Friday, February 11, 2011

In Things Fall Apart, Achebe gives his readers a Nigerian society in which names have different meanings. How does the Igbo process of naming shed...

In the Igbo culture that Chinua Achebe presents in Things Fall Apart, names and the naming process are essential in imbuing a child with a sense of identity. Often, the name chosen for a child either reflects the parents’ sense of values or alludes to the circumstances of their birth. In Things Fall Apart, there are two names that stand out and show what Okonkwo holds dear during his exile in Mbanta. While in Mbanta, Okonkwo fathers two children:



“In these seven years he would have climbed to the utmost heights. And so he regretted every day of his exile. His mother's kinsmen had been very kind to him, and he was grateful. But that did not alter the facts. He had called the first child born to him in exile Nneka--'Mother is Supreme'-- out of politeness to his mother's kinsmen. But two years later when a son was born he called him Nwofia--'Begotten in the Wilderness'” (162).



The names of these children reflect Okonkwo’s desire to return to Umuofia, and his resentment of the “womanly” cultural values in Mbanta.


Okonkwo’s praise name, the “Roaring Flame,” is another name that provides a solid identity to a character. He is fiery and quick-tempered, and, as “roaring” implies, at times out of control. This praise name perfectly encapsulates Okonkwo, and again demonstrates the values that he finds important.


These are just two major examples that illustrate how the Igbo culture's birth and praise naming process serves to impart or illustrate particular personality traits or values.

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