Grade-11 (English) Part-2 (Short Stories) 1.5 Civil Peace - by Chinua Achebe

 Grade-11 (English) 1.5 Civil Peace - by Chinua Achebe  Part-2 (Short Stories)



About the story “Civil peace”…

     · "Civil Peace" is a 1971 short story by Chinua Achebe  about the effects of the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970) on the people and the "civil peace" that followed.
· Nigeria became an independent nation from the British colony in 1960 and the Nigerian Civil War began in 1967 when the Igbo tried to separate from Nigeria to form the independent Republic of Biafra.
· After enduring three years of bloody battles, the Ibo were forced to surrender in 1970, ending the war. Biafrans suffered a severe famine due to the effects of war. Nearly a million people died of starvation.
· Chinua Achebe’s story ‘Civil Peace’ is a realistic story which presents the condition after the Civil War. It is about a Biafran civil war and its effect on Nigerian people.


q Characters Analysis

      Jonathan Iwegbu
 Jonathan Iwegbu is the protagonist of "Civil Peace." He is defined by optimism and resilience, even in the face of great tragedy. Despite the devastation of the Civil War, Jonathan celebrates what he still has rather than regretting what he has lost. For instance, he gives thanks for the lives of his wife and three living children, instead of mourning the son he buried.
  Jonathan is not only optimistic, but also industrious. Instead of waiting for the situation to change, he starts several businesses. Through the end of the story, he remains focused on the future. Even when his ex gratia money is stolen by thieves, he tells sympathetic neighbors that he "count[s] it as nothing" and continues to work.
   

         Maria Iwegbu
 Maria, Jonathan's wife, mirrors his hard-working nature. After the Civil War, she begins making bean cakes to sell to neighbors. The morning after the robbery she joins her husband in focusing on work.

      Thief leader
 The thief leader who knocks at Jonathan's door is extremely confident: he announces himself as a thief, and mocks the family's cries for help. He even offers to call for soldiers after the police and neighbors fail to answer.
 Overall, the thieves are a poignant symbol of the danger and uncertainty of Nigeria at this time. The leader's language suggests he is less educated than Jonathan, and his glib, arrogant tone reveals his awareness of how little a family has to rely on outside themselves. Though he doesn't commit any acts of violence, the thief leader represents the ever-present potential for violence in the unstable post-war period.
     

        Thief chorus
 This group of at least five thieves accompany the thief leader as he accosts Jonathan's family for money. They form a sort of chorus, chanting responses to their leader's questions. The call and response structure of the dialogue recalls musical or theatrical forms. At one point, the chorus questions the decision to accept merely twenty pounds rather than roughly searching the house, but is quickly silenced by their leader. It is possible that these men are ex-soldiers.

        The army officer
  During the war, this army officer demanded Jonathan's bike for military purposes, but then accepted a bribe in lieu of the bike. In a tattered uniform and possessing a “certain lack of grip and firmness in his manner”, the officer represents the untrustworthiness and incompetence of authority in "Civil Peace."

      Robbery victim
 This man was pick-pocketed of his egg-rasher money, and had a public breakdown outside the Treasury. He serves as a foil to Jonathan, both in terms of his carelessness and public desperation. Jonathan is marked by carefulness and resilience despite setbacks.

                  


About the story “civil peace”: Summary

     · Chinua achebe’s story ‘Civil Peace’ is a realistic story which presents the condition after the Civil War. It is about a Biafran civil war and its effect on Nigerian people.
· The story starts off in eastern Nigeria after the civil war has ended. The protagonist of this story is Jonathan Iwegbu, who thinks himself very lucky to have survived. He had come out of the war with five inestimable blessings to him, his wife Maria and his three children out of four.
·  He had also his bicycle as an extra bonus, which he dug up after the fighting had stopped. This bicycle was seized by the military officer, but he got it by spending two pounds. He turned it into a taxi to make money. In two weeks he made 150 pounds. Jonathan then traveled to Enugu to search for his home, and to his surprise, He found his house in Enugu still standing, despite the absence of doors, windows and roof.
·  After getting the house, Jonathan who saw everything in positive terms, this was another miracle for him. The house needed some repairs, so Jonathan found some supplies around and made it look like a home again. He then moved his family back in. The entire family worked hard to earn money and rebuilt their lives. The children picked mangoes and sold them to soldier’s wives, while Maria made akara balls to sell to their neighbors. After finding that his job as a miner isn't a possibility, he decided to run a bar for soldiers out of his house and he was involved in selling palm wine. From one point of view, it is meager material with which to start a new life, but to the Jonathan, after the horrors of war was blessing. And then the family started its journey back to normality and prosperity.  
· The final windfall is the “egg rasher” he receives. For turning in rebel currency to the Treasury, and in exchange they (Soldiers) gave him 20 pounds legitimate currency. It confirms his belief in God.
· But next night, a large group of robbers show up at his house demanding 100 pounds. When Jonathan replies that he only has 20 pounds, the leader of the robbers demands he hand the money through the open window. After they take the money, life goes on as usual for Jonathan because "Nothing Puzzles God," meaning that the robbery has a greater meaning in God's eyes than how it seemed to Jonathan. ‘Nothing puzzles God’ is his catchphrase. In both situations, he uses the same phrase. Everything that life provides is a bonus to him.
· Above all, Jonathan is optimistic and is happy with which he has. When the thieves take ex-gratia away, he is engaged in his everyday work. He considers that his life did not depend on that money last week. He is clever as well as practical too. When his bicycle was seized by military officer, Jonathan brings it by giving the two pounds. He also gave twenty pounds willingly to save the life of family from the thieves. He work hard in both situations and has complete faith on God.


Understanding the text…
      Answer the following questions.
a.  Why did Jonathan think of himself as ‘extraordinary lucky’?
§  Jonathan thought of himself as ‘extraordinary lucky’ to have survived with his wife and three children out of four from the civil war.
b.  What are the five blessing for which Jonathan is grateful?
§  The five blessings for which Jonathan is grateful are: his head, his wife Maria’s head and the heads of three out of their four children.
c. Why did Jonathan mistrust the officer who wanted to take his bicycle? What doe this tell you about the situation in Nigeria?
§  Jonathan mistrusted the officer who wanted to take his bicycle because he found a certain lack of grip and firmness in his manner which reveals that civil war, the situation of Nigeria was really worse.
d. What visitors might be at the door? Are Jonathan and his wife completely surprised? Explain.
§  Thieves might be the visitors at the door. Jonathan and his wife are completely surprised and terrified by the knocking  and several voices like horrible chorus continued at door.
e. Why does no one in the neighbourhood respond when the thieves  pound on Jonathan’s door? Why do the thieves call for the police?
§  No one in the neighbourhood responded when the thieves pounded on Jonathan’s door because they all were afraid the thieves and there was horrible  terror outside out side and it was night time, too.
§  The Thieves called for the police to express their terror that they were not afraid of the police.


Reference to the context…

a. What does Jonathan mean by his expression “Nothing puzzles God”? What does this expression reveal about his character? Explain.

Ø Jonathan uses refrain “Nothing puzzles God” in the story whenever he falls in troublesome situation. The meaning behind his statement is that God is all knowing, God knows the reasons, the purpose, and the outcome behind every incidences.

Ø This expression reveals the fact about his character that he is a man of righteous nature who has deep faith in God. It also discloses about his never discouraging nature who takes every remaining thing from the civil war as a part of a bonus his life.


b. Read the extract and answer the questions below:

  “To God who made me; if you come inside and find one hundred pounds, take it and shoot me and shoot my wife and children. I swear to God. The only money I have in this life is this twenty pounds egg-rasher they gave me today…”

                i. Who is the speaker?
     ii. Who is the speaker talking to?
    iii. Who does “they” refer to?

Answer:

Ø The speaker is Jonathan Iwegbu.

Ø The speaker is talking to thieves.

Ø “They”  refers to Coal Corporation Officials.


d. Nigerian English has words like soja  ‘soldier’ and katakata ‘confusion’,  ‘trouble’ derived apparently from English words but transformed by native languages’ phonologies. What does the author’s use of dialect here add to the story?

      Nigerian English has words like Soja "soldier" and katakata "confusion", "trouble" delivered apparently from English words but transformed by Native language phonologies.
   The author used dialects here to add following things in the story:
        i.  To stress on the native language;
       ii.  To promote the dialects;
       iii. To justify the status of living people in Nigeria and,
       iv.  To promote the feelings of  the nationality.
       v.  To initiate the significance of local languague.

e.  Why do you think the thieves who come to rob Jonathan speak English with a heavier African accent than Jonathan does?

      I think the thieves who came to rob Jonathan speak English with a heavier African            accent than Jonathan because of the following reasons:
        i.  To show that they  belonged to white American.
       ii. To state that they were authoritarian.
      iii.  To  make the African people believed that they know the English language well.
      iv.  To justify that they  belonged to  superior and stronger community.
      v.  To show that they were better than the author.


f. The title of the story "Civil Peace" itself is ironical as there is little to differentiate ‘civil peace’ from ‘civil war’. Do you think that the title of this story is appropriate, or would “Civil War” have been a better title? Explain.

   Yes, the story is ironical. This title of this story is inappropriate because of the following reasons:
     i.  Nigeria people did not believe in the government public servant like police                  officers as they were corrupted.
    ii. The people of Nigeria had much difficulty to join their  hands in mouth                         everyday as most of the people were living under the poverty line.
    iii. Though the war was ended in Nigeria,  Robbery  still prevailed and it was not              controlled by the government.
    iv.  There was fear and anxiety in every people’s hearts.
     v. There was war more existed in every citizens’ hearts than peace everywhere.

Thus,  the title of this story "Civil War" would be  more appropriate than “Civil Peace.”


Reference beyond the text 

a. How would you describe the civil peace in Nigeria?
The condition of the Civil peace in Nigeria wasn't good. It is correct that peace can best be realized in the presence of freedom, equality and justice. Freedom in the society allows people to express themselves freely, while equality and justice help in removing the grounds for conflict.
 After the war, the time of the Civil peace was the time of the resettlement.  There was nothing new for the people.  People had to face various problems during that time.  The government's law during that time was good.  There were many risks in people's life.  Thieves Used To Loot and Beat people without having any fear of law.  Though the Civil peace prevailed there, there was Anarchy and apartheid everywhere.


b. What kind of attitude towards life do you think you would have if your situation was similar to that of Jonathan’s?

      I would be Optimist to face all the challenges.  I would be helpful to every people.  I would follow the right path, take the right decision, believe in God and many more in such situations.


c. Draw the character sketch of Jonathan Iwegbu.

§  Jonathan Iwegbu, the protagonist of "Civil Peace", is the optimistic nucleus of the entire narrative. Despite the recent devastation of the Biafran War, Jonathan exhibits a happy tone in the face of death.

§  Jonathan's optimism is first demonstrated in the first paragraph when he exclaims how happy he is for his life.  The protagonist is happy because he can now enjoy the company of those alive, instead of being sad for the one who died. Jonathan's optimism continues to prevail when he sees his house for the first time which, was slightly damaged "But what was that?”. Later in the story, Jonathan opens a bar, creating new employment as opposed to dwelling in the fact that his former job, mining coal, is no longer an option. Jonathan's optimism remains unshakable through to the end of the story even when all of his money is stolen by thieves.

§   Hence, Jonathan Iwegbu was the protagonist Central character of the story.  He was an ex-miner who was very labourers, and resourceful.

 



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