Chinua Achebe
Chinua Achebe
Chinua Achebewas a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic. His first novel Things Fall Apartwas considered his magnum opus, and is the most widely read book in modern African literature...
NationalityNigerian
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth16 November 1930
CityOgidi, Nigeria
CountryNigeria
commitment artist political
There is something about important stories that is not just the message, but also the way that message is conveyed, the arrangement of the words, the felicity of the language. So it's really a balance between your commitment, whether it's political or economic or whatever, and your craft as an artist.
art humanity
Art should be on the side of humanity.
art views claims
An artist in my view is always afraid of extremists; he is always afraid of those who claim to have found the ultimate solution to any question.
believe writing artist
It's so easy to get into the same routine. A novel every two years; perhaps, improving technique. But I'm not interested in that. I'm interested in doing something fundamentally important--and therefore, it needs time. And what I've been doing, really, is avoiding this pressure to get into the habit of one novel a year. This is what is expected of novelists. And I have never been really too much concerned with doing what is expected of novelists, or writers, or artists. I want to do what I believe is important.
writing thinking artist
I think an artist, in my definition of that word, would not be someone who takes sides with the emperor against his powerless subjects. That's different from prescribing a way in which a writer should write.
art thinking people
Some people flinch when you talk about art in the context of the needs of society thinking you are introducing something far too common for a discussion of art. Why should art have a purpose and a use? Art shouldn't be concerned with purpose and reason and need, they say. These are improper. But from the very beginning, it seems to me, stories have indeed been meant to be enjoyed, to appeal to that part of us which enjoys good form and good shape and good sound.
art humanity serious
Serious and good art has always existed to help, to serve, humanity. Not to indict.
artist people understanding
An artist, in my understanding of the word, should side with the people against the Emperor that oppresses his or her people.
art humanity purpose
My position is that serious and good art has always existed to help, to serve, humanity. Not to indict. I don’t see how art can be called art if its purpose is to frustrate humanity. To make humanity uncomfortable, yes. But intrinsically to be against humanity, that I don’t take.
art reality men
Art is man's constant effort to create for himself a different order of reality from that which is given to him.
art oil conversation
Among the Igbo the art of conversation is regarded very highly, and proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten.
leaders nigerians
Nigerians are what they are because their leaders are not what they should be
abandoned falsehood notion recognize third waste
What's important is that we recognize the falsehood of the notion that the Third World should be abandoned because it's a waste of time.
expect fellow full life lives next observe
The most important thing about myself is that my life has been full of changes. Therefore, when I observe the world, I don't expect to see it just like I was seeing the fellow who lives in the next room.