Half of a Yellow Sun
Half
of a Yellow Sun is a novel by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Published in 2006 by Knopf/Anchor,
the novel tells the story of the Biafran
War through the perspective of the
characters Olanna, Ugwu, and Richard.
Plot
The
novel takes place in Nigeria
prior to and during the Nigerian Civil War
(1967–70). The effect of the war is shown through the dynamic relationships of
five people's lives including the twin daughters of an influential businessman,
a professor, a British citizen, and a Nigerian houseboy. After Biafra's declaration of secession, the lives of the main
characters drastically change and are torn apart by the brutality of the civil
war and decisions in their personal lives.
The
book jumps between events that took place during the early and late 1960s, when
the war took place, and extends until the end of the war. In the early 1960s,
the main characters are introduced: Ugwu, a 13-year-old village boy who moves
in with Odenigbo, to work as his houseboy. Odenigbo frequently entertains
intellectuals to discuss the political turmoil in Nigeria. Life changes for
Ugwu when Odenigbo's girlfriend, Olanna, moves in with them. Ugwu forms a
strong bond with both of them, and is a very loyal houseboy. Olanna has a twin
sister, Kainene, a woman with a dry sense of humor, tired by the pompous
company she runs for her father. Her lover Richard is an Englishman and writer
goes to Nigeria to explore Igbo-Ukwu art.
Jumping
four years ahead, trouble is brewing between the Hausa and the Igbo
people and hundreds of people die in
massacres, including Olanna's beloved auntie and uncle. A new republic, called Biafra, is created by the Igbo. As a result of the conflict,
Olanna, Odenigbo, their infant daughter, whom they refer to only as
"Baby", and Ugwu are forced to flee Nsukka, which is the university
town and the major intellectual hub of the new nation. They finally end up in
the refugee town of Umuahia, where they suffer and struggle due to food
shortages, the constant air raids and the environment of paranoia. There are
also allusions to a conflict between Olanna and Kainene, Richard and Kainene
and between Olanna and Odenigbo.
When
the novel jumps back to the early 1960s, we learn that Odenigbo has slept with
a village girl, Amala, who then has his baby. Olanna is furious at his
betrayal, and sleeps with Richard in a moment of liberation. She goes back to
Odenigbo and when they later learn that Amala refused to keep her newborn
daughter, Olanna decides that they would keep her.
During
the war, Olanna, Odenigbo, Baby, and Ugwu live with Kainene and Richard, where
Kainene was running a refugee camp. Their situation is hopeless, as they have
no food nor medicine. Kainene decides to trade across enemy lines, but does not
return, even after the end of the war a few weeks later. The book ends
ambiguously, with the reader not knowing if Kainene lives.
Characters
Ugwu – The novel starts and ends with Ugwu. He is a village boy
from Opi who later becomes a servant in Odenigbo's house. Under Odenigbo and
Olanna's guidance, Ugwu is able to continue his education and his literary
skills progress throughout the novel. He tries to maintain contact with his
mother and sister, Anulika, back in his home village, and is constantly looking
out for his mother's health and wellbeing. His free time is often dominated by
his love interests, which include Nnesinachi, Eberechi, and Chinyere. His life
is violently interrupted when he is forcibly conscripted into the Biafran Army.
There, he witnesses and participates in gruesome battles and a rape.
Odenigbo – Odenigbo starts the novel as Professor of Mathematics at
Nsukka University. His strong opinions result in some characters labeling him
as a “revolutionary.” He favors socialism and tribalism
to capitalism and Pan-Africanism
or nationalism. After the war forces him to vacate his position at Nsukka
University, Odenigbo becomes active in the war cause under Manpower Directorate
. His personal life is dominated by his relationship and later marriage to Olanna.
He is the father of Baby, though Amala, not Olanna, is Baby's mother. Odenigbo
also has a strong, albeit turbulent, relationship with his mother. “Mama”
affects his relationship with Olanna, and Mama's death starts Odenigbo on a
dark path of alcoholism and depression.
Olanna – Olanna is one of three characters through which the novel
is told. She is the daughter of Chief Ozobia and twin of Kainene. Olanna was
raised in Nigeria, and later attended university in the United Kingdom. She is
described as “illogically beautiful,” and her appearance often dictates how
others treat her. For example, her parents try to offer sex with her as a bribe
to help secure business deals. Consequently, her connection with her parents is
weak and she gravitates towards her Aunt Ifeka and Uncle Mbaezi in Kano.
Mohammed is her ex-boyfriend and Odenigbo is her husband, and she is the
adopted mother of Baby. Professionally, she is a Professor of Sociology at
Nsukka University before the war begins. She later works as a school teacher in
Umuahia and finally helps her sister care for refugees in Orlu.
Kainene – Kainene, Olanna's twin, seems to be at first very
different from Olanna. She is the type of strong-headed woman, independent,
cold, very calculated. Kainene lives in Port Harcourt where she runs her
father's business. Her father, very proud of her, tells one of his friends that
she is “not just like a son, she is like two.” In the beginning of the war, she
is a war profiteer. However, after she witnesses the war's cruelty, she changes
completely as a character and instead of running her father's business, she
runs a refugee camp. She remains fearless and in the end decides to trade with
the enemy, putting her life at risk.
Richard
Churchill – Richard is an English writer who
comes to Nigeria to explore Igbo-Ukwu art. At first he associates with other
expats, especially Susan who becomes his girlfriend. However, once he meets
Kainene at one of the parties Susan drags him to, he becomes fascinated with
her. Richard moves to Nsukka where he teaches at the Nsukka University and
attempts to write a book about the Igbo-Ukwu art. Olanna invites him to be part
of Odenigbo's circle of intellectuals. Richard is glad to witness Biafra's
birth, thinking it would actually make him Biafran. He starts writing a book
about the war, but soon realizes that it is not his story to tell. Adichie has
said in an interview that the idea of Richard came from Frederick
Forsyth, a staunch supporter of Biafra:
“Richard isn’t at all like him, of course, but just the sense of an Englishman
who became more Biafran than Biafrans themselves, was really an idea that came
from him, Forsyth.”
Ugwu's
aunty – Cleaner at Nsukka University, she
introduces Ugwu to Master Odenigbo.
Anulika – Anulika is Ugwu's sister. She is preparing to get married
before the war, but a war-time tragedy changes her plans.
Nnesinachi – Ugwu's first crush from his village of Opi. Ugwu and
Nnesinachi reconnect after the war.
Ugwu's
mother – Ugwu's mother suffers from
illness in Ugwu's home village of Opi. She seeks treatment in Nsukka with
Odenigbo's help. Ugwu often worries about her during the war.
Miss
Adebayo –Yoruba professor at Nsukka
University. Sexual tension between Miss Adebayo and Odenigbo create an awkward
relationship between Miss Adebayo and Olanna. As the war starts to break out,
Miss Adebayo's ethnicity creates a gap between her and other professors.
Dr.
Patel – Indian Professor at Nsukka
University. Dr. Patel is a friend of Odenigbo and Olanna.
Professor
Lehman – American Professor at Nsukka
University. Professor Lehman's views are often criticized by Odenigbo.
Professor
Ezeka – Professor at Nsukka University
who later becomes Director of Mobilization in the Biafran Army.
Okeoma – A friend of Olanna and Odenigbo in Nsukka. Okeoma is a
renowned poet, as one point called, “the voice of our generation.” He cites
Olanna as his inspiration. Okeoma later becomes an officer in the Biafran Army
and stops writing poems.
Edna – Olanna's neighbor in Nsukka. Edna is an African American
woman with strong opinions on racial and gender injustice.
Jomo – Jomo works as the gardener at both Richard's house and
Odenigbo's house in Nsukka. He is one of Ugwu's first friends in Nsukka and is
also often feuding with his rival, Harrison.
Harrison – Richard's houseboy. Harrison's talkative nature at first
annoys Richard, and later gets him into trouble.
Chinyere – Works in a house near Master's in Nsukka. Maintains late
night visits with Ugwu until the war starts.
Mama
(Odenigbo's mother) – A village woman from Abba. She is
opposed to the relationship between Odenigbo and Olanna because they are not
officially married (no bride price paid yet) plus Olanna is an unnatural woman.
Amala – A village girl who works for Mama, Odenigbo's mother. To
break up Olanna and Odenigbo Mama makes Amala sleep with Odenigbo. Amala gets
pregnant but after giving birth, she refuses to take the child and sends her
back to Mama.
Chief
Okonji – Friend of Olanna and Kainene's
parents. Chief Okonji claims a romantic interest in Olanna, but is thoroughly
rebuffed by Olanna.
Chief
Ozobia – Prominent businessman in Lagos
and father to Olanna and Kainene. Chief Ozobia manipulates his daughters for
financial benefit. He also keeps a mistress, and eventually leaves Nigeria
during the war.
Olanna
and Kainene's mother – Chief Ozobia's wife and mother of
Olanna and Kainene. She does not have a strong relationship with her daughters,
and her marriage with Chief Ozobi might be described as a pretense.
Uncle
Mbaezi – Olanna's uncle, he is the brother
of Olanna's mother. He lives with his family in Kano where he founded the Igbo
Union Grammar School.
Aunty
Ifeka – Uncle Mbaezi's wife. Aunty Ifeka
gives guidance to Olanna, who isn’t very close to her own mother.
Arize – Olanna's cousin, she is Uncle Mbaezi and Aunty Ifeka's
daughter. Arize is eager find a husband and get married. Like her parents, she
looks up to Olanna.
Mohammed – Olanna's ex-boyfriend. He is a handsome Hausa man. Even
after she leaves him for Odenigbo, they remain on good terms and she frequently
visits him until the war starts. During the war, he writes her letters but they
feel very distanced.
Baby – Olanna and Odenigbo's daughter. Amala is Baby's birth
mother, but refuses to keep her. When Olanna sees her, she decides to adopt
her. Baby's real name is Chiamaka, which means "God is beautiful." Kainene
picked it but it is rarely used.
Susan
Grenville-Pitts – Initially Richard's girlfriend.
She lives in Nigeria but mainly associates with other expatriates or upper
class Nigerians. Her racism towards Nigerians as well as her possessiveness
towards Richard emerge periodically throughout the novel.
Major
Madu – Lifelong friend of Kainene. Major
Madu serves in first the Nigerian army and later in the Biafran army. He and
Richard's relationship is strained due to the uncertainty of Madu's role in
Kainene's life.
Special
Julius – Army contractor. He becomes a
frequent visitor of Odenigbo when they are in Umuahia.
Ekwenugo – Member of the Science group in the Biafran army. Ekwenugo
meets Olanna and Odenigbo in Umuahia.
Mrs
Muokelu – Co-teacher with Olanna at
Umuahia. Olanna finds Mrs. Muokelu as manly and slightly judgmental. Mrs.
Muokelu eventually stops teaching and starts trading across enemy lines.
Okoromadu – An old acquaintance of Olanna's, Okoromadu helps her get
emergency supplies for baby in Umuahia.
Eberechi – Ugwu's love interest in Umuahia. Eberechi is exploited
for her parents’ benefit.
Alice – Odenigbo and Olanna's neighbor at their second place of
residence in Umuahia. Alice seeks refuge in Umahia after being tricked by an
Army Colonel. She is known as a recluse and avid pianist. Mystery shrouds her
relationship with Odenigbo.
Father
Marcel – Helps coordinate refugee relief
with Kainene in Orlu. Father Marcel is later accused of impropriety by some of
the refugees.
High-Tech – A young soldier and leader of Ugwu's reconnaissance unit.
High tech's name refers to his commanders claiming he is more useful than a
“high technology spying gadget.”
Themes
War The Nigerian Civil War
(or the "Nigerian-Biafran War") started on 6 July 1967 and ended on
13 January 1970. The war broke out due to political and ethnic struggles,
partly caused by the numerous attempts of the southeastern provinces of Nigeria
to secede and form the Republic of Biafra. Political conflict between the Igbo,
Yoruba, Hausa and Fulani people erupted into two deadly military coups. The
Igbo tried to breakaway from Nigeria to become the Republic of Biafra, but was
met with little support. From 1968 onward, the war fell into a form of
deadlock, with Nigerian forces unable to make significant advances into the
remaining areas of Biafran control. Nigeria cut off humanitarian aid to Biafra,
resulting in hundreds of thousands of civilians dying from starvation and
disease. Many lives and resources were lost during the war, including Adichie's
grandfathers; and even today there are still tensions between the different
ethnic and religious groups of Nigeria.
The
story in Half of a Yellow Sun centres on the war. Adichie grew up in the
aftermath of the war: "The need to write about it came from growing up in
its shadow. This thing that I didn't quite understand was my legacy. It hovered
over everything". She has stated she believes that many of the issues that
caused the war remain today. She further commented that the war is talked about
"in uninformed and unimaginative ways", and that the war is as
important to the Igbo people her book features today as it was then. Because
none of the major political events were changed in the book, Adichie said that
the book contained "emotional truth", and that the book showed the
war had a significant impact upon the people of Nigeria.
Politics
and identity in post-colonial Africa
The social gatherings at Odenigbo's house are full of debates on Africa's
political future. Here, the usefulness of various forms of African governance
are discussed amongst the Nigerian intelligentsia. One particularly noteworthy
debate involves Odenigbo defending the tribe as the ideal unit for African, as
other characters stress the need for pan-Africanism or nationalism. He is
quoted as proclaiming: “the only authentic identity for the African is the
tribe...I am Nigerian because a white man created Nigeria and gave me that
identity. I am black because the white man constructed black to be as different
as possible from his white. But I was Igbo before the white man came.”
Role
of Westerners in post-colonial Africa
Although there is a clear accusation of Western influence on Biafran war
(mostly England's involvement in the war), a more subtle critique is found in
Richard's character. Richard, although with good intentions, tries too hard to
be part of first Nigeria, and later Biafra. His fascination with the culture
and his wish to be part of Biafra leads to him speaking for Biafrans by
attempting to write two novels, one about the art, and the second one about the
Biafran war. Richard is unable to complete either, and concludes that these are
not his stories to tell. However, he is effective when he writes about the war
for the Western press, which actually helps Biafra's cause. Adichie herself has
said in an interview, that “maybe [Richard’s character] is my subtle way of
slipping in my politics that maybe it’s time that Africans wrote about Africa.”
Relevance
of academia in everyday life
Many of the main characters in Half of a Yellow Sun are professors,
including Olanna and Odenigbo. Odenigbo regularly hosts fellow professors from
Nsukka University for political discussions on the weekends. Over the course of
the novel, Half of a Yellow Sun seems to criticize both these professors
and their opinions. It does this by juxtaposing the high-minded political
opinions of Odenigbo and his companions from the “Early Sixties” sections
against the political realities of the “Late Sixties” sections. The novel also
uses the same professors from the “Early Sixties” sections and puts them in the
“Late Sixties” sections. Also, Kainene's business mind helps her successfully
run a refugee camp, whereas Olanna and Odenigbo seem ineffectual. Adichie seems
to emphasize the reality of action over the ephemeral nature of opinion.
Rule
of Western journalism Half of a Yellow Sun is
heavily critical of the Western media's coverage of the Biafran War. The rule
of Western journalism is obvious when Richard meets with the foreign
journalists: "Richard exhaled. It was like somebody sprinkling pepper on
his wound: Thousands of Biafrans were dead, and this man wanted to know if
there was anything new about one dead white man. Richard would write about
this, the rule of Western journalism: One hundred dead black people equal one
dead white person." Since it is clear that white journalists have a
greater influence, Madu asks Richard to write about the war for the Western
press: “They will take what you write more seriously because you are white. If
you really want to contribute, this is the way that you can. The world has to
know the truth of what is happening, because they simply cannot remain silent
while we die.”
Women
empowerment Although Half of a Yellow Sun does
not have the conflict between a woman and patriarchy typical of feminist
novels, it does show the agency of women. In one of the pivotal moments, Olanna
is disappointed by Odenigbo's betrayal and goes to Kano to seek comfort from
her family there. Aunty Ifeka says: “You must never behave as if your life
belongs to a man. Your life belongs to you and you alone.” Later on, even after
forgiving Odenigbo, she confronts him about his betrayal and does not accept
him justifying his actions by blaming his mother. On the other hand, when
Olanna's father cheats on her mother, Olanna's mother does not confront him
about it. She only asks Olanna to tell her father to do it more subtly.
Marriage Marriage is a recurrent theme in Half of a Yellow Sun.
For the most part of the novel, Olanna and Kainene both live with men without
it being question of marriage. Olanna refuses to get married many times at
first, fearing that marriage would “flatten [their bond] to a prosaic
partnership." It is only during the war, when Odenigbo is invited to a
town meeting in Abba and Olanna is not, that they talk again about marriage.
Olanna accepts, but the wedding is done hastily and is interrupted by an air
raid. Although Richard never asks Kainene to marry him, he does mention his
wish for her to be his wife many times. Arize who is poor and uneducated,
admires Olanna for postponing marriage but waits eagerly for a husband herself:
“It is only women that know too much Book like you who can say that, Sister. If
people like me who don’t know book wait too long, we will expire.” Adichie
seems to be saying that marriage is a pragmatic choice and women who don't need
to get married might chose not to even when their boyfriends are willing.
Reception
Half
of a Yellow Sun received the 2007 Orange Prize for Fiction. The award is given annually for the best original
full-length novel written by a woman in English; Adichie's prize amounted to
£30,000. The novel was well received by critics and included in the New York
Times′s "100 Most Notable Books of the Year".
In
a review for The Seattle Times, Mary Brennan called the book "a sweeping story that
provides both a harrowing history lesson and an engagingly human
narrative". The New York Times had a more mixed review of the book, noting that "at
times Adichie’s writing is too straightforward, the novel’s pace too
slack" but also that "whenever she touches on her favorite themes —
loyalty and betrayal — her prose thrums with life." The Washington Post states: “Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie certainly lives up to the
hype in her second novel, Half a Yellow Sun. She wowed us with this
transcendent tale about war, loyalty, brutality, and love in modern Africa.
While painting a searing portrait of the tragedy that took place in Biafra
during the 1960s, her story finds its true heart in the intimacy of three
ordinary lives buffeted by the winds of fate. Her tale is hauntingly evocative
and impossible to forget.” Rob Nixon's review addressed the historical side of
the novel: “Half of a Yellow Sun takes us inside ordinary lives laid
waste by the all too ordinary unraveling of nation states. When an acquaintance
of Olanna’s turns up at a refugee camp, she notices that – he was thinner and
lankier than she remembered and looked as though he would break in two if he
sat down abruptly. – It's a measure of Adichie’s mastery of small things – and
of the mess the world is in – that we see that man arrive, in country after
country, again and again and again.” Writing for the The
Guardian, Maya
Jaggi called the book "a landmark
novel." Aïssatou Sidimé from San Antonio Express-News called Adichie's writing "alluring and revelatory,
eloquent, prize-winning Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is quickly
proving herself to be fearless in the tradition of the great African
writers." Nigerian writer Chinua
Achebe commented: “We do not usually
associate wisdom with beginners, but here is a new writer endowed with the gift
of ancient storytellers," and said about Adichie: "She is fearless,
or she would not have taken on the intimidating horror of Nigeria's civil
war."
On
November 5, 2019, the BBC News
listed Half of a Yellow Sun on its list of the 100 most influential
novels.
Adaptation
Main article: Half of a Yellow Sun (film)
A
film adaptation written by playwright Biyi
Bandele premiered at the Toronto
International Film Festival in late
2013, and had its worldwide release in 2014. The film stars Academy
Award nominee Chiwetel
Ejiofor and BAFTA Award winner Thandie
Newton.
References
· · Maslin, Janet (21
September 2006). "The
Complex Business of Living While War Rages in Nigeria". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
· · Atofarati,
Abubakar (1992). "The
Nigerian Civil War: Causes, Strategies and Lessons Learnt". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved August 4, 2008.
· · Enright, Michael
(December 30, 2018) [2006]. The
Sunday Edition - December 30, 2018
(Radio interview). CBC. Event occurs at 52:30.
· · Reynolds, Nigel
(June 7, 2007). "Nigerian
author wins top literary prize".
The Telegraph. London. p. 1. Retrieved July 27, 2008.
·
"100
Notable Books of the Year". The New York Times. 2006-11-22.
Retrieved March 18, 2008.
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