Read our detailed study guide on the short story Civil Peace by Chinua Achebe. Our study guide covers Civil Peace summary, themes, characters, and literary analysis.
Civil Peace Summary
Jonathan finds himself “extraordinarily lucky” as he survived the war along with his wife and three of his four sons. Moreover, Jonathan also felt blessed getting back his bicycle. The narrator describes Jonathon troublesome thoughts regarding a man claiming to be a military officer and requisitioning his bicycle
Jonathan seems suspicious about the position of man because of his threadbare uniform. In order to send him away, Jonathan offers him two pounds which the military officer accepted.
Subsequently, Jonathan in order to hide his bicycle buries it in a graveyard in a refugee camp where his family has taken refuge. In that graveyard, his son was also buried.
Further, when war has ended, Jonathon comes to the graveyard after a year and digs up to get his bicycle. Jonathan got stunned when he saw his bicycle in fine condition. At that time he says “nothing puzzles God”.
Moreover, Jonathan starts up a taxi service after4 replenishing his bicycle. For each ride he charges six pounds. After accumulation of enough money, he decides to return to his old house situated in Enugu. When he reached there, he saw his house still standing amidst rubble. Once more he was amazed upon his fortune.
Though his house needs some repairs, he doesn’t get disappointed by it. Rather he gathers some material from debris for repairing his house. Also he hires a carpenter to do the needed fixation of the house. After that, he will move his family back to the old house again.
Similarly, his whole family got engaged in small works. His wife started selling food to neighbors while his children busy themselves in picking mangoes to sell. On the other hand, Jonathan opens up a bar in his house for soldiers. For this purpose he invests his money in palm wine located in a nearby village and then he waters it down.
In order to check whether the old coal mine will reopen or not, where he was previously employed he goes there. However, he witnessed his former co-workers in a pathetic situation over there. He saw him sleeping at the mine and eating stale foods. Upon seeing all such pathetic conditions he realized that the old coal mine won’t reopen. So, he goes back to his house and commits to his bar business.
One day, Jonathan was rewarded twenty pounds for returning a rebel currency. However, he doesn’t pay heed to be robbed even after the occurrence of a robbery a few days earlier. That night, they heard a loud knocking of armed thieves at their door, demanding for hundred pounds.
Upon realizing the arrival of thieves, Jonathan and his wife shout for assistance. But there was complete silence and no one came forward to help them. However, thieves seem confident and unflustered. Instead, the thief leader asks his group to help them. They shout for help and call out for police but no one responds. Afterwards, the thief leader asks Jonathan to call for soldiers instead.
Rather, he tells Jonathan that war has been ended and there is no longer civil war; civil peace is instead prevailing. Moreover, he threatens Jonathan and says all he has to do is to hand over them money and they will spare them. Otherwise, they will rummage through his house and mistreat his family.
Being fearful of thieves, Jonathan tells them he doesn’t have hundred pounds, he can only give them twenty pounds. The leader asks him to hand over the money via the window and they will spare them. However, the robbery group protests and insists to enter and search for more but the leader halts them.
On the following day, the family gets back to work again while the neighbors come to sympathize with them. However, Jonathan demonstrates to his neighbor that he was not only dependent on those 2 pounds. As well as, the loss occurred is very less as compared to the loss he faced in the war. Likewise, he gets over his loss and focuses on his work. The story ends on the refrain “nothing puzzles God”.
Background of the Story
“Civil Peace” was written by a Nigerian novelist, poet and critic Chinua Achebe in 1971. He is best known for his work Things Fall Apart. He mostly wrote about the devastating colonialism of Britain and the repercussions of War. He objects to the claimed Civilizing aim of Britain and termed it as exploitation.
This story is written after the Nigerian Civil War. The upheaval surges due to the tensions between the Hausas of North and the Igbo of southeast Nigeria. It throws light on the drastic impacts of the Civil War highlighting the country’s damaged infrastructure and economy. Likewise, it exhibits the loss of innocent lives (genocide), famine and miserable situations of people. Besides, it ironically depicts the incompetent colonialism.
It is a story of an optimistic and industrious man, who despite the loss of his son steps forward and starts endeavoring to survive. He tries to overcome every hurdle in his way in order to provide stability to his family.
Characters Analysis
Jonathan Iwegbu
He is the protagonist of the story. Besides, he is depicted as an optimistic, industrious and resilient character. He doesn’t regret the loss that occurred to him in the war. Rather, he copes up and starts endeavoring for his future.
In the story, he lost his son in the war despite that irreversible loss he celebrates what he still has such as his wife and remaining three children. As well as, he starts up different businesses in order to support his family.
Maria Iwegbu
She is the wife of Jonathan Iwegbu. She is a loyal and caring wife. Besides, she also mirrors the resilience and hardwork in the story. After war she starts baking cakes for neighbors in order to make some money and provide help to her husband. After getting robbed, she doesn’t mourn over her loss rather she stays focused on her work.
Thief Leader
He is in charge of robbery. He knocks at Jonathan’s door and boldly announces himself as a thief. He is depicted as confident and arrogant. Moreover, he mocks on the helplessness of Jonathan’s family.
Rather, he shouts for police and soldiers to arrive after neighbors didn’t respond. His language reflects his illiteracy. In addition, he exhibits the ever present threat in the post war times.
The Army Officer
He requisitioned Jonathan’s bike for some military purpose. However, Jonathan doesn’t lend him his bike instead he bribes him some money, which he accepts.
The army officer shows untrustworthiness and lack of governance and rule in the story.
Thief Chorus
This is the group consisting of five thieves who accompany the thief leader. Their role is to produce chanting responses to their leader’s decisions and questions.
At one point, chorus objects to the leader’s decision to get twenty pounds in lieu of hundred pounds. Chorus expresses desires of getting inside and rummages for more money, which the leader rejects.
Themes in Civil Peace
War
Glimpses of war can be seen throughout the story. This story reflects the devastating images of the war. With the help of Jonathan’s characters and things happening around him Achebe has tactfully interwoven the effects of war. It mirrors how the country’s infrastructure and economy was destroyed.
This is evident when Jonathan sees his house standing amidst rubble. Also, when he witnesses the homeless people living in the coal mines and eating stale food. Readers can also assume the loss of innocent lives during the war in the story. It is shown when Jonathan loses his son and buries him in the graveyard.
God, Optimism and Resilience
Throughout the story readers can find Jonathan coping up with his loss and regrets through the refrain “Nothing puzzles God”. From this, one can assume Achebe is prompting the religious teaching for the encouragement.
Jonathan stays optimistic despite every tragedy. Even he lost his son in the war but he doesn’t let himself get stuck to that point. Rather he believes in God and his fate and steps forward. He seems grateful for what he has not mourned over his losses.
Legacy of Colonialism
Achebe in the story has depicted the horrific colonialism of Britain’s. Achebe exhibits how the miseries and outcries of Africans fell over the deaf ears of colonizers.
He explains it via the tragedy of robbery at Jonathan’s House. Despite their screams everyone failed to respond not even police and soldiers came forward to help. Rather, the thief mocks the authority and ironically states the war has ended and now it is civil peace. This reflects the incompetence of colonizers. Also this mirrors highlights the apathetic attitude of colonizers towards their subjects in lieu of providing help to those who were exploiting them.
Untrustworthy Authority, Law and Justice
Achebe throws light on the Africa of those times. He opens up the reality of bad governance before readers. It is evident via the example of military officers who accept the bribe from Jonathan. This tells the readers how people were on their own for their survival.
As well as, when police and soldiers failed to respond to the robbery at Jonathan’s house. Rather there was complete silence from their side. This shows their apathy towards the problems of subjects.
Work Ethic and Struggle
After the war Jonathan started up a small business of taxi service. Then, from its profit he opens up a bar at his house. Whole Iwegbu family in the story is engaged in work. On one hand, father is running a business. On the other hand, mother and children are providing help by baking cakes, cleaning up wine bottles and selling fruits.
This also tells the readers about the economic perturbation after the war. Everyone was living in destitution. Achebe throws light on this by depicting the homeless people eating stale food and living in coal mines.
Literary Analysis
“Civil Peace” was written by a Nigerian novelist, poet and critic Chinua Achebe in 1971. He is best known for his work Things Fall Apart. He mostly wrote about the devastating colonialism of Britain and repercussions of War. He objects to the claimed Civilizing aim of Britain and termed it as exploitation.
Achebe has brought the attention of readers towards the problem of Africa in post war. He reflects the miserable condition of society, how colonizers were humiliating and abusing its subjects. He ironically objects to the concept of civil peace in Africa. Through the story he conveys how even in civil peace violence was prevailing.
In the same manner, Achebe portrays the drastic images of the Biafra revolution, civil war. He has shown how war has damaged the infrastructure and economy of society. This is evident from the glimpses of buildings debris when Jonathan visits his old house. Though his house wasn’t fallen to the ground but was surrounded by rubble of other buildings all around.
Similarly, Achebe exhibits the loss of thousands of civilians, who died in the war. In the story, it is evident when Jonathan buried his son in the graveyard during war. This pictures the bloodshed and destruction of war.
By picturing the struggles of Jonathan’s family, Achebe wants to depict the miserable condition of people. After the cruel war, everyone was exposed to extreme hardships. Most of them became homeless and scrounges for the food. In this way, it is said that fruitless war has brought nothing rather made the lives of Nigerian upside down.
Likewise, homelessness and scarcity of food is also highlighted. Achebe makes this obvious when Jonathan leaves his home along with his family and takes shelter in a refugee camp to save his family. As well as, when he goes to the old coal mine and witnesses his former co-workers homeless and facing the scarcity of food.
Moreover, Achebe objects to the concept of civil peace. He has shown how violence was still affecting the society under the name of civil peace. Via objecting the civil peace he also explores the apathetic attitude and bad governance in Nigeria. At first, Jonathan bribes a military officer to leave his bicycle. Secondly, when armed thieves arrived at his house and neighbors, police and soldiers failed to respond. Readers may assume that Achebe wants to convey that civil peace is not fully restored.
Besides the aforementioned points, he also gives hope to the society despite every hurdle one day they will get their destination. It is evident via the character of Jonathan who nevertheless of every tragedy stayed optimistic and struggled for his survival.
At first, after the war Jonathan initiated his business of taxi service by charging six pounds for each ride. After accumulating enough money, he invests his money in the business of a bar, which he opens up in his own house.
Likewise, Jonathan doesn’t regret what he lost rather he at every point endeavors for his future. Even when he was robbed he didn’t waste his time in mourning rather he stayed focused on his present work. Here, readers may find Achebe giving the message of endeavoring for the future. He wants his society to come out of their traumas and start working for a better future.
Significance of the Title
Achebe has ironically used this title to object to the false peace that the government has restored only by name after the Biafra revolution in Nigeria. The title “Civil” connotes the due rights of people.
However, in the story he contradicts the very title by depicting the violence and incompetence of authority in the society. He suggests to the readers that though war has ended but still it is affecting society in the form of shockwaves.
Setting
“Civil Peace” is written in the times of post war. The location of the story is set in Enugu, the former capital of Biafra (Eastern Nigeria) and the surrounding countryside.
Symbolism
Readers may find two symbols in the story through which Achebe highlights different things.
Jonathan’s Bicycle
Firstly, readers may come across this symbol in the story, which Achebe has tactfully used. The Bicycle symbolizes hope and revival of life. Jonathan digs up his bicycle and is amazed to find it in fine condition. Also, he refurbished his bicycle and through that he initiated his first business of taxi service. Through the profit of bicycle business he invests his money in bar business and in this way Jonathan’s family becomes stable.
Here, Achebe is of the view that one should stay strong nevertheless of hurdles in the way. In this way, they can reach their desired point. Through this he wants to convey the message of endeavoring to his Nigerian society, which was completely damaged after the civil war.
After the war everything was damaged in this way; everyone was supposed to start their lives from the beginning. The bicycle exhibits the same. It was dug up and refurbished then Jonathan initiated his business and a new life along with his family.
Egg rasher
On the other hand, readers may find the symbol of egg rasher in the story. Egg rasher symbolizes the conflicts and violence in the post war times. Additionally, Jonathan was rewarded twenty pounds for turning over the rebel money. However, this rewarded money becomes the reason for the tragedy and threat for his family. Thieves arrived at his house dancing hundred pounds while Jonathan gave them this rewarded money to get rid of them.
Through this Achebe highlights that still violence and conflicts are present in the post war times. Though war has ended but it has harmed the society so deeply that its repercussions will haunt the society for long.
Imagery
Achebe has pictured the military man who was demanding Jonathan’s bicycle. He describes him as a man of suspicious countenance with tattered uniform “disreputable rags” and worn out canvas shoes “toes peeping out of one blue and one brown canvas shoes”. Also his ranks were in an irregular pattern.
On the other hand, he depicts the debris when Jonathan rummages in order to gather things for his damaged house. He collects the “old zinc” , some woods and “soggy sheets of cardboard lying around in the neighborhood”.
Similarly, he described the morning of Jonathan’s family after the robbery at their house. They were all busy doing their work while neighbors were coming to sympathize with them. Jonathan was loading the “five-gallon demijohn to his bicycle carrier”. Moreover, his wife was perspiring before the open fire to cook “akara balls in a wide clay bowl of boiling oil”. Also his son was washing the wine bottles.
Literary devices
Achebe has used certain figurative devices in the story.
Allusion
Readers may come across the word “Bournvita tins” which he has used to depict the ruthless colonialism of Britain over Africa It is used when Jonathan saw his former co-miner eating stale food and residue of bournvita tins. This depicts the apathetic attitude of colonizers towards it’s subjects.
Personification
One can see Achebe personifying the survival of Jonathan with happiness in the story “Happy survival!”. This expresses Jonathan’s emotions after war. He seems happy even after every tragedy he faced.
Further in the story, Jonathan’s house is personified with the humanly attribute “zinc house of no regrets”. This reflects the inner self of Jonathan who was having no remorse for his past.
Similarly, the knock of thieves is personified with the quality of being harsh and heavy “heaviest knocking”. Here it expresses the danger and violence that would be faced by Jonathan. Likewise, Achebe in order to specify the callousness of thieves group he personified it with “horrible chorus”.
Metaphors and Similes
Readers may also find the usage of metaphors and similes in the story. For instance, “heartless ruffian” was used for the thief who robbed the man before Jonathan. Achebe has used this to emphasize the unkindness of the robber. Moreover, Achebe has used the metaphor “oceanic crowd” to accentuate the number of people.
Likewise, Jonathan fortune is described through the “day of the windfall”. It depicts the mercy of God over Jonathan. In this way, he gets rewarded turning in the money of rebels.
Achebe emphasizes the sentiments of Jonathan through simile. He says “It was like Christmas for him”. This describes the joy for the reward he got. Also he compares his joys with the excitement and happiness of Christmas day.
Irony
The title itself is ironic as it contradicts the concept of civil peace in the story. Achebe highlights the violence and incompetence of authorities which is in contrast with the title.
Refrain
Throughout the story one can see Achebe using the refrain “Nothing puzzles God”. Through this he accentuates the hope. Also, the ways of Divine which a mortal can comprehend. The way God has shown his mercy over Jonathan.
Genre & Tone
“Civil Peace” is written in historical fiction. The overall tone used in the story is optimistic and hopeful.
Point of View
Achebe has used the third person limited point of view. Readers can explore the story through the thoughts and views of Jonathan.
