TU || Flax Golden Tales || Four Levels of Interpretation Lesson 20

Flax Golden Tales, To know fly

Level: B.A/ B.B.S || Lesson 20 Marriage Is A Private Affair (Chinua Achebe, Nigeria 1930)

Engagement = Marriage arrangement

Bluntly = Harshly

Disposed = Habitual

Peculiar = Strange

Upbringing = To rear up

Negotiation = Agreement

Parching = Hot

Overcome = Win

Retreat = To live lonely

Forgive = Excuse

Interrupt = Interfere

Condemn = Blame

Vehemently = Frickly

Homily = Sermon

Rush = Hurry

Menacing = Terrible

Reviving = Refreshing

Eventually =Finally

Occured = Came into mind

Cosmopolitan = Form city

Optimistic = Hopeful

Verdict = decision

Theological = Religious

Wicked = Wretched

Hostile = Hatred

Gurdgingly =Enviously

Strain = Stress

Perseved Endured

Tremendous = Great

Perfunctorily = Without interest

Vague = Unclear

Hymn = Religious song

Remorse = Regret

Reenacted = Repeated

Hostile = Opponent

Repents remorse

Words Meaning

Nnaemeka and Nene fell in love. Nene was the girl from cosmopolitan community but Nnaemeka was the boy who was from country side. Nene was from different tribe. Nene asks Nnaemeka to write to his father for permission of marriage. Bu Nnaemeka waited for a good chance to ask for permission.

After a few days Nnaemeka’s father sent a letter to Nnaemeka to marry with a village girl. Then Nnaemeka went to village and tried to convince his father to marry with Nene. His father Okeke said that Nene isn’t from their tribe and he had already found a suitable girl for Nnaemeka in village and the village firl could also read Bible but Nnaemeka says that Nene is a teacher and would be good house wife for him. His father Okeke tries his best to persuade his son but Nnaemeka doesn’t agree with his father and finally his father says that he won’t look at Nene’s face. Leaving his father in anger, Nnaemeka married Nene and they settled down in Logos city. His father broke his relation with his son. After eight years, Okeke receives letter from his daughter-in-law Nene. In that letter Nene requests Okeke to allow his two grandsons to visit him. Then his heart melted with pity. Then he realizes that he is fighting a losing battle and repents for his own mistake. He couldn’t shut the door for the grandsons. He frightened himself with a fear that he would die before seeing his grandchildren. He couldn’t sleep that night.

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Four levels of Interpretation

  1. Literal Comprehension

“Marriage is a Private Affair” is a story written by Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe. The boy Nnaemeka was from Ibo community. Nnaemeka and Nene fell in love. Nene was the girl from cosmopolitan community but Nnaemeka was the boy who was from country side. Nene was from different tribe. Nene asks Nnaemeka to write to his father for permission of marriage. Bu Nnaemeka waited for a good chance to ask for permission.

After a few days Nnaemeka’s father sent a letter to Nnaemeka to marry with a village girl. Then Nnaemeka went to village and tried to convince his father to marry with Nene. His father Okeke said that Nene isn’t from their tribe and he had already found a suitable girl for Nnaemeka in village and the village firl could also read Bible but Nnaemeka says that Nene is a teacher and would be good house wife for him. His father Okeke tries his best to persuade his son but Nnaemeka doesn’t agree with his father and finally his father says that he won’t look at Nene’s face. Leaving his father in anger, Nnaemeka married Nene and they settled down in Logos city. His father broke his relation with his son. After eight years, Okeke receives letter from his daughter-in-law Nene. In that letter Nene requests Okeke to allow his two grandsons to visit him. Then his heart melted with pity. Then he realizes that he is fighting a losing battle and repents for his own mistake. He couldn’t shut the door for the grandsons. He frightened himself with a fear that he would die before seeing his grandchildren. He couldn’t sleep that night.

  1. Interpretation

The writer tries to show that marriage is a private affair. If the boy and girl understand each other deeply; they shouldn’t be interfered by their family members. Next thing love can’t limited by social status or hatred. It is different what others think. We should let our children choose girl and settle themselves.

  1. Critical Thinking

To some extent I completely agree with the writer because he shows that marriage is private affair. Boys and girls are allowed to choose girls or boys they like. If they have good understanding between them, they should be allowed to get married. They shouldn’t be disturbed. Here Nnaemeka and Nene both are independent and they can live own their own. They also settle down in Lagos city when their father didn’t allow them to go home. But there are some such circumstances that compels married couple to divorce. Some of the teenagers are attracted for sexual relationship in the beginning but when they know the reality they may repent. For this elderly person’s suggestion is necessary. Teenage is the age of stress and storm. They don’t think for future. Most of the teenagers think that marriage is the private affair and they elope away from home. Later on they suffer. So, I can’t completely agree with the writer that marriage is a private affair.

  1. Assimilation

When I read this story, I remembered my elder brother’s marriage. My elder brother Hemant got married with a lady who wasn’t from our caste but she was well-educated and rich. Hemant fell in love it that girl he got married with her two years ago. Hemant’s father didn’t allow them to go home. But six months before, Hemant got a son then his father himself went to Kathmandu and met his son, grandson and daughter-in-law. He invited her to come home with grandson during Dashain festival. His heart melted with pity when he saw a smart grandson in Kathmandu. Hemant told me that his father’s eyes became full of tears and rolled down his cheeks.

Possible questions

  1. Would you say that marriage in Nepal is a private affair?
  2. What is the message that has been trying to give us by the writer Chinuwa Achebe in the text?
  3. How does the story show the conflict old generation and new generation?

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