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Quote by Chinua Achebe

“He who fights for a ne'er-do-well has nothing to show for it except a head covered in earth and grime.”

Work

This novel delves into the life of a young man navigating the complexities of post-colonial Nigeria, examining his journey as he grapples with issues of identity, ambition, and the expectations placed upon him by society. more

Author

Chinua Achebe

Nigerian novelist, poet, literary critic, widely regarded as one of the greatest African writers of the 20th century. Chinua Achebe is known for his profound insights into colonialism and African culture, with works such as 'Things Fall Apart' and 'Arrow of God'. more

“What really worries me is that those who are in positions of power are not really affected by what we are writing. In the moral dialogue you want to start, you really want to involve the leaders. People ask me: "Why were you so bold as to publish A Man of the People? How did you think the Government was going to take it? You didn't know there was going to be a coup?" I said rather flippantly that nobody was going to read it anyway, so I wasn't likely to be fired from my official position. It's a distressing thought that we cannot engage our leaders in the kind of moral debate we need.”

Source: Conversations with Chinua Achebe

“Even the village rain-maker no longer claimed to be able to intervene. He could not stop the rain now, just as he would not attempt to start it in the heart of the dry season, without serious danger to his own health.”

Heart Able Danger Serious Rain Seasons Dry Village Makers

Book:Things Fall Apart

Source: Things Fall Apart

“No matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and his children (and especially his women) he was not really a man.”

Ifs Men Children Matter Falling Apart Prosperous Things Fall Apart Okonkwo Things Fall Apart Important Okonkwo

Book:Things Fall Apart

Source: Things Fall Apart

“"You sound as if you question the authority and the decision of the Oracle, who said he should die." "I do not. Why should I? But the Oracle did not ask me to carry out its decision." [...] "The Earth cannot punish me for obeying her mesenger," Okonkwo said. "A child's fingers are not scalded by a piece of hot yam which its mother puts into its palm."”

Ifs Should Children Said Earth Mother Dies Asks Sound Decision Pieces Authority Hot Fingers Ask Me Should I Palms Obeying Oracles Things Fall Apart Okonkwo Yams Okonkwo

Author:Chinua Achebe

“Beware Okonkwo!" she warned. "Beware of exchanging words with Agbala. Does a man speak when a god speaks? Beware!”

Men Doe Speak Exchanging Things Fall Apart Okonkwo Things Fall Apart Important Okonkwo

Book:Things Fall Apart: Authoritative Text, Contexts and Criticism

Source: Things Fall Apart: Authoritative Text, Contexts and Criticism

“If the clan did not exact punishment for an offense against the great goddess, her wrath was loosed on all the land and not just on the offender. As the elders said, if one finger brought oil it soiled all the others.”

Ifs Said Land Fingers Oil Punishment Goddess Offense Wrath Elders Offenders Clans

Book:Things Fall Apart

Source: Things Fall Apart

“"We have heard stories about white men who make the powerful guns and the strong drinks and took slaves away across the seas, but no one thought the stories were true." [said Obierika]"There is no story that is not true," said Uchendu. "The world has no end, and what is good among one people is an abomination with others. We have albinos among us. Do you not think that they came to our clan by mistake, that they have strayed from their way to a land where everybody is like them?"”

People Thinking Men World Way Said Ends Stories Strong White Powerful Mistake Heard Sea Land Drink Gun Slave White Man Clans Abomination Strong Drink

Author:Chinua Achebe

“When Ling was communicating to any person the signs by which messengers might find him, he was compelled to add, "the neighbourhood in which this contemptible person resides is that officially known as 'the mean quarter favoured by the lower class of those who murder by treachery'," and for this reason he was not always treated with the regard to which his attainments entitled him, or which he would have unquestionably received had he been able to describe himself as of "the partly-drained and uninfected area reserved to Mandarins and their friends.”

Source: THE KAI LUNG FANTASY SERIES: The Wallet of Kai Lung, Kai Lung's Golden Hours & Kai Lung Unrolls His Mat: The Transmutation of Ling, The Story of Yung Chang, The Probation of Sen Heng, The Experiment of the Mandarin Chan Hung, The Confession of Kai Lung, The Vengeance of Tung Fel and more

“Before hastening to secure a possible reward of five taels by dragging an unobservant person away from a falling building, examine well his features lest you find, when too late, that it is one to whom you are indebted for double that amount.”

Wells Persons Fall Five Building Amount Late Rewards Secure Features Too Late Indebted

Book:THE KAI LUNG FANTASY SERIES: The Wallet of Kai Lung, Kai Lung's Golden Hours & Kai Lung Unrolls His Mat: The Transmutation of Ling, The Story of Yung Chang, The Probation of Sen Heng, The Experiment of the Mandarin Chan Hung, The Confession of Kai Lung, The Vengeance of Tung Fel and more

Quote by Chinua Achebe

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