Vultures Chinua Achebe
Chinua Achebe was born in Nigeria, West Africa in 1931. His father was a missionary and he was brought up as a Christian. In the late 1960 s, during the war between Nigeria and Biafra, he and his wife and children were almost killed when their home was bombed. The war ended in 1970 when the Biafran population had been starved into defeat. Achebe wrote about his experiences of war in the 1971 collection Beware, Soul Brother where Vultures first appeared.
Social & Historical Context
Faces of War in the 2 oth Century Although Achebe was born in Nigeria he worked for the government of Biafra and witnessed the terrible things that happened to the Biafran population by the Nigerians during the war. Published only a year after Biafra had lost the conflict, Vultures reflects on the cruel and murderous deeds ‘ordinary’ people commit during war. Children starved in the Nigeria Biafran War Belsen concentration camp
What is it About?
Brainstorm what you know about Vultures. Use a spider diagram to help you organise your ideas. Wh ad ave re h re you Whe m en the or se ere the t abou y li ve e anc ar e app Vultures Things you associate with them How the y live
Vultures The poem is divided into four sections. Lines Meaning so far 1 -21 Describes two vultures sitting high up in a dead tree 22 -29 Love is described as a person who chooses to ignore evil 30 -40 A Nazi concentration camp commandant walks home with the fumes of burnt flesh in his nose and stops to buy sweets for his child The poet reflects that goodness exists within evil but that evil also exists within goodness 41 -51
Images of Vultures Consider the description of the vultures in the first section. Find quotes to show that the birds appear disgusting and horrible but can still be loving.
Section Two Read the description of the Nazi Commandant in section two. Note down the contrasting imagery used. Evil / Cruel / Ugly Good / Kind / Loving Fumes of human roast Pick up a chocolate
Remember what we said about Chinua Achebe’s experiences of war? Re-read lines 1 – 21. How do the actions of the vultures compare to the way people can behave in a war?
Language
Contrast Many images in the poem contrast, emphasising the contrast between good and evil. Find examples of each and add them to the columns below. Evil Good Picked the eyes Swollen corpse Tender offspring Bounteous providence
Imagery Think about the words the poet uses. Copy down the chart below. Make notes on what the poet’s words suggest to you. The Images Notes on the images The greyness and drizzle of one despondent dawn Conveys a dull, wet morning – little light or hope suggested Broken bone of a dead tree Smooth bashed-in head, a pebble on a stem A dump of gross feathers A swollen corpse in a waterlogged trench Cold telescopic eyes Ate things in its bowel
Imagery The Images Going home for the day Fumes of human roast Hairy nostrils Wayside sweet-shop Tender offspring Daddy’s return Icy caverns of a cruel heart The very germ of that kindred love the perpetuity of evil Notes on the images
Poetic Techniques Match the technique with the correct definition. Technique Definition Metaphor The use of the same sound at the start of words Alliteration A figure of speech not meant literally Onomatopoeia The attribution of human qualities to an object Personification A word which imitates the sound it represents
Poetic Techniques Think about the poetic techniques discussed on the last slide. Copy down the chart below. Find examples in the poem and write down the effect created. Technique Evidence Effect alliteration ‘drizzle of one despondent dawn’ Along with the imagery, alliterating the dull ‘d’ sound sets the dark, miserable tone of the opening section.
Check Understanding Using the notes you have made so far answer this question: Explain how Chinua Achebe uses language to comment on the inhumanity of war in ‘Vultures’.
Useful Stuff Vultures short films: http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=sbdkp 35 A 8 Wc http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=oi 4 Ua. W 3 Swlw&f eature=related http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Q 4838 GG 528 U &feature=related BBC Bitesize Poems From Other Cultures: http: //www. bbc. co. uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english/ poemscult/acheberev 2. shtml
More Useful Stuff Annotated PPT version of Vultures http: //web. wheelerslane. bham. sch. uk/files/ Vultures_0. ppt A copy of Vultures with notes & questions http: //www. mrsbaltsas. org/Brit%20 Lit/Afric an_American_History_Month/Vultures_%2 0 Chinua%20 Achebe_Assignments. pdf
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