With the help of his friend S.M.O.G., he embarks on a series of adventures to help him get there. As the story goes, Achebe wrote it when his daughter was entering preschool in Nigeria. With the help of his friend S.M.O.G., he embarks on a series of adventures to help him get there. Answer. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. BuffaloLib's library catalog tends to include a brief plot synopsis and a collection of selected trade reviews for each entry. Loved it. In the moment the story is narrated, this world does not yet exist, and therefore cannot yet be conceived of by Chike or even the adults in his family. Author
Sweet story about a Nigerian boy's dream to cross the river. becomes a particularly good friend and a constant bad influence. It's a simple story, told in the style of boys' escapades and heroic entanglements with comic-book hoods. Sold by: Inspirational Books Category: Fiction. Please try again later. Achebe gifts us with a short tale about Chike, a pre-teen, who is fixated on his desire to cross the river on a ferry boat. Much more welcoming for all of us is his long-lost childrens book, Chike and the River, just getting a very belated reissue next week. Phone: 519-749-4300 Ext. Originally published in South Africa in 1966, Chinua Achebes childrens book Chike and the River finally makes its debut here in the United States. All of her books were written by Westerners, which meant there were no characters just like her, living lives just like hers, so he created one for her. Social Themes. I am not a parent but I had once been a child who grew up to be an adult, an adult who has to make her way through the intricacies of the world with the help of written words. Buy, Aug 09, 2011 | ISBN 9780307742070 | 7-9 years. First of all, the anxiety about not having any male children is a marked characteristic of Igbo culture (although the privileging of sons is by no means exclusive to the Igbo people). The cold dismissiveness of the narrators description of a song made up by a child as meaningless is intentionally cynical. Print length. Chike's breathtaking adventures began. Summary and Analysis. "In the Age of Extinction, two tagalong daughters traveled to the edge of the world with their On the night of December 26, 1811, residents of Richmond, Virginia crowded into the local playhouse, Find books by time period, setting & theme, Read-alike suggestions by book and author. If there is a Chike and the River SparkNotes, Shmoop guide, or Cliff Notes, you can find a link to each study guide below. Here, readers are immediately introduced to the many cultural influences the characters must navigate throughout the story.
Through his experiences, Chike gains a deeper understanding of himself, his culture, and the world around him. Over the course of the novel, Chike has his ups and downs trying to reach his final goal of crossing the River Niger, while gaining courage and confidence over the course of his journey. The main piece of advice she gives to Chike is to stay clear of the River Niger. He dreams of seeing the world beyond his village and experiencing the excitement and opportunities that the city has to offer. What an amazing story. Chike needs a shilling to get across the Niger river and back. "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. also introduced the class to so many authors mostly ignored by the Western canon: Senegals Ousmene Sembene (whos also a great film director), Ghanas Ayi Kwei Armah, Cameroons Ferdinand Oyono. | 7-9 years Search the history of over 804 billion PDF downloads of all 1715 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Loved it. Author: When serendipity leads to a delightful read. 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. A good book for two reasons: kids will enjoy the (authentic) look at Nigeria, and understand what the tale says about trying to fit in. 5173. Subscribe to receive some of our best reviews, "beyond the book" articles, book club info and giveaways by email. We will keep fighting for all libraries - stand with us! FreeBookNotes found 6 sites with book summaries or analysis of Chike and the River. What a delightful read. Literary Freedom Project557 Grand Concourse PMB 143Bronx NY 10451info@literaryfreedom.org. I think that this should be an elementary school book. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added. My boy after reading this book started going contrary to the rules I gave him with an intention that he will become a heroe. Along the way, he is exposed to a range of new experiences that are both thrilling and terrifying . 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. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Sites with a short overview, synopsis, book report, or summary of Chike and the River by Chinua Achebe. I really liked Chike's character and how he came to the right solutions on his own. One day, Chike becomes fascinated with the idea of crossing the river to the city of Asaba, located on the other side. Fax: 519-749-4455 Electoral District: 03. Finally, the fact that this is communicated through song rather than regular speech nods to the overall challenge characters face in expressing themselves throughout the story. Books barged into my life and tossed my low self-esteem out of the window by showing me Pecola from. . - Shelf Awareness. The Books Alexis Patterson Is Loving Right Now, Amazing Childrens Books by Arab and Arab American Authors, Browse All Our Lists, Essays, and Interviews. The reviewer gives their opinion of the book as well as provides titles with similar themes and subjects. The more Chike saw the ferry-boats the more he wanted to make the trip to Asaba. web pages Chike and the river. Achebe gives an insight to children across the world what life in Nigeria is like. Rather than getting that visceral sense of such a distant place (from where I am right now), it felt a bit trivial, with some foreign vocab thrown in for show. He also enlists the help of his new, mischievous schoolmates, including one called S.M.O.G. Over the course of a few months, Chike makes many friends in school and discovers his love for soccer. 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. It was a great story that wasn't too drawn out, but showed than innately we all know the right actions to take in most situations. In 2007, Achebe was awarded the Man Booker International Prize. We found no such entries for this book title. Again, after multiple attempts in trying to increase the money he found, he fails, so he almost gives up on his dream. August 9, 2011. A delightful and quick read - part children's story, part fable. Load 3 more questions. . In the end, Chike does indeed cross the river, only to discover that even though the shining city of Asaba isnt what he expects, it all ends better than he ever imagined. Chinua Achebewas born in Nigeria in 1930. Barnes and Noble reviews tend to be detailed and literary, with a brief plot synopsis combined with an analysis of the themes, historical and cultural context, and literary devices used. Raising a child, I feel, is the most cumbersome and thankless task. ), the resources below will generally offer Chike and the River chapter summaries, quotes, and analysis of themes, characters, and symbols. Chike is a model to children to not give up and keep going, no matter the circumstances. 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. Just for joining youll get personalized recommendations on your dashboard daily and features only for members. His parents, Sarah and Amos, are so happy to have birthed a son that at his baptism, they give him three names: John, Chike, and Obiajulu, which means "the mind is at last at rest.". Struggling with distance learning? The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in, Language and the Struggle to Create Meaning. This article about a Nigerian novel is a stub. Chike, a Nigerian boy. The Major Themes of Chinua's literarily works . He tries many times to obtain the money, however, all of his attempts fail. Book review: Chike and the River, By Chinua Achebe. 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Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. 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. BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfictionbooks that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. 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. Kitchener ON N2G 1G3. Search:
[1], "Reviewing a 2011 reprint of the book, the New York Journal of Books said, 'In Chike and the River, young readers get an intimate look at African life, learn about the Niger River, and connect with Chike as if he were their own sibling. who seems wise beyond his years. I will trade kerosene, matches, dry fish and palm oil.Mamma . It cost the same amount as a one way trip on the ferry to rent a bicycle True or false? Would probably not read again, though. I fear sounding glib or obvious, but, really, one of the great things about taking literature courses in college is access to some of the great writers of the world and by that, I mean in person, teaching you in a small seminar room. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Back in 1966, Chinua Achebe's wrote this gentle, touching story of an eleven-year-old Nigerian boy, Chike. Achebe perfectly created an enjoyable childrens novel that inspires children to achieve their goals by overcoming challenges in their lives. A class blog on conversations about international children's literature maintained by Nithya Sivashankar's students, Book review: Chike and the River, By Chinua Achebe. Publication Information. By choosing to marry Sarah, Amos has perhaps inadvertently chosen to honor the authority of Mr. Brown over the values of his people. "Chike was now 11 years-old, and he had never left his village. Chinua Achebes novel, Chike and the River, perfectly displays the idea of working to achieve a dream. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. This is where youll see your current point status and your earned rewards. Chike and his friends make you remember childhood as a time of dreams, friends and all the good and bad that come with them, warnings from adults and brave acts of discovery each day. Achebe doesnt even explain what is meant by explosive mechanism, but the clear violence in that phrase provides a harrowing analogy for how religion, language, and other customs are forcibly and often violently spread through colonialism. Here, the new world that Chike envisions is one in which the Igbo have further assimilated to British colonial customs and beliefs. Skip carousel. There are no reviews yet. Chinua Achebe - Chike and the River, Epub Ebook. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. Part escapade, part fable, it is a simple but engaging story of 11-year old Chike who struggles to adapt to city life when he moves from the village of Umuofia . Print Book, English, 2010. 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. This gives his fascination with the river an aspect of the elemental, as if here, at least . Read An Excerpt. Cape Town, Cambridge University Press, The latest reprint has a cover design by Victor Ekpuk. He did not know. He requested money from his uncle, who refused. A summary of the book is about how 11 year-old Chike longed to cross the River Niger to the city of Asaba, but his challenge was that crossing by the ferry would cost him six pence, an amount he did not have. After finding a sixpence on the ground, he begins searching for a way to double his money to a shilling. Reading age. Summary. Chike is a young boy from the small village of Umuofia in West Africa. This passage speaks to colonialism as a form of violence. Episodic as any good kids book should be, it also vividly addresses a young persons feeling of confusion when everything seems new or how the town always looks cooler on the other side of the river. 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. Until then, I and most of classmates knew only Things Fall Apart, by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. He was the More about Chinua Achebe, Praise for Chinua AchebeA magical writerone of the greatest of the twentieth century. Margaret AtwoodAfrican literature is incomplete and unthinkable without the works of Chinua Achebe. Toni MorrisonChinua Achebe is gloriously gifted with the magic of an ebullient, generous, great talent. Nadine GordimerAchebes influence should go on and on . I loved the narration of this short story as I joined Chike in his series of small adventures. Free shipping for many products! Chike becomes determined to take this journey across the river and will do whatever it takes to achieve it, ignoring his mothers advice to stay away from the River Niger. Language. Brief Summary of Book: Chike and the River by Chinua Achebe. Free shipping for many products! Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1715 titles we cover. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. wa Thiongo. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. Although he is concerned about the fact that his mother said to stay away from the river, this increases his curiosity even more. Among the summaries and analysis available for Chike and the River, there At one point, three of Chikes classmates are fooled by a trader into taking brain pills that would help them remember what they read for their exams but they started behaving like mad people and had to be rushed to the hospital. They were okay but so shaken by the experience they failed the exams anyway. It's one of the short stories that use disobedient boys to teach a lesson. The Summary: Chike leaves his mother and his village of Umuofia to settle with his uncle in Onitsha where he would school. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. In addition to teaching children to not give up, the novel gives children a look at life in Nigeria. Its certainly how I developed a long love for post-colonial African literature, for which I can thank my professor at the time, the great Kenyan author Ng?g? Buy, Aug 09, 2011 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. Chike and the River by Chinua Achebe (Children's Classic) To some children, a trip across a river does not seem like much, yet, to someone like Chike, this journey means the world. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. This moment further indicates that the way Chike is raised isolates him from his community. Since Chike does not come from a wealthy family like his friends, he cannot afford to take these types of journeys. 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. Achebe, author of the seminal Things Fall Apart (also set in the village of Umuofia), is clearly on a mission in this tale. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. In as much as the target audience of the above listed works comprise of scholars and adults, Chinua Achebe is also among the pioneer authors' of children literature. The more Chike saw the ferry-boats the more he wanted to make . 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.