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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