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Abstract
عنوان الرسالة : التواطؤ والمقاومة في ثلاثة روايات لاتشنوا اتشيبي
[ ”الأشياء تتداعي” ( 1958 ) و ”سهم الإله” ( 1960 )
و ”رجل الشعب” ( 1966 ) ]
إعداد : وصال يوسف علي
إشراف : أ.د / جمال عبد الناصر
الدرجة : الماجستير التخصص : اللغة الإنجليزية و آدابها ( رواية )
ملخص الرسالة
يهدف هذا البحث إلي دراسة حقيقة الشعب الإفريقي و ثقافته و ذلك من خلال ثلاث روايات للكاتب النيجيري اتشنوا اتشيبي ” الأشياء تتداعي” ( 1958 ) و ” سهم الإله” ( 1960 ) و ” رجل الشعب” ( 1966 ). و قد ساعد أتشيبي علي خلق نوع شهير من الأدب الإفريقي يتحدى النمط التقليدي للأفارقة كبدائيين و متوحشين ، كما يعرض تعقيدات المجتمعات الإفريقية و نظمها التقليدية البديلة و أفكارها و قيمها ؛ و قد أحبط أتشيبي لمشاهدته الأفارقة أنفسهم يتقمصون هذه الأنماط و يبتعدون عن ثقافتهم الأصلية و يرفعوا من شأن الحضارة الأوربية البيضاء . و يشتمل البحث علي مقدمة و أربعة فصول و خاتمة . تلقي المقدمة الضوء علي الرسالة و منهجها بوجه عام، و يأتي الفصل الأول ليتضمن حياة أتشيبي و كيفية تأثره مما كان له بالغ الأثر علي أعماله . و يناقش الفصل الثاني في روايته ”الأشياء تتداعي” الخوف، و هو المفتاح الرئيسي لفهم شخصية البطل الذي حاول التغلب علي الجوانب السلبية في شخصية والده و لكن خوف المرضي من الفشل جعله حاد الطبع ؛ سريع الغضب مما أدي إلي تحطيم صورته في مجتمعه. و يوضح الفصل الثالث فقدان القوة من خلال روايته ”سهم الإله” و استسلام البطل إلي اليأس و الشيخوخة و يعالج الفصل الرابع مفهوم البحث عن العدالة و هو عمل صورة أتشيبي علي انه إشارة لاستقلال إفريقيامن خلال روايته ”رجل الشعب” . و توجز الخاتمة أهم نتائج الدراسة كما تؤكد علي نظرة أتشيبي فى أن الانتقال إلي فترة ما بعد الاستعمار لا يجب أن تقود إلي التخلي عن القديم بل الحفاظ علي الهوية القومية و الثقافية في مواجهة الثقافات البديلة الأخرى
Achebe’s writing is concerned with much more than a study of the traumatic effects of colonialism on a subject people even though this is a serious part of his intention. Achebe recognizes his obligation to his society and has said of himself that he must participate in the task of “re-education and re-generation” which must be done. This places him in a quite different relation to his society from writers in Europe and America: he lives in his society and expresses aspirations; they appear by and large, in revolt against their societies.
Part of Achebe’s concern has been with reconciling the individual with his cultural heritage .Achebe’s task then, has been not only to show through the life he creates and evokes in his novels that African life before the coming of the white man was “not one long night of savagery” but to assert the rights and obligations which are conferred on the generality of people in contemporary society. The past informs the present as Achebe implies when he writes that the writer’s duty is not to beat this morning’s headlines in topically; it is to explore the depth of the human condition. In Africa he cannot perform this task unless he has a proper sense of history.
The writer, according to this, helps to establish values and often assists a generality of people in making a single choice from the many choices open to them. Ultimately in this respect, Achebe’s quest has been to find in the aspirations of his contemporary society new ways of reaching understanding in the light of traditional values as they are confronted with the impact of modern ideas.
Achebe’s writing had a claim to universality because it offers a vision of life which is essentially tragic, compounded of success and failure, informed by knowledge and understanding, relieved by humour and tempered by sympathy, with an awareness of human suffering and the human capacity to endure. Sometimes his characters meet with success, more often with defeat and despair. Through all the spirit of man and the belief in the possibility of triumph endures.
The claim is that the historical, political, social background in its complexity is important to Achebe; his theme of history is an important sense. Yet equally important is his interest in exploring the depths of the human condition. His concern therefore is with individuals whose passions and hopes and fears are permanent in mankind.
Chapter one takes a close look at Achebe’s early childhood background .It sets Achebe against colonialism and the Western view about the Africans. It explores the social background into which Achebe was born and grew as a writer. It tries to explain why he was preoccupied with the European writers’ viewpoints and novels about Africa. Also on one hand, it explains some negative effects of their writings upon him .On the other hand ,it shows the positive effects of some inquisitive missionaries such as G.T .Basden upon his writings .Significantly these influences colour the understanding of his writings.
In Chapter Two the idea of change has been tackled through the problem of cultural confrontation. Things Fall Apart depicted the cultural and religious confrontation that strikes the Ibgo in Nigeria at the end of the 19th century by the arrival of the white man . This problem of change was not just a local and an isolated event; but it should be regarded as a problem of universal extent. Things Fall Apart describes the universe falling into pieces. Achebe wants the reader to view the change of the Igbo tribe and to know the reasons of its collapse. He moreover, warns the society against refusing change by presenting the tragedy of his hero Okonkwo. Okonkwo, who might have become a chief of his people in the days of changes if he had been able to face them with open mind. Unfortunately, he did not understand that societies change. They do not remain unchangeable for ever. They do change and the attempts to stop the developments are mostly in vain. So the novel ends with the death or destruction of the protagonist.
In Things Fall Apart one can also sees Achebe’s optimism that is revealed in his open-ended conclusions with a suggestion of action continuing with greater sunshine in the future. It is remarkable that each of his novels ends with an opening for a new beginning, thus confirming Achebe’s firm belief in the strength of man’s resilience. In Things Fall Apart Okonkow dies and his attempt to resist change fails, but the white man introduces the Bible, Western technology, and new commerce, which signify a new beginning.
Also, one can not misunderstand that Achebe’s novels are replete with tragic events. Achebe is attracted to tragic events because they make the story memorable. It is not Hardy’s pessimism and sadistic imaginings that Achebe inherits, not even his sympathy for his characters, but the tragic in human affairs, the serious aspect of life. Achebe’s optimism marks his point of departure from Hardy: The dark sides of Achebe’s novels, including the unhappy resolutions and tragic deaths, are not signs of despair. Achebe strongly believes in survival, hope and rebirth. He writes novels because he sees the possibilities of man rising higher than he has risen at the moment. Hence, Achebe’s optimism serves his redemptive role.
In Chapter Three Achebe delineates the pivotal issue of knowing in his third novel Arrow of God. Ezeulu the priest of God Ulu, early in the novel contemplates the forces which limit, contest and circumscribe his power. Achebe presents the problem of authority and the related questions of whom and what to follow….He shows Arrow of God as an attempt of the British Administration to install Ezeulu, a spiritual chief of Umuaro, as a warrant chief. Here Achebe is touching upon and exploring a dilemma which preoccupied the British in Nigeria and elsewhere: once it was accepted that the best way to proceed was by governing through native rulers. What was to be done about these regions of Africa which were stateless and where no native chiefs existed was to rule them by the former way.
In addition, the idea of change was introduced again. Ezeulu advises his son that the world is like a Mask dancing. So he sent his son to a mission school to move with the times. Achebe used the simile of a Mask dancing to explain that the world could not be understood by standing in one place .This also shows his optimistic viewpoint in the novel. In Arrow of God, Ulu yields his authority to the Christian God, and parents harvest their crops in the name of their sons who have embraced Western education and the Christian religion. This, too, is indicative of a new beginning.
In Chapter Four In A Man of the People, Achebe presents a picture of political life in a typical newly independent African country which evidently is Nigeria. Irony which had served him well in his rebellion against colonialism now gives way to ridicule and satire – the novel deals with the political activities of Chief Nanga a semi – literate, corrupt opportunistic politician who maneuvers his way to the post of a minister in the government of an unnamed African country. Once in that lucrative. Position ”he uses his power and ill gotten wealth to ensure his re-election. All his politicking is however aborted by a military.
Achebe’s most effective means of contrast is the speech of the two men. The sophisticated narrator employs correct English usage to formulate his disapproval of Nanga and the society he represents; the man of the people uses West Coast pidgin of varying intensity. The conclusion of the first encounter between the two men suggests what a fine expression of character is provided by Nanga’s vigorous colloquialisms. In A Man of the People Achebe creates grounds for a new attempt at nation building.
Achebe’s solid faith in society’s ability to survive crises is the reason for his optimism. He believes in life’s progressive pattern. According to him: Creation is evolving, it is not yet ended. This is what he mean by Morning Yet on Creation Day. This title to one of his books expresses his hope. The failures and set-backs of African states at nation building, which Achebe dwells upon in his novels, should not be perceived as death-traps, but as fires of purification. For survival to have any meaning there must be a remembrance, a memory, a community, a story, a knowledge that others have suffered, battled, and died, that there have been a brush fire that devastated the savannah. Remembrance is the secret of redemption. In his novels, the writer Achebe keeps remembrance alive, fans the embers of hope. Thus, redemption ultimately defines his role in society.