TFA: Thesis Statements


Prompt: The personal history of an author can have a significant influence on the way meaning is constructed in his/her writing. Comment on specific instances in response to the prompt. 

Chinua Achebe is a descendant of the Igbo people howbeit he is a Christian and has been brought up with both Western and Igbo values due to colonial rule. His novel " Things Fall Apart" was written in 1958, two years prior to Nigerian Independence from British colonial rule. However this novel is set during the time of the first involvements of British rule in Nigeria and the initial stages of colonialism. Achebe uses his personal history to allow him to discuss historical context and  to tie him to his cultural roots, to create a book which presents early life before colonial rule. This is done to provide a new insight into colonialism and to show that the British had assimilated the Igbo people's culture, however due to Achebe's duality in being both an Igbo descendant and a Christian, he also shows the advantages of colonization by exhibiting the faults within Igbo culture.  By understanding the personal history of an author we can understand their desires and standpoints on an issue. In this instance,readers can encapsulate Achebe's desire to showcase the complexity of Igbo culture but to also show the unpleasantness within it. 

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