Taylor Balatsias INTL 3111-001 24 March 2014 Microtheme 5 I chose to do my mircotheme on an interview with Chinua Achebe.

In the interview, it is apparent that Achebe feels strongly about the roles of a writer and literature (as it pertains to African Culture). He provides both heavy contrast and light parallelism considering the views on literature and its artists in African and Westernized cultures. Africans are well known for their craft by hand, although literature is indeed carried out through the hands, it is more so a construction of the mind. I believe this is the first contrast Achebe makes between African and Western cultures. Africans use their tangible masterpieces to tell a story, rather than writing one. In fact, stories are often more common in a verbal rather than concrete writing form. He then compares the westernized storyteller to that of a griot in the African culture (similarity). Achebe says Art is invented to make the life of the community easier, not to make it more difficult. Artists are people who live in society. To me, this parallels the purpose of art for my culture (in a western society). However, Achebe explains that he has found little of this resolution for art in Westerner societies. In African cultures, art knows no social class or education indifference. Art is for the everyday, the everyman. He lays the foundation for the contrast here. We, as westerners, dont understand African art/literature in his view. The transition struck me, because he dances

around almost insulting the capacity of the westerner to breathe in and accept concepts outside of their own norm. He polishes the line between westerners and Africans, later in the interview when he explains that the functionality of art in African culture serves a relief purpose to the people- an escape. He explains that all Africans would agree as well, unless they have too much of the west in them. This is the epitome of his incomprehensive almost ignorant American narrative.