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Pouvez-vous me dire si c'est tout bon ? Il y a beaucoup de choses que je n'ai pas trouvées.
Merci.
Unhappy with the arrival of the British in his country, Okonkwo has killed a messenger from the government and hanged himself. The white District Commissioner arrives in the village with the intention of arresting him.
[…] Then they came to the tree from which Okonkwo’s body was dangling, and they stopped dead.
“Perhaps you men can help us bring him down and bury him,” said Obierika. We have sent for strangers from another village to do it for us, but they may be a long time coming.
The District Commissioner changed instantaneously. The resolute administrator in him gave way to the student of primitive customs.
“Why can’tyou take him down yourselves? He asked.
“It is against our custom”, said one of the men. It is an abomination for a man to take is own life. It is an offence against the Earth, and a man who commits it will not be buried by his clansmen. His body is evil, and only strangers may touch it. That is why we ask your people to bring him down, because you are strangers.”
“Will you bury him like another man? Asked the Commissioner.
“We cannot bury him. Only strangers can. We shall pay your men to do it. When he has been buried we will then do our duty by him. We shall make sacrifices to cleanse the desecrated land.
Obierika, who had been gazing steadily at his friend’s dangling body, turned suddenly to the District Commissioner and said ferociously : “That man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia. You drove hom to kill himself; and now he will be buried like a dog…”. He could not say any more. His voice trembled and choked this word.
“ Shut up !” shouted one of the messengers, quite unnecessarily.
“Take down the body”, the Commissioner ordered his chief messenger, and bring it and all these people to the court.
“Yes, sah,” the messenger said, saluting.
The Commissioner went away, taking three or four of the soldiers with him. In the many years which he had toiled to bring civilisation to different parts of Africa he had learnt a number of things. One of them was that a District Commissioner must never attend to such undignified details as cutting down a hanged man from the tree. Such attention would give the natives a poor opinion of him. In the book which he planned to write he would stress that point. As he walked back to the court he thought about that book. Every day brought him some new material. The story of this man who had killed a messenger and hanged himself would make interesting reading. One could almost write a whole chapter on him. Perhaps not a whole chapter but a reasonable paragraph, at any rate. There was so much else to include, and one must be firm in cutting out details. He had already chosen the title of the book, after much thought : The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger.
a) Who ? Where ? What?
a- In which country does the scene take plae? Name the precise location. Quote to justify your anwers.
The scene takes place in Africa. In the Lower Niger. " [...] to bring civilisation to different parts of Africa he had learnt a number of things. [...] He had already chosen the title of the book, after much thought : The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger."
b- Who are the characters present in the extract, give their nationality and their relationship when possible.
The characters are present in the extract Onkonkwo, it is African. The district commissioner, he is English. Obierika is African. Obierika is the friend of Onkonkwo.
c- Quote the sentence, aroung the end of the text, which sums up the story of Onkonkwo’s life.
“Dans les années où il avait de nombreux peiné pour apporter la civilisation aux différentes parties de l'Afrique qu'il avait appris un certain nombre de choses. »
b) Part one up to line 18.
a- What is the problem concerning Okonkwo’s nody? Quote if necessary.
The problem with Okonkwo’s body is that he will be bury like an animal. “That man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia. You drove hom to kill himself; and now he will be buried like a dog…”.
b- The African villagers keep their dignity, how will they reward the District Commissioner’s men for their help?
Je n’ai pas trouvé
c- One word is repeated four times, which one? Explain what point of view is revealed by it.
The word who’s repeated four times is “Bury”.
d- Explain the district commissioner’s double personality.
Je n’ai pas trouvé ?
e- Explain Obierika’s outburst. Quote if necessary.
Obierika is unleashed because it does not understand that Okonkwo can be buried like an animal. This is not the tradition in Africa, Okonkwo was for him an important person.
f- Find the English for :
se balançait=> was dangling
enterrer=> bury
mal => evil
vous l’avez forcé => drove him to
c) Part two from line 19 to the end.
a- What does the Disctrict Commissioner intend to write? Quote.
The District Commissioner for the intention to write a book that tells the pacification of the tribes of the Lower Niger. “He had already chosen the title of the book, after much thought : The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger.”
b- Oppose his view of Okonkwo’s death to the outburst of Obierika earlier.
Je n’ai pas trouvé.
d) What did you learn about Africa life, customs, values and beliefs in this whole extract? Why do you think Achebe introduces lbo customs in this way all throughout the novel?
I learned a lot about Africa. Indeed, I did not know that there are customs to respect for every man's funeral. Even during wartime. Achebe introduces these customs throughout the novel, as it often says the fact that you can not bury someone like a common animal. And that there are customs to be observed.
