Achebe and Colonialism

Chinua Achebe uses a unique writing style in "Girls at War" and "The Madman" to make his views of the colonization of Africa clear to the educated reader.  Personally, I found both of these stories to be some of my favorite short stories purely based on what they say about an entire continent.  From "Girls at War" I very much enjoyed how Achebe uses a contradiction as a character to get his point about his nation across. By using Nwankwo who is a member of the government or an authority figure as a contradiction to what someone in his governmental status should really be doing, Achebe blatantly points out how horribly twisted the entire system really is.  A perfect example of this from the reading was when Nwankwo refuses to help all of the people that are literally starving while he is filling his car with food for his family and his immediate neighbors.  Because Nwankwo is the antithesis of what Achebe actually believes we should do as good people is help everyone in need.  Even if this results in being spread very thin so to speak with our resources, it seems to me that Achebe believes that just a little bit of food for everyone, is much a much better way to live in a society, than to plentifully feed only a few.  I felt a big connection with this idea, and that is why I enjoyed this story so much.  Achebe, in my opinion, makes a valid point not only for Africa as a whole, but for America as well.  I think that a lot of people in America, mainly those of "extreme wealth" (i.e. the top 1% who also not so coincidentally control almost all of the money) have a big problem with "sharing" their money with everyone else.  Although they clearly have more than enough to go around, they are continually fighting for less taxes which go to help those in need.  I have a major problem with this idea in general and that is why this story aroused so much emotion in me.

"The Madman" also made a great personal connection with me.  I think that this short story is brilliant in the way that everything "changes" so quickly when Nwimbe simply is confused while chasing the madman who stole his loin cloth.  It is fascinating that due to the perception of others Nwimbe's life was forever changed from a few minutes of "insanity."  In reality, nothing changed in the least bit in Nwimbe's life.  He was simply momentarily angry about a silly prank so to speak.  However, because he was seen in one of the most populous places in the area in which he lived, acting the way he did, his reputation was forever changed.  Metaphorically, after reading this story a second time, I found an immediate connection to colonialism and the colonization of Africa.  Achebe's words spoke loudly through this short story in my opinion.  When dealing with colonization, we are not only dealing with the colonization of the natural resources of the land, but also the colonization of the human mind, which is the most dangerous thing of all.  Treating a group of people as if nothing in their history mattered or, by their standards, would even be considered wrong is the most dangerous thing of all; because after long, enough of the people whose land is being colonized eventually start to believe what they are being told.  This destroys the uniqueness of Africa, and is detrimental to the future understanding of cultures that are different from our own.  Achebe does a fantastic job of relaying his seemingly radical ideas at the time in a fashion that makes even the biggest skeptic, a believer in his logic.