B.A. English

The Shadow King

 THE CASUALTIES BY JOHN PEPPER CLARK Introduction: John Pepper Clark’s poem The Casualties is about the causes and effects of war. It is said that he wrote this poem as an elegy to Chinua Achebe, inorder to mourn and show respect for the people who lost their lives unfairly during the civil war that took place in Nigeria. The war started when Biafra wanted to leave the Nigerian Federation and become a country of its own. However the situation may be, what Clark says is applicable to every war that had ever took place in history. The effects of war: It is foolish to measure the effects of war in terms of ‘ the number of lives lost. The worst casualty is that people are seized with death wish. This idea is conveyed in ‘ the first stanza itself. The people who get slain in a war are to be envied, not pitied. For, death puts an end to their sufferings. The people-who get wounded in a war are not in any way fortunate. Because they move towards death by painfully in prolonged stage

 The Madman – Chinua Achebe Introduction: In The Madman by Chinua Achebe we have the theme of struggle, determination, identity, conflict, appearance and perception. The story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that Achebe may be exploring the theme of struggle to be recognised. Concept of validation: Despite it being a struggle and a two day journey to Eke the Nwibe is dedicated when it comes to traveling to the market. He overcomes the obstacles of the lorry drivers on the road who frown upon him walking in the middle of the road. Also the young children who shout at him as he makes his way to the market. Nwibe ignores them and remains determined to reach the market. If anything Achebe may be suggesting that the Nwibe is not only prepared to incur difficulty in order to reach the market but he remains determined regardless of what may happen. Though ironically at the end of the story what happens him o