Civil Peace By Chinua Achebe
Civil Peace by Chinua Achebe: Summary
The well-known Nigerian author Chinua Achebe's short story 'Civil Peace' is a realistic story which presents the condition immediately after the Civil War. The story is about a Biafran civil war and its effect on the lives of ordinary Nigerian people. Chinua Achebe
It is an interesting and touching comment on quick and easy recovery from hardship after the war. Most people are damaged by the aftereffects of the war, but Jonathan Iwegbu thinks himself very lucky to have survived, although he had lost his youngest son. He had come out of the war with five inestimable blessings to him, his wife Maria and his three out of four children. As an extra bonus he had his bicycle, which he dug up almost as good as new after the fighting had stopped. This bicycle was almost seized by the military officer, but he got it by spending two pounds. Then he found his little house in Enugu still standing, despite the absence of minor details like doors, windows and a roof. For someone like Jonathan Iwegbu who saw everything in positive terms, this was another miracle in the town. And now the family started its journey back to normality and prosperity. The children started selling mangoes, his wife sold akara balls and he was involved in his selling palm-wine. From one point of view, it is meager material with which to start a new life, but to the very optimistic Jonathan it is, after the horrors of war, blessing upon blessing. The final windfall is the ex-gratia payment (the egg rasher) he receives. It confirms his belief in a generous god. 'Nothing puzzles God' is his catchphrase. In both situations he uses the same phrase. Everything that life provides is a bonus to him. He counts himself extraordinarily happy after he has survived the war. The recovery of his bicycle is another miracle for him because he sees everything in positive terms. He starts a new life in his house with insufficient material. He is optimistic and is happy with what
The well-known Nigerian author Chinua Achebe's short story 'Civil Peace' is a realistic story which presents the condition immediately after the Civil War. The story is about a Biafran civil war and its effect on the lives of ordinary Nigerian people. Chinua Achebe
It is an interesting and touching comment on quick and easy recovery from hardship after the war. Most people are damaged by the aftereffects of the war, but Jonathan Iwegbu thinks himself very lucky to have survived, although he had lost his youngest son. He had come out of the war with five inestimable blessings to him, his wife Maria and his three out of four children. As an extra bonus he had his bicycle, which he dug up almost as good as new after the fighting had stopped. This bicycle was almost seized by the military officer, but he got it by spending two pounds. Then he found his little house in Enugu still standing, despite the absence of minor details like doors, windows and a roof. For someone like Jonathan Iwegbu who saw everything in positive terms, this was another miracle in the town. And now the family started its journey back to normality and prosperity. The children started selling mangoes, his wife sold akara balls and he was involved in his selling palm-wine. From one point of view, it is meager material with which to start a new life, but to the very optimistic Jonathan it is, after the horrors of war, blessing upon blessing. The final windfall is the ex-gratia payment (the egg rasher) he receives. It confirms his belief in a generous god. 'Nothing puzzles God' is his catchphrase. In both situations he uses the same phrase. Everything that life provides is a bonus to him. He counts himself extraordinarily happy after he has survived the war. The recovery of his bicycle is another miracle for him because he sees everything in positive terms. He starts a new life in his house with insufficient material. He is optimistic and is happy with what