Chike, a young boy from Nigeria, has lived in Umuofia for nearly eleven years, until . The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. Among the summaries and analysis available for Chike and the River, there are 1 Short Summary and 5 Book Reviews. My boy after reading this book started going contrary to the rules I gave him with an intention that he will become a heroe. Visual theme-tracking, too. Pages: Published: 2011. Chike 's birth gives his family cause to celebrateas the last child in his family, he is the first boy after a string of five girls. Instant downloads of all 1715 LitChart PDFs More than 40 years ago, when Chinua Achebe's daughter started preschool in Nigeria, the internationally famous author of Things Fall Apart discovered that all the school texts for African children were written by Westerners. Reviews tend to be lengthy and detailed, with a casual yet informative approach. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Whats more, the fact that Chike and his schoolmates presumably dont understand the meanings of the English songs further demonstrates the fact that the colonial instruction the students are receiving is not relevant to them, and only serve as tools of assimilation. Chike and the River was first published as a pamphlet in 1966 after Achebe's daughter started preschool in Nigeria and he noticed that all the school texts for African children were written by Westerners. BookBrowse LLC 1997-2023. Author Chike and the River is a magical tale of boundaries, bravery, and growth, by Chinua Achebe, one of the world's most beloved and admired storytellers. To some children, a trip across a river does not seem like much, yet, to someone like Chike, this journey means the world. Teachers and parents! Chikes circumstances in the novel are extremely harsh since he cannot even afford a ride across the river. With the help of his friend S.M.O.G., he embarks on a series of adventures to help him get there. Short, sweet, and well worth reading. Chike is a young boy from the small village of Umuofia in West Africa. The story is set in Nigeria during the mid-20th century and follows the adventures of a young boy named Chike. However, he switched to English literature while in college, and soon after began to write short stories, many of which took as their theme traditional African spiritualities. FreeBookNotes has 10 more books by Chinua Achebe, with a total of 50 study guides. The reading and the way it is written is very straight forward. He starts to believe that his dream is out of reach and will never happen. He has heard many great stories about living in a big city, yet, his mother warns him of the dangers of living in a place like Onitsha. Its written elegantly but simply, as befits a book for children, and the tale perfectly blends fable with adventure. He dreams of seeing the world beyond his village and experiencing the excitement and opportunities that the city has to offer. ISBN 9780307742070. PDF downloads of all 1715 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Also by Chinua Achebe. Load 3 more questions. Fax: 519-749-4455 Electoral District: 03. Chike and the River, by Chinua Achebe, is released on Tuesday, August 9, by Anchor Books ($10). Eleven-year-old Chike longs to cross the Niger River to the city of Asaba, but he doesn't have the sixpence he needs to pay for the ferry ride. Interestingly, Elizabeth chooses to reconvert to her traditional faith, even though the diviners ritual doesnt work. Chike and the river. "Chike and the River" is a novel by Chinua Achebe, a Nigerian author renowned for his literary works that explore the complexities of African culture and colonialism. Sweet story about a Nigerian boy's dream to cross the river. Struggling with distance learning? It Runs in the Family. Its a handsome paperback edition for all ages with woodcut illustrations by Edel Rodriguez, but Achebes reputation and a blurb from. Therefore, Chike is not only subverting traditional values by not accepting the food of heathens, but is also subverting the hierarchy that exists among castes in the village by asserting himself to a member of a higher social class. I really liked Chike's character and how he came to the right solutions on his own. It exists at an intersection between languages and cultures that has not yet been reached. Achebe waved his magic wand and made me feel 8 years old again while reading this charming childrens story. Whilst in Onitsha, he washed cars and got the money. Achebe joined the faculty at Brown as professor of Africana Studies in 2009 after spending most of his life teaching at the University of Nigeria and the previous 15 years at Bard College. Reading age. CHIKE AND THE RIVER. This passage speaks to colonialism as a form of violence. To right this imbalance, Achebe created this short novel, Chike and the River, first published as a pamphlet in 1966, the story of a Nigerian boy who overcomes fear and . Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for THE EPISTEMOLOGY OF MOTIVATION: HARNESSING THE ART By Egeni Chike Camilius *NEW* at the best online prices at eBay! Chike, a young boy from Nigeria, has lived in Umuofia for nearly eleven years, until his mother sends him away to live with his uncle in Onitsha. Chike and the River is a children's story by Chinua Achebe. I do like the looks into Chike's daily life and the culture he grew up in; Chike ended up being a very likeable protagonist. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. If you have 30 minutes and any interest, this tale by Achebe will charm you. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Chinua Achebe's novel, Chike and the River, perfectly displays the idea of working to achieve a dream. Achebe presents the idea that nothing comes easy in a clear manner, while still writing an enjoyable, yet simple book for children to read. Raising a child, I feel, is the most cumbersome and thankless task. asks, should we live by the River Niger and then wash our hands with spittle? Chike thinks this is quite convincing and agrees to go on a fruitless odyssey to see a money-doubler capable of turning money into more money. To redeem, copy and paste the code during the checkout process. One day, Chike becomes fascinated with the idea of crossing the river to the city of Asaba, located on the other side. Search the history of over 804 billion Publication date. Read An Excerpt. Chinua Achebe is the David and Marianna Fisher University Professor and Professor of Africana Studies at Brown University. At first Chike was full of joy. It sheds light on the challenges faced by young people growing up in a changing world and provides a nuanced portrayal of Nigerian society during a time of transition. He was, for over 15 years, the Charles P. Stevenson Jr. If there is a Chike and the River SparkNotes, Shmoop guide, or Cliff Notes, you can find a link to each study guide below. in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Sites with a book review or quick commentary on Chike and the River by Chinua Achebe. Answer. However, with the help of his friend S.M.O.G., he embarked on a series of adventures to enable him get to Asaba. An alert reader will recognize more than one moral lesson gently woven into the tale. The Best Books to Get Your Finances in Order, Books Based on Your Favorite Taylor Swift Era, Cook a Soul Food Holiday Meal With Rosie Mayes, Aug 09, 2011 By clicking Sign Up, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Penguin Random House's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and understand that Penguin Random House collects certain categories of personal information for the purposes listed in that policy, discloses, sells, or shares certain personal information and retains personal information in accordance with the policy. Along the way, he is exposed to a range of new experiences that are both thrilling and terrifying, from eating his first skewer of suya under the shade of a mango tree, to visiting the village magician who promises to double the money in his pocket. The tone of the book is rather juvenile, even for a children's story, and the ending ties up all loose ends rather too neatly for my likings. By clicking SIGN UP,I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Penguin Random Houses, certain categories of personal information, discloses, sells, or shares certain personal information. It it arrives at its conclusion a bit too abruptly, there is still a great deal of pleasure to be found in seeing this world through a young boy's eyes. Again, after multiple attempts in trying to increase the money he found, he fails, so he almost gives up on his dream. The Major Themes of Chinua's literarily works Get help and learn more about the design. Search String: Summary | Free shipping for many products! | ISBN 9780307742070 A delightful and quick read - part children's story, part fable. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. Chike and the River. Originally published in South Africa in 1966, Chinua Achebe's children's book Chike and the River finally makes its debut here in the United States. This suggests that Amoss decision to go against the communitys traditions has so disturbed Elizabeth that she would rather trust in someone who has proven himself to be unreliable rather than stay in the religion that normalizes Amos and Sarahs marriage. More Books, Published Aug 2011 From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Buy, Aug 09, 2011 Whilst on the other side, he lost track of time and missed the last boat back. Spam Free: Your email is never shared with anyone; opt out any time. It was just okay. I have to read more of Achebe's stuff. The irony or more accurately, the confirmation of Achebes mastery is that he created a lovely classic with universal appeal for Africans and Westerners, for children and their parents, and its one you dont have to learn about in college. It also adds complexity to the idea that the social structures of the village are being challengedthe neighbor alludes to the fact that Chike is an Osu, a member of the lowest class. In this moment, the students heavy accents betray their inability to discover or create meaning in the English language. Copyright FreeBookNotes.com 2014-2023. Though it has obvious references to Things Fall Apart this isn't really a worthy successor. Eleven-year-old Chike longs to cross the Niger River to the city of Asaba, but he doesn't have the sixpence he needs to pay for the ferry ride. The reference to Chikes school clothes illustrates the subtle influence of colonial culture: these are likely not traditional Igbo clothes, meaning that the schoolchildren are expected to conform to a westernized style of dress in order to attend school. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." who seems wise beyond his years. ), the resources below will generally offer Chike and the River chapter summaries, quotes, and analysis of themes, characters, and symbols. Additionally, even though it is clearly exaggeration, his sisters inference that the (presumably English) schoolteacher flogged students to death is one of the more obvious allusions to colonialism as a form of violence in village life. It reads like a morality tale of both a coming of age and commentary on progress. The more Chike saw the ferry-boats the more he wanted to make the trip to Asaba. . Because English is not Chikes native languagerather, it is imposed on him through colonialismChike is forced to create his own definitions. Chike and the River is a magical tale of boundaries, bravery, and growth, by Chinua Achebe, one of the world's most beloved and admired storytellers. Many children do not realize the work that must be put in to reach a goal, which Achebe indicates throughout her novel. Four New Venues Reinventing Boston Live Music, This search result is here to prevent scraping, See the Most Expensive Home Listing Ever to Hit the South Shore, Take a Look Inside the Most Expensive Single-Family Home Ever Sold in Boston, The Everyday Affects of the Marathon Bombings, Ten Years Later, Here's Where to Find the Best Fish and Chips in Boston, Pizza Project Pop-Up to Open Restaurant at the Speedway, By the Way, Theres a Work of Art Made of Human Hair in Salem, Careers and Internships at Boston Magazine. Writers and intellectuals alike were grappling with themes such as colonialism and resistance in their work, and this cultural environment likely contributed to Achebes choice of subject matter. As he hatches scheme after scheme to earn what he needs, Chike begins to explore his new surroundings while adjusting to the odd rules of this new way of life. And here is where old world meets new because to get to the other side of the river, Chike must take a ferry, which cost sixpence each way, more money than hes ever held in his hand. I loved the narration of this short story as I joined Chike in his series of small adventures. It's a simple story, told in the style of boys' escapades and heroic entanglements with comic-book hoods. Chike and the River is a magical tale of boundaries, bravery, and growth, by Chinua Achebe, one of the world's most beloved and admired storytellers. The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in, Language and the Struggle to Create Meaning. I read this book, and had it autographed, as a child. Common examples of his juvenilia works include Chike and the River - 1966, The Drum - 1977 and The Flute - 1979 (Lyons, 1998). In addition to teaching children to not give up, the novel gives children a look at life in Nigeria. The main piece of advice she gives to Chike is to stay clear of the River Niger. Once he finally makes it across the river, Chike realizes that life on the other side is far different from his expectations, and he must find the courage within him to make it home. I would definitely recommend this book to all the children I know. With the help of his friend S.M.O.G., he embarks on a series of adventures to help him get there. Publisher Penguin Group. Cape Town, Cambridge University Press, But where would he get the money? "Chike was now 11 years-old, and he had never left his village. "Rodriguez's charming illustrations add texture to a classic children's story." In spite of this fact, Caesar continues to be included on the curriculum due to colonial prioritization of Western culture. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. Achebe, Chinua. Eleven-year-old Chike longs to cross the Niger River to the city of Asaba, but he doesn't have the sixpence he needs to pay for the ferry ride. But when the time actually came for . And go from well-read to best read with book recs, deals and more in your inbox every week. Chike's breathtaking adventures began. At 94 pages of large type, its a quick read that demands re-reading, an evocative tale matched by woodcut-style illustrations from Edel Rodriguez, a Boston magazine contributing artist. He has to leave his beloved small village and his family behind and live with his uncle in the city Onitsha, on the shores of the Niger River, so that he can continue his schooling. Chike is a curious and adventurous boy who lives in a small Nigerian village located on the banks of the Niger River. Author: Read 123 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. Kitchener ON N2G 1G3. 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