The Sacrificial Egg Essay - 1068 Words

Chinua Achebes short story The sacrificial Egg illustrates the life of a young African native Julius Obi, and the arising conflicts between two cultures. This short story takes place in a very small village in Africa, called Umuru in the mid 1900s. This young African Native, although no native of Umuru finds himself trapped between his own culture, beliefs and the westernized culture. Although Julius has embraced the western culture, after certain events he eventually finds himself coming back to his own beliefs. Achebe, uses these two very different cultures to demonstrate the clash it produces in this young mens life and, how no matter how hard he has embraced the western culture he was always going to go back to his own beliefs.†¦show more content†¦The small African village located on the bank of the river Niger has a story of its own, that only the old and wise are able to describe. In its own time this village was a market, called Umuru. During one particular day call ed the Nkwo day, a deity would cast a spell which called men and women from the four corners of the world to come buy and sell products. It was said that she appeared in the form of an old woman in the center of the market just before cock-crow and waved her magic fan in the four directions of the earth-in front of her, behind her, to the right and to the left- to draw to market men and women from distant places. This quote comes to show how these traditions and beliefs were once born in this village. It also shows that these traditions go far back to ancient myths. The market, tough still called Nkwo, had long spilled over into Eke, Oye and Afo with the coming of civilization and the growth of the town into a big palm oil port. This quote in particular shows that even if this market has being westernized, people who live there still believe in their traditions. There are two characters in particular who have both learned to accept westernization without putting their own beliefs aside. One of them is Ma, the mother of Juliuss bride to be. Although Ma has been westernized trough the conversion of religion she still holds respectShow MoreRelated The sacrificial Egg Essays1042 Words   |  5 Pages Chinua Achebe’s short story â€Å"The sacrificial Egg† illustrates the life of a young African native Julius Obi, and the arising conflicts between two cultures. This short story takes place in a very small village in Africa, called Umuru in the mid 1900’s. This young African Native, although no native of Umuru finds himself trapped between his own culture, beliefs and the westernized culture. 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