Anne Ihejirika

Anne Ihejirika
Writing as translation: The Case of Chinua Achebe’s The Arrow of God
(viii + 165 pp.)
2004

Thesis Supervisor / Directeur du mémoire : Daniel Simeoni

This thesis examines Chinua Achebe’s Arrow of God as a novel constructed in translation. After an articulation of translation as manipulation and postcolonial translation as an example of manipulation as translation, the thesis makes a brief foray into Nigeria’s history and Achebe’s Igbo cultural background in an attempt to situate the pre-colonial origins of Nigeria.
The account of Nigeria and Igbo historical backgrounds serves to highlight the domination of the Igbo by the forces of colonialism. To this end the Igbo had their story told for them by the colonial masters in a language that could not adequately capture her reality, through the filter of a culture that considered her culture inferior. A brief account of Achebe’s biography concludes this section. In the process his status as a world writer is revealed.

Through an examination of the different registers of Igbo and English that inhabit the novel the thesis explores the different strategies employed by the author in order to validate Igbo language and culture. Achebe’s use of several strategies of translation/manipulation in the novel, supports his agenda to translate a positive view of the Igbo people to the world. Arrow of God is proof of writing as translation.


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		Anne Ihejirika Writing as translation: The Case of Chinua Achebe’s The Arrow of God (viii + 165 pp.) 2004 Thesis Supervisor / Directeur du mémoire : Daniel Simeoni This thesis examines Chinua Achebe’s Arrow of God as a novel constructed in translation. After an articulation of translation as manipulation and postcolonial translation as an example of manipulation as translation, the thesis makes a brief foray into Nigeria’s history and Achebe’s Igbo cultural background in an attempt to situate the pre-colonial origins of Nigeria. The account of Nigeria and Igbo historical backgrounds serves to highlight the domination of the Igbo by the forces of colonialism. To this end the Igbo had their story told for them by the colonial masters in a language that could not adequately capture her reality, through the filter of a culture that considered her culture inferior. A brief account of Achebe’s biography concludes this section. In the process his status as a world writer is revealed. Through an examination of the different registers of Igbo and English that inhabit the novel the thesis explores the different strategies employed by the author in order to validate Igbo language and culture. Achebe’s use of several strategies of translation/manipulation in the novel, supports his agenda to translate a positive view of the Igbo people to the world. Arrow of God is proof of writing as translation.