History & Personal Views in 2 Novels

Achebe's novel reflects historical fact as it fictionally portrays traditional African life in a Nigerian village before and after the coming of the white man. It does not try to portray history in an objective or neutral way, but clearly is sympathetic to the plight of the Africans, especially the hero Okonkwo, and critical of the imperialistic Europeans and the destructive impact they have on the traditional life and culture of the Nigerians.

Fraser's novel focuses more on the outrageous exploits of the Flashman than on the social or historical circumstances of his adventures, but the reader cannot read this book without perceiving the prejudices and injustices permeating British society and its destructive excursions in its colonies in the 19th century. At the same time, it is clear that the social structure portrayed in the book is a strict one which includes

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mething of a gender awakening at the end of the book, but it can only be temporary. Flashman sees women as being of two sorts---those he wants to bed and those he does not. What draws him first to his wife-to-be is her beauty and her smile: "the open, simple smile of the truly stupid" (Fraser 50). Non-Western belief systems find no respect whatsoever in Fraser's book. Flashman is an anti-hero whose purpose is to entertain by portraying prejudices in such an extreme way that we hopefully see through those prejudices and try not to practice them ourselves. The British believe that no other culture is comparable in any way. The Indians and Afghans are portrayed as godless beasts who occasionally resemble human beings. They see "life [as] dirt cheap" (Fraser 89). Fraser portrays British society as being built on the cruelty and pomposity of class judgments---in and out of the military. The military is perhaps less pompous in this regard---but only when the bullets are flying. Again, both novels are highly critical of the social structure of the dominant people---the British in Fraser and the Westerner in general in Achebe. However, we are primarily meant to be amused rather than moved emotionally or instructed intellectually or
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Some common words found in the essay are:
District Commissioner, Westerner Achebe, Victorian England, Victorian England---was, Fall Apart, Third World, British Flashman, Victoria Cross, Nigerians Fraser's, Indians Afghans, social structure, traditional african, white man's, traditional african life, african life, traditional life, falling apart, loss traditional, loss traditional african, represents british, third world, achebe's book, fraser's book flashman,
Approximate Word count = 2138
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page)

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