture. According to Sen, “wedding rings or vows symbolize the western

wedding.” He states that wedding rings play an important function in western

marriage. Wedding rings symbolize love and affection of the couples. Joseph’s

statements to convince Obi shows that in Ibo marriage tradition wedding rings are

not needed. It is clear that in this case Obi has a different view from people who

still hold his tradition firmly like Joseph. Obi’s way of thinking about marriage

tradition is different and more western than Joseph’s way of thinking.

The two reasons stated above show that Obi has a different view from the

people around him. In this discussion, it can be seen that since Obi’s return from

England, he feels that he is an educated and broad-minded person. In this case, he

brings a new perception about marriage based on the idea of equality. The idea of

equality makes Obi thinks that he can marry anybody so that he comes to the

decision of marrying an outcast which is clearly forbidden by his Ibo society.

Even though in the end Obi does not marry Clara, this phenomena shows that Obi

has been influenced by western culture. The influence of Western culture makes

Obi think more westernly. Hence, it makes him neglect his Ibo marriage tradition.

In this case, Obi states that he does not want to pay bride price and he considers

that wedding ring is an important thing in a marriage. Obi’s new perceptions make

he feel like a stranger in his own society. The fact that he lives with European

influence makes him neither an Ibo nor a European, and puts him in such a

complicated situation.


56

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

This chapter consists of two parts. The first part is the conclusions of this

study as the answer to the problems formulated in the first chapter. These are

drawn from the analysis done in the previous chapter. The second part deals with

the suggestions for future researchers of the same novel and to implement certain

parts of the novel as teaching-learning material.

A. Conclusions

Based on the analysis in chapter four, there are two conclusions that are

drawn. The first is the description of Obi Okonkwo. By using some of the ways of

characterization proposed by Murphy, such as the author’s direct comments,

character as seen by another, the character’s speeches, the character’s thoughts

and character’s reaction toward the various situations and events, Obi Okonkwo’s

characteristics can be described. Obi Okonkwo is described as a smart, dishonest,

idealistic, responsible, educated, loving and caring person.

Obi Okonkwo is a smart person. It can be seen from author’s direct

comments, which states that Obi is the only son of Umofia who gets the

opportunity to be educated overseas. Another character’s opinion and Obi’s own

speeches also shows that Obi Okonkwo is a smart person. Obi is also described as

a dishonest person. Obi tells a lie when his father asks him whether he reads Bible

or not when he was in England. He also tells a lie to his lover, Clara, when he was


57

in a financial difficulty. His other trait is idealistic. Obi’s being idealistic can be

seen in his way of seeing bribery in his country. He states that he stands against it

and will never receive it. Even though in the end of the novel finally he receives

bribes, his being idealistic makes him feel guilty and unhappy. Obi Okonkwo

feels that he does not like taking bribes; he feels that he is uncomfortable in doing

that.

Obi is also a responsible person. His being responsible is shown by his

willingness to help his parents. Another occassion which shows that Obi is a

responsible person is his efforts to give Clara’s money back. Obi’s ways to react

toward the various situations and events in his surroundings shows that he is an

educated person. His reaction to the situation shows that he is a critical and

educated person. Obi is also considered as a loving and caring person. It can be

seen through his attitudes which show that he loves his family and his lover so

much.

The second conclusion is about the influence of western culture in the

conflict of Obi Okonkwo. There is only one major conflict in the novel. The major

conflict happens because there is a clash of perception between Obi and other

characters. Since his return from England, Obi feels that he is a broad-minded

person. He neglects his own tradition by deciding to marry his lover, Clara, who is

an osu. He knows exactly that he cannot marry his lover because of that reason.

However, Obi’s westernized way of thinking makes him break the rule of his

tradition. As he feels that he is a broad-minded person, he stubbornly stands

against other characters’ perceptions which forbid him to marry an osu.


58

Western culture also makes Obi think about new perceptions about marriage.

Since western class system of western society is based on the equality and

opportunity for all, Obi thinks that he can apply the idea of equality in his decision

to marry Clara. It is so because Obi thinks that he is free to choose and marry the

girl he loves. On the other hand, Obi feels that he can marry anybody. Therefore,

he decides to marry an outcast which is clearly forbidden by his Ibo society. Obi’s

way in convincing other characters that he is going to marry an osu clearly shows

that Obi tries to rebel against his tradition. In addition, western culture also makes

Obi neglect his Ibo marriage tradition. Obi states that he does not want to pay

bride price for a wife. He also states that wedding ring is important in a marriage.

It can be concluded that the influence of western culture has been in Obi’s

mind. Therefore, it makes Obi feel uncomfortable with his own culture. He feels

that his own rule is odd. He wants a change in the rule of the society because he

thinks that there will be a change in the future. That is why he stands against the

rule of his own society. Even though in the end Obi does not marry Clara, his

efforts to convince his family and friends clearly show that the major conflict in

Obi Okonkwo happens because he has been influenced by western culture. In

addition, the influence makes Obi Okonkwo have new perceptions about

marriage.


59

B. Suggestions

This part consists of two parts. The first part is suggestions for further

researchers. The second suggestions is for the implementation of No Longer at

Ease in teaching-learning materials.

1. Suggestions for Future Researchers

No Longer at Ease is a good novel. The topic of the novel is very

interesting. The story presents the situation that may happen in real life. It makes

the reader have an idea to analyze and make judgements based on the story of the

novel. There are many things that future researchers can analyze. The writer has

already discussed about the description of Obi Okonkwo and also the influence of

western culture in the major character of Obi Okonkwo.

Future researchers can analyze the relation between the story and the

author by using biographical approach. In addition, future reaserchers can also

analyze the influence of love in the major character.

2. Suggestions for English Teachers: The Implementation of No Longer at

Ease to Teach Writing

A literary work may become a good material for English teaching and

learning activities. Novel is one of literary works that can be used by English

teachers as a good source of material for teaching English. It is considered as a

good source because the students can get extra knowledge in the teaching and

learning process. Besides the students learn the structure of the language and


60

vocabularies, they can also get values of life. Therefore, the students not only

master the language but also can enrich their understanding on social and cultural

knowledge. Considering the advantages of using novel in the classroom, it is

necessary for teachers to use novel in their teaching. Thus, the writer provides the

implementation of the novel No Longer at Ease in teaching Paragraph Writing for

the second semester students of English Education Study Program.

Writing is one of the four skills that is important for English learners. By

writing they can express their ideas and knowledge. Giving models to the students

may help the students to recognize the genre of a writing. Therefore, it will help

the students to write well using different types of genre.

No longer at Ease can be used as a model of descriptive writing in

Paragraph Writing class. The model of the writing is taken from the first

paragraph of No Longer at Ease page 16. The paragraph gives a good model of

descriptive writing to the students. Therefore, it can help the students in

recognizing descriptive writing so that later the students can easily make their

own descriptive writing. The procedures are suggested as follows:

1. The lecturer selects one paragraph of a descriptive writing from No Longer

at Ease and makes handouts to be distributed to the students in the

teaching learning activity.

2. In the meeting, the teacher distributes the handouts to the students and

asks the students to answer the questions stated in part 1 of the material,

then discuss the questions in the form of class discussion.


61

3. After the students answer the questions in part 1 and have discussion on

them, the teacher asks the students to read the model of descriptive writing

stated in part 2 of the material.

4. The teacher asks the students to analyze the paragraph to find the

sentences used in describing places.

5. The teacher asks the students to find more words used in describing

places.

6. The teacher asks the students to determine a place that the students want to

describe.

7. The teacher asks the students to make a paragraph describing a place.

8. The teacher asks the students to do peer correction.

9. The teacher asks the students to revise their writing.

10. The teacher asks the students to submit their writing.


62

REFERENCES

Abrams, M.H. A Glossary of Literary Terms(6th ed.). Orlando: Harcourt Brace

Javanovich College Publisher, 1988. Achebe, Chinua. No Longer at Ease(1st ed.). New York: Anchor Books, 1994. Barnet, Sylvan, William Burto and William E Cain. Literature for Composition:

Essays, Fiction, Poetry and Drama (7th ed.). New York: Pearson Longman, 2005.

Bates, Daniel G and Elliot M. Fratkin. Cultural Anthropology(3rd ed.). Boston:

Pearson Education, Inc., 2003. Bertrand, Alvin L. Basic Sociology: An Introduction to Theory and Method. New

York: Meredith Publishing Company, 1967. Fichter, Joseph H. Sociology. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1957. Gill, Richard. Mastering English Literature (2nd Ed.). London: Macmillan Press

Ltd., 1995. Gillin, Lewis John and John Philip Gillin. Cultural Sociology. New York: The

Macmillan Company, 1948. Holman, C Hugh and William Harmon. A Handbook Of Literature Terms. New

York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1986. Jaffe, Andrian H and Vigil Scott. Studies in the Short Story (3rd ed.). New York:

Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1968 Koenig, Samuel. Man and Society. New York: Barnes and Noble Inc., 1957. Milligan, Ian.The Novel in English. London: Macmillan Press Ltd., 1983. Murphy, M.J. Understanding Unseens: An Introduction to English Poetry and the

English Novel for Overseas Students. London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd., 1972.

Nanda, Serena. Cultural Anthropology (4th ed.). California: Wadsworth Publishing

Company, 1990. Perrine, Laurence. Literature, Stucture, Sound and Sense (2nd ed.). New York:

Oxford University Press, 1974.


63

Robert, Edgar V and Henry E Jacobs. Fiction: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1987.

Rohrberger, Mary and Samuel H. Woods. Reading and Writing about Literature.

New York: Random House, Inc., 1971. Stanton, Robert. An introduction to Fiction. New York: Holt, Rinehart and

Winston Inc., 1965. Electronic Sources Agbasiere, Joseph Therese. “Women in Igbo Life and Thought”. Accessed on 19

April 2009. <http://books.google.id/books?id=XWONIZ-OsiUC&pg=PA96&lpg=PA96&dq=osu+in+igbo+marriage+tradition&source=bl&ots=Eq3ukr7tyD&sig=CnklXTWvO4pS9AcGdc46371UZpl&hl=en&ei=r8zqSaTiOJKZkQWXu8SmCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8#PPA98,M1>

“Chinua Achebe”. Accessed on 19 April 2009.

<http://www.daylife.com/photo/00Fk5TE83C5Wg?q=Chinua+Achebe>

“Chinua Achebe's Works”. Accessed on 15 April 2009. <http://www.postcolonialweb.org/achebe/achebework.html>

“Chinua Achebe (1930-) - in full Albert Chinualumogu Achebe”. Accessed on 15

April 2009. <http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/achebe.htm> Crabtree, Vexen. “Marriage: Its Diversity and Character”. 2004. Accessed on 21

April 2009. <http://www.humantruth.info/marriage.html#Divorce> Froiland, Andrew. “African People and Culture”. Accessed on 19 October 2008.

<http://www.africaguide.com/culture/tribes/ibo.htm> Igwe, Leo. “The Osu Caste System”. Accessed on 29 January 2009.

<http://www.mukto-mona.com/Articles/Leo_Igwe/Osu_caste_System.htm> LeBaron, Michelle. “Culture and Conflict”. 2003. Accessed on 18 November

2008. <http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/culture_conflict/

“Map of Nigeria”. Accessed on 19 April 2009.

<http://media.maps.com/magellan/images/nigera-w1.gif>


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“No Longer at Ease”. Accessed on 22 April 2009. <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/nolonger/summary.html>

Nwayi, Ilu. “Marriage in Igbo Traditional Society (In summary)”. Accessed on 15

April 2009. <http://www.stop_osu.com/marriageinigbotraditionalsociety.html>

Onyemaechi, Uzoma. “Igbo Culture and Socialization”. Accessed on 15 April

2009. <http://www.kwenu.com/igbo/igbowebpages/Igbo.dir/Culture/culture_and-socialization.html>

Sen, Uttoran. “Western-Wedding in Western Countries”. 2008. Accessed on 15

April 2009. <http://www.buzzle.com/articles/western-wedding-wedding-in-western-countries.html>

VanderSluis, Matt.”Igbo People of Nigeria”. 2009. Accessed on 29 January 2009.

<http://codewit.com/nigeria/igbo-people-of-nigeria.html>


65


66

Appendix 1

Summary of No Longer at Ease

Obi Okonkwo is a young man, about twenty-six years old, who returns to

Nigeria after studying in England at a university for four years. No Longer At

Ease, begins with a trial against Obi that takes place a while after his return, and

the novel then works its way backward to explain how Obi has come to be

charged with accepting a bribe.

The Umuofia Progressive Union (U.P.U) has given Obi a scholarship to

study law in England, a scholarship that Obi has to pay back upon his return. And,

thus, he leaves for England, stopping in Lagos on the way out. While in England,

several things happen to him. First, he changes his course of study to English and

abandons law. Secondly, he finds himself nostalgic for home, writing poems

about Nigeria. Finally, he meets a girl named Clara at a dance in London but fails

to make a good impression. However, the girl is Nigerian also, and on Obi's boat

ride back home, after nearly four years in England, he meets Clara once again.

This time, they begin a relationship.

Once back in Nigeria, Obi stays, once again, in Lagos with his friend

Joseph, trying to find a job and a place of his own. He also visits his own home

village of Umuofia. Obi is quickly given a post on the Scholarship Board of the

Civil Service and is also quickly introduced to the world of bribery, which is a

world he wholeheartedly rejects with a strong idealism at first. This is indicated

early on when a man offers Obi money in order for Obi to "pull strings" for his

little sister's scholarship. Obi is appalled and rejects the offer, only later to be met


67

at home by the little sister herself who offers Obi her body in return for the

scholarship favor. Again, Obi rejects this offer.

Although Obi begins his life in Nigeria in an honest way, events do not go

as he has planned. First, Clara tells him that she cannot marry him because she is

an osu, an outcast. Obi decides to ignore this and go against what most of his

fellow countrymen believe to be a major transgression of custom, and he decides

he will marry her anyway. Still, his economic hardship worsens, given that he has

to send money home and that he is in debt. Obi then receives a letter from his

father telling him that he must go home. When he arrives at home he sees that his

mother is very ill. And, his parents tell him he must not marry Clara because she

is an osu. In fact, Obi's dying mother gives him an ultimatum: she tells him that if

he insists on marrying Clara, he must wait until she is dead because if he marries

Clara while she is alive, she will kill herself.

Obi, therefore returns back to Lagos and tells Clara all that has transpired.

Clara becomes angry and breaks off the engagement, afterwards hinting at the fact

that she is pregnant. It is at this point when Obi arranges an abortion. He does not

have the money and needs to borrow it. Complications arise out of the operation,

and Clara is hospitalized, after which she refuses to see Obi.

Obi then returns to work, only to be notified that his mother has died. He

does not go home for the funeral, and the U.P.U. discusses this failure on Obi's

behalf as a sign of his not having cared about his mother's death. The truth,

however, is that he was terribly saddened by her death, feels terrible remorse and

guilt, and has entered into a state of mental unrest. However, Obi awakes from


68

this unrest with a new sense of calm. He feels like a new man, and it is at this

point that he takes his first bribe, not without a certain degree of guilt.

Obi allows this acceptance of bribes to become habitual. He continues to take

bribes until the end of the novel, when Obi decides he cannot stand it anymore.

He has paid off all of his debts and can no longer be a part of the corruption. It is

at this moment, however, when he has taken his last bribe, that he is caught,

which brings us back to the beginning of the novel.

Taken from:

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/nolonger/summary.html


69

Appendix 2

Biography ofChinua Achebe (1930-) - in full Albert Chinualumogu Achebe

Prominent Igbo (Ibo) writer, famous for his novels describing the effects

of Western customs and values on traditional African society. Achebe's satire and

his keen ear for spoken language have made him one of the most highly esteemed

African writers in English. In 1990 Achebe was paralyzed from the waist down in

a serious car accident.

"I would be quite satisfied if my novels (especially the ones I set in the past)

did no more than teach my readers that their past - with all its imperfections

- was not one long night of savagery from which the first Europeans acting on

God's behalf delivered them" (from Morning Yet on Creation Day, 1975)

Chinua Achebe was born in Ogidi, Nigeria, the son of a teacher in a

missionary school. His parents, though they installed in him many of the values of

their traditional Igbo culture, were devout evangelical Protestants and christened

him Albert after Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria. In 1944 Achebe

attended Government College in Umuahia. Like other major Nigerian writers

including Wole Soyinka, Elechi Amadi, John Okigbo, John Pepper Clark, and

Cole Omotso, he was also educated at the University College of Ibadan, where he

studied English, history and theology. At the university Achebe rejected his

British name and took his indigenous name Chinua. In 1953 he graduated with a

BA. Before joining the Nigerian Broadcasting Company in Lagos in 1954 he


70

travelled in Africa and America, and worked for a short time as a teacher. In the

1960s he was the director of External Services in charge of the Voice of Nigeria.

During the Nigerian Civil War (1967-70) Achebe was in the Biafran government

service, and then taught at US and Nigerian universities. Achebe's writings from

this period reflect his deep personal disappointment with what Nigeria became

since independence.

In 1967 Achebe cofounded a publishing company at Enugu with his

friend, the poet Christopher Okigbo, who was killed during the Nigerian Civil

War. Achebe was appointed research fellow at the University of Nigeria, and after

serving as professor of English, he retired in 1981. Since 1985, Achebe has been a

professor emeritus. From 1971 he has edited Okike, the leading journal of

Nigerian new writing. He has also held the post of Professor of English at the

University of Massachusetts, Amherst. There he met James Baldwin, also a

faculty member, who was Professor of African studies at the University of

Connecticut, Storrs, and Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council at Anambra

State University of Technology, Enugu. In the1990s Acgebe was a faculty

member at Bard College, a liberal arts school, where he has taught literature to

undergraduates. An automobile accident on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in 1990

left Achebe confined to a wheelchair, permanently.

Achebe's first novel, THINGS FALL APART, appeared in 1958. The

story of a traditional village "big man" Okonkwo, and his downfall has been

translated into some 50 languages. It was followed two year later by NO

LONGER AT EASE, and ARROW OF GOD (1964), which concerned traditional


71

Igbo life as it clashed with colonial powers in the form of missionaries and

colonial government. Among Achebe's later works is ANTHILLS OF THE

SAVANNAH (1987), a polyvocal story with multiple narrators. Set in an

imaginary West African state, its central character is Sam, a Sandhurst-trained

military officer, who has become President. Chris Oriko and Ikem Osodi, his

friends, die when resisting brutal abuse of power. A military coup eliminates Sam.

Beatrice Okah Chris's London-educated girl friend is entrusted with her

community of women to return the political sanity.

Things Fall Apart (1958), an unsentimental novel, depicts the life of

Okonkwo, ambitious and powerful leader of an Igbo community, who counts on

physical strength and courage. Okonkwo's life is good: his compound is large, he

has no troubles with his wives, his garden grows yams, and he is respected by his

fellow villagers. When Okonkwo accidentally kills a clansman, he is banished

from the village for seven years. But the vehicle for his downfall is his blindness

to circumstances and the missionary church, which brings with it the new

authority of the British District Commissioner. The story is set in the 1890s, when

missionaries and colonial government made its intrusion into Igbo society. In this

process Okonkwo is destroyed, because his unwillingness to change set him apart

from the community and he is fighting alone against colonialism. Achebe took the

title of the book from William Butler Yates's The Second Coming - "Things fall

apart; the centre cannot hold."

A Man of the People (1966) is a satire of corruption, and power struggles

in an African state in the 1960s. The central characters are the Minister of Culture,


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Nanga, the man of the people, and teacher Odili, an African Lucky Jim, who tells

the story. Odili stands against the government, but not because of ideological

reasons. He has personal interests: Nanga has seduced his girl friend. Their

political confrontation becomes violent, Nanga's thugs inflict havoc and chaos,

and the army responds by staging a coup.

Achebe has also written collections of short stories, poetry, and several

books for juvenile readers. His essays include BEWARE, SOUL BROTHER

(1971), about his experiences during the Civil War. He has received a Margaret

Wrong Prize, the New Statesman Jock Campbell Prize, the Commonwealth Poetry

Prize, and the 2007 Man Booker International award. In 1983, upon the death of

Mallan Aminu Kano, Achebe was elected deputy national president of the

People's Redemption Party. As the director of Heineman Educational Books in

Nigeria, he has encouraged and published the work of dozens of African writers.

He founded in 1984 the bilingual magazine Uwa ndi Igbo, a valuable source for

Igbo studies.

Achebe's own literary language is standard English blended with pidgin,

Igbo vocabulary, proverbs, images and speech patterns. Achebe shows his skills

as a storyteller in 'The Madman' in which the social customs of the Ibo-speaking

people are strongly present. In the richly layered narrative a nameless madman

gets his revenge. Nwibe, an honored member of a distant town Ogbu, plans to go

to the market. There in the market he had once chased a madman out of his hut

and sent his children to throw stones at him. As he washes by the river, the

madman takes his cloth. Nwibe runs naked after him, shouting 'Stop the madman.'


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The thief with the cloth disappears in the crowd, and Nwibe is taken to a

medicine-man, but he has lost his social position. "For how could a man be the

same again of whom witnesses from all the lands of Olu and Igbo have once

reported that they saw today a fine, hefty man in his prime, stark naked, tearing

through the crowds to answer the call of the market-place. Such a man is marked

forever."

As an essayist Achebe has gained fame with his collections MORNING

YET ON CREATION DAY (1975), HOPES AND IMPEDIMENTS (1988) and

his long essay THE TROUBLE WITH NIGERIA (1983). In 'An Image of Africa'

(1975) Achebe criticizes Conrad's racism in Heart of Darkness. He has defended

the use of the English language in the production of African fiction, insisting that

the African novelist has an obligation to educate, and has attacked European

critics who have failed to understand African literature on its own terms. Achebe

has defined himself as a cultural nationalist with a revolutionary mission "to help

my society regain belief in itself and put away the complexes of the years of

denigration and self-abasement." But Achebe has not stopped criticizing

postcolonial African leaders who have pillaged economies. During the military

dictatorship of Gen. Sani Abacha he left Nigeria several times. When the 70th

birthday of the patriarch of the modern African novel was celebrated at Bard

College, on November 2000, Wole Soyinka said: "Achebe never hesitates to lay

blame for the woes of the African continent squarely where it belongs."

Arrow of God (1994) is set in the 1920s. The central character is Ezeulu,

priest, who sends one of his sons to missionary school and gains in some respect


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the approval of the English district superintendent. However, Ezeulu is doomed,

because when defending the traditions of his people he is unyielding, unable to

reach a compromise, and afraid of losing his authority.

For further reading: The Writings of Chinua Achebe by G.D. Killam (1977);

Chinua AchebeChinua Achebe: Things Fall Apart by Kate Turkington (1977);

Achebe's World by Robert Wren (1980); Achebe and the Dilemma of Nigerian

Intellectual by Ian Gleen (1983); Chinua Achebe by David Carroll (1990); Chinua

Achebe by I.L. Innes (1990); In the Beginning: Chinua Achebe at Work by Ada

Ugah (1990); Critical Approaches to Anthills of the Savannah, ed. by Holger

Ehling (1991); Reading Chinua Achebe by Simon Gikandi (1991); Chinua Achebe

by Umelo Ojinmah (1991); Chinua Achebe: A Celebration, ed. by Kirsten Holt

Peterson and Anna Rutheford (1991); Chinua Achebe: A Biography by Ezenwa-

Ohaeton (1997) - NOTE: During the Nigerian Civil War - see above - Biafra's

national anthem was based on Jean Sibelius's Finlandia. Sibelius, Finnish

composer, wrote the orchestral work in 1900.

Selected works:

• THINGS FALL APART, 1958 - films: Bullfrog in the Sun (1972), dir. by

Hans Jürgen Pohland, starring Elizabeth of Toro, Orlando Martins, Johnny

Sekka; TV series, 1986

• NO LONGER AT EASE, 1960

• THE SACRIFICAL EGG AND OTHER STORIES, 1962


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• ARROW OF GOD, 1964

• A MAN OF THE PEOPLE, 1966 - Kansan mies (suom. Eila Pennanen)

• CHIKE AND THE RIVER, 1966

• BEWARE, SOUL BROTHER, 1971

• GIRLS AT WAR, 1972

• HOW THE LEOPARD GOT HIS CLAWS, 1972

• CHRISTMAS IN BIAFRA AND OTHER POEMS, 1973

• MORNING YET ON CREATION DAY, 1975

• THE DRUM, 1977

• THE FLUTE, 1977

• LITERATURE AND SOCIETY, 1980

• THE TROUBLE WITH NIGERIA, 1983

• THE WORLD OF OGBANJE, 1986

• ANTHILLS OF THE SAVANNA, 1987 - short listed for the Booker Prize

• THE UNIVERSITY AND THE LEADERSHIP FACTOR IN NIGERIAN

POLITICS, 1988

• HOPES AND IMPEDIMENTS, 1989

• NIGERIAN TOPICS, 1989

• ed.: THE HEINEMANN BOOK OF CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN

SHORT STORIES, 1992 (with C.L. Innes)

• HOME AND EXILE, 20

Taken from: http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/achebe.htm


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Appendix 3

Chinua Achebe's Works

Things Fall Apart, 1958

No Longer at Ease, 1960

The Sacrificial Egg and Other Stories, 1962

Arrow of God, 1964

A Man of the People, 1966

Chike and the River, 1966

Beware, Soul-Brother, and Other Poems, 1971

How the Leopard Got His Claws (with John Iroaganachi), 1972

Girls at War, 1973

Christmas at Biafra, and Other Poems, 1973

Morning Yet on Creation Day, 1975

The Flute, 1975

The Drum, 1978

Don't Let Him Die: An Anthology of Memorial Poems for Christofer Okigbo

(editor with Dubem Okafor), 1978

Aka Weta: An Anthology of Igbo Poetry (co-editor), 1982

The Trouble With Nigeria, 1984

African Short Stories, 1984

Anthills of the Savannah, 1988

Hopes and Impediments, 1988

Taken from: http://www.postcolonialweb.org/achebe/achebework.html


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Appendix 4

Picture of Chinua Achebe

Taken from:

http://www.daylife.com/photo/00Fk5TE83C5Wg?q=Chinua+Achebe


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Appendix 5

Map of the Places in the Novel

Taken from:

http://media.maps.com/magellan/images/nigera-w1.gif


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Course Outline KPE 154 Paragraph Writing | 1

English Language Education Study Program

Sanata Dharma University

Revision 1 Effective from 27 January 2009

Course Outline

Course Code : KPE 154 Course Title : Paragraph Writing Credit : 2 Credits Time Allocation : 2 x 50 minutes class meeting, 2 x 120 minutes independent work and

structured tasks Prerequisite : KPE 153 Basic Writing Skills Lecturer : Christina Kristiyani, S. Pd., M. Pd. Competence Standard On completing the course, students are able to:

1. compose a good paragraph, 2. write well using different types of writing genre, 3. deconstruct the generic and schematic structure of each genre, 4. find the social purposes and linguistic features of texts, 5. write texts with the learned genre.

Grading Policy

Assesment Aspect Percentage Independent Tasks 20 % Progress Test 1 25 % Progress Test 2 25 % Final test Results 30 %

Total 100 % References D’Angelo, F. 1980. Process and thought in composition. Hardy, J., and Klarwein, D. 1990. Written genres in the scondary school. Heffeman, J and Lincoln, J. E. 1990. Writing: A college handbook. Metropolitan East Disadvantaged School Programs. 1993. A brief introduction to genres. Meyers, Alan. 2005. Gateways to Accademic Writing. New York: Longman Warriner, J. E. 1977. Composition: Models and exercises.


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Course Outline KPE 154 Paragraph Writing | 2 Course Outline*)

Week Topics 1. Introduction 2. Paragraph Writing Topic sentence 3. Support sentences 4. Paragraph Unity 5. 6. Describing Objects Generic Structure 7. Language focus 8. Progress Test 1 9. Narration Habitual Activities 10. Past Activities 11. Future Plans 12. Progress Test 2 13. Argumentative Paragraphs 14. 15. Review

*) subject to change Rules of Conduct:

1. Minimum attendance of 75 % is a compulsory to obtain grade. 2. Cell-phones must be deactivated or set into a silent mode during the

course. 3. The maximum lateness for coming to class is 15 minutes. 4. Dressing properly is valued. Sandals are not allowed.


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LESSON PLAN FOR TEACHING WRITING

Subject : Paragraph Writing

Level of the Students : 2nd Semester of English Education Study Program

Time Allocation : 2 x 50 minutes

Material : No Longer at Ease

I. Standard Competence

Students are able to write well using different types of writing genre.

II. Basic Competence

Students are able to write well using descriptive genre.

III. Learning Indicators

Students are able to identify sentences which describe places.

Students are able to mention the words which are used to describe places.

Students are able to compose good descriptive paragraphs.

IV. Material

No Longer at Ease page 16


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V. Learning Activities

A. Pre Activity :

The students answer some questions related to describing places to

activate their background knowledge.

B. Main Activity :

The students read an example of descriptive writing.

The students analyze sentences which describe places.

The students make a list of words which can be used to describe

places.

The students write a descriptive writing of a place.

The students do peer correction.

The students revise their work.

C. Post Activity :

The students submit their work.

V. Teaching Media

Dictionary

VI. Evaluation

The students’ competence is evaluated based on their writing.


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Part 1

Answer these questions!

1. Mention a place you like most!

2. Where is it located?

3. What is the characeristic you remember most?

4. Why do you like that place?

Part 2

Read the following passage!

Joseph was at Lagos Motor Park to meet his lucky friend who was

passing through Lagos to the United Kingdom. He took him to his lodgings in

Obalende. It was only one room. A curtain of light-blue cloth ran the full

breadth of the room separating the Holy of Holies as he called his double spring

bed) from the sitting area. His cooking utensils, boxes, and other personal effects

were hidden away under the Holy of Holies. The sitting area was taken up with

two armchairs, a settee (otherwise called “me and my girl”), and a round table

on which he displayed his photo album. At night, his house-boy moved away

the round table and spread his mat on the floor.

Part 3

Find out the answer!

1. Read the passage and underline the sentences used in describing places!

2. Find other words used in describing places!

3. Write a paragraph of descriptive writing of your favorite place!


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