Skip to main content

What is the setting of "Marriage Is a Private Affair" by Chinua Achebe?

When one speaks about the setting, one must address both place and time.  


The setting of place is most definitely the country of Nigeria on the continent of Africa. The reader can get even more specific in that the relationship between Nene and Nnaemeka takes place in the city of Lagos in a room at 16 Kasanga Street. When Nnaemeka goes to visit his father, the setting changes to an Ibo village in rural Nigeria....

When one speaks about the setting, one must address both place and time.  


The setting of place is most definitely the country of Nigeria on the continent of Africa. The reader can get even more specific in that the relationship between Nene and Nnaemeka takes place in the city of Lagos in a room at 16 Kasanga Street. When Nnaemeka goes to visit his father, the setting changes to an Ibo village in rural Nigeria.  


In regards to setting of time in "Marriage is a Private Affair," we can assume it is a "fairly modern" setting; however, we are not told a specific time period. There is a city involved and a specific street, but there are also rural villages. Because there is letter-writing involved, it can be assumed that the story takes place before email was prevalent. Also considering that Chinua Achebe wrote the story in the 1950s, the reader can then infer that the time period is most likely the mid twentieth century. In regards to the interval of time, the story takes place over approximately eight years and involves the interval between Nnaemeka falling in love with Nene to Nnaemeka having two young sons who request an audience with their grandfather.  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

What gift did Della buy for Jim and why in "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry?

Della buys Jim a watch fob because his watch is his most prized possession. Della and Jim Young do not have much money. Despite this, Della really wants to buy Jim a good Christmas present. She is even willing to sell her hair to get him a nice gift. This is ironic because we learn Della and Jim both highly prize her hair. Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which... Della buys Jim a watch fob because his watch is his most prized possession. Della and Jim Young do not have much money. Despite this, Della really wants to buy Jim a good Christmas present. She is even willing to sell her hair to get him a nice gift. This is ironic because we learn Della and Jim both highly prize her hair. Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's. The other was Della's hair.  Della is still willing to sell her hair so she can b...
Post a Comment
Read more

Explain and discuss how the definitions of freedom change for the nation, for the freedmen and for southern whites after the Civil War.

After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to... After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to belong to without being ordered to attend religious services (or not to attend) by their mast...
Post a Comment
Read more