Intellectual societal position in the anthills of the savannahSay no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Anthills of the Savannah by Chinua Achebe discusses positions of power in society and the true role of government in this hierarchy of power. It explores the intersection of power with societal roles, gender and education, showing how knowledge is both closely linked to power and incredibly distant from it. Through the lenses of Chris, Beatrice, and Ikem, and sometimes Sam, Achebe shows how differently intellectuals behave in postcolonial society, and yet how they all share many commonalities. For example, Franz Fanon in “On National Culture” explains that all natives “…must take part in the fight if they simply wish to continue to exist…” (36). Each of these characters fights in their own way, thus proving their position as indigenous intellectuals. Their role as storytellers highlights their intellectual status and the power they hold. This article will argue that the indigenous intellectual characters examined in Anthills of the Savannah can all be fundamentally defined in terms of Franz Fanon's ideas in "On National Culture" through their many storyteller traits. First, it is important to note where each narrator of Achebe's Falls falls in the stage of the indigenous intellectual, as described by Fanon. Fanon asserts that the indigenous storyteller in colonial or postcolonial society goes through three different phases: "In the first phase, the indigenous intellectual demonstrates that he has assimilated the culture of the occupying power", "In the second phase, we see that the native is disturbed; he decides to remember what he is" and "Finally, in the third phase, which is called the combat phase, the native, after having tried to lose himself in the people and with the people, will on the contrary shake the people. » (Fanon 40-41). In Kangan's postcolonial society, created by Achebe, the characters of Chris, Beatrice and Ikem all seem stuck in these different stages. As the events of the novel progress, the characters evolve slightly, but Chris is primarily in the first stage, Beatrice in the second, and Ikem in the third. Sam arguably falls outside of these guidelines, but is perhaps more native-like in the first phase. Chris seems to remain in the first phase for at least much of the novel, as he succumbs to Sam's authoritarian rule and does his job. to work conscientiously, thus “[assimilating] the culture of the occupying power” through a government closely modeled on that of their former colonizers. However, just because it falls foul of corrupt government rules does not mean its importance is discredited. His beliefs remain staunchly opposed to Sam's government. He firmly lays out his reasons for remaining loyal to the government, and his single-minded focus appears to be the common good. He said: “…I couldn't write this if I didn't stand here and observe everything. And no one else would” (Achebe 2). This is a testament to his role as a storyteller and his understanding of the importance of public information. Chris believes that if he openly opposed the government, he would immediately be persecuted and would do no good. He is therefore submissive and pleasant towards Sam. Thus, Chris's role in society is to play the role of a double agent, creating a sort of neutral ground between the people and the government, allowing for compromise if one day comes. comes one.Beatrice appears to reside in the second stage, remaining categorically disturbed. by references to white and Western culture. She is dismayed by Chris's story about Sam being intimate with a white girl and focuses on her "Desdemona complex." "So I was once again engaged in combat with Desdemona, this time itinerant and, worse still, not because of some useless black trash in England, but because of the sacred symbol of my nation's pride. 'he was' (Achebe 74). Beatrice is constantly aware of her position in society, showing disgust at her many forced roles. She connects very strongly to her identity, the only one of the three narrators to do so completely. explains this phenomenon of the second stage: “Past events from the bygone days of [his] childhood will be brought up from the depths of [his] memory; ancient legends will be reinterpreted in the light of a borrowed aesthetic and worldview; discovery under other skies” (41). Béatrice uses her references to her past to demonstrate her very particular role in society. For Béatrice, gender hinders her intellectual potential, because she is constantly considered in a specific role reserved for women. . She is often referenced as a priestess or prophetess, embodying a role of majesty and beauty, but she is also presented as nothing more than a woman, as if she is inferior to any other role. Her real name, Nwanyibuife, means “A female is also something” (Achebe 79). At the party with Sam and the other government officials, she notes that she was led to give “the woman's point of view,” rather than giving her opinion on the issues at hand (Achebe 69). In reality, it seems that Beatrice's role in society as an intellectual is that of a woman who will "go down and sweep away the splinters" (Achebe 89), just as she does during the nomination ceremony for the end of the novel, as a last resort. seaside resort. Beatrice's references to the past and tradition are highlighted by the legend of Idemili, which only reinforces Beatrice's forced role as the repairer of what men break. It is important to note, however, that Béatrice is not necessarily aware of her own parallel with Idemili. “Beatrice Nwanyibuife did not know these traditions and legends of her people because they played only a small role in her education” (Achebe 96). Yet Beatrice is constantly searching for these meanings, little pieces of herself, that she has not yet found. Fanon reinforces this idea with his description of the second stage of indigenous intellectualism: "But as the native is not part of his people, since he only has external relations with his people, he is content to recall his life” (40-41). ).Ikem is the most radical of the three, the most revolutionary and the most openly combative. He “makes himself an awakener of the people; from there is born a combatant literature, a revolutionary literature and a national literature” (Fanon 41). Ikem is not afraid to fight, nor to use his powerful words and his position as editor-in-chief of the National Gazette as leverage in this situation. Ikem's tough-mindedness is likely why so many government officials dislike him, as Ikem points out, saying, "'The reason for our little disagreement is that I didn't try to hide my opinion of them as mere parasites’” (Achebe 145). Ikem's interview with the university students was perhaps his most important action in his societal role, which was in fact that of awakener of the people. Because Ikem is from Abazon, a place seemingly plagued by poverty and disconnected from the rest.