Novel “Anthills of the Savannah” by Ch. Achebe as a Metaphor of the Actual Nigerian Society

Abstract

An example of the postcolonial literature – the novel “Anthills of the Savannah” by Ch. Achebe is analyzed. The peculiarity of the artistic manner of reconstruction of reality produced by postcolonial situation is investigated. The specific narration – the introduction into the text of many narrators like in the Western postmodern literary practice certainly complicates the reception of the text. Ch. Achebe touches upon a many topical problems of the modern Nigeria. It is stressed that “Anthills of the Savannah” is a kind of dystopia which metaphorically shows the then Nigerian society. In this novel the topic of language becomes especially significant. Here the language serves as a carrier of symbols but not the form of articulation. English language becomes here a convenient adapter that represents the symbolic culture of the Igbo people. The author analyzes the devaluation of the ontological content of a“word” as a paradigm. It is emphasized that formerly the Igbo people prized “word” as a carrier of some sacred contents, spiritual media. But the heroes of this novel just manipulate the words and use them as a tool to achieve their own goals. By this text Ch. Achebe, an active politician and philosopher reflects on the ways a new Nigerian society construction and development. Though the new Nigerian nation is English-speaking, its worldview is inherently fermented by the authentic mentality.