No Longer at Ease

The novel no longer at ease fits perfectly as a post-colonial novel. Throughout the novel,
Chinua Achebe brings out the conflict between the African and European cultures in Obi
Okonkwo. Obi after studying English in England, wants to live in Africa the English way.
However, deep in his heart he knows he values his roots, the African Roots. In the novel, Obi
represents the Africans after colonialism. The colonialists introduced their cultures to Africans
and made them feel that their indigenous cultures were barbaric. It is one very clear theme
represented by Obi. He thinks he can choose to marry anybody he pleases yet his Igbo culture
does not allow. It is one of the many conflicts that Obi faces alone. He is also faced with the
challenge of balancing cultures. After the period of colonization, Africans were left confused and
they still up to date find it a challenge to balance between the “progressive” and “primitive”
cultures.
No Longer at Ease elaborates the post-colonial confusion that Africans felt and had to
deal with. The western culture was appealing and at the same time it despised the African
culture. The African culture was viewed as primitive and adapting the western culture viewed as
progress. All this conflict was centered on Obi. The pressure of the two worlds clearly
overwhelmed him. He thought by studying in England he would change his home country on his

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own. He felt invincible and he is proven wrong when he falls into the trap of corruption and is
even arrested. The novel stresses the role played by the colonialists was that of unsettling
Africans. The conflicts that are experienced post colonialism are all indicators of confusion. The
theme is also strongly elaborated in the novel which qualifies it as post-colonial novel from
Africa.

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Works Cited.

Achebe, Chinua, No Longer