In “Chike’s school days”, Chinua Achebe effectively shows contrast between two different cultures. He tries to show attitudes from both sides. He starts with the culture that white men brought from the neighbor’s view who was not converted to Christianity at the time. When the neighbor offered food to Chike, he said they don’t eat heathen food and rejected, she murmured under her breath “even an Osu was full of pride nowadays, thanks to the white man.” (828). This shows how traditional African culture was very restrictive, class hierarchy discriminative and prejudice fulfilled. On the other hand, it also shows how the “white culture” was tearing neighbors, furthermore nationality, apart. It sat barrier between people who have different religion because Christians started teaching their next generations to be apart from other religion, even not to eat with them. Christianity changed people deeply, from their lifestyle to their conduct. Traditional spiritual religion looked it as “insanity.” Overall, people who stayed with” African religion” was offended by how “white religion” makes people change and invading their norms and traditions.

Chinua also shows difference between two culture by comparing role of education. Chike’s grandmother was once converted into Christianity, but later renounced. She obviously raised by traditional religion. From her point of view, the diviner man was the most respectful and she looked up to him. He was” a man of great power and wisdom” (828). The diviner man wasn’t an educated man. He has more of practical experience and  knowledge of life; and that is what Chike’s grandmother had respect for. It seemed education wasn’t important for her. In fact, she might resemble all the people who have African culture. In contrast, Chike, the person who raised by “white culture”, had respect for his teacher because he was such a well educated man who like to use sophisticated English words and show off his elevated education. Education was definitely intrigues Chike and it was important him. By having “white culture”, Chike could learn about sciences and expand his knowledge. It gives him freedom to think and not to restricted by prejudices that African culture had.

The fiction all starts with the narrator constantly contradicting himself. Him being sick but never goes to a doctor; in fact, he is superstitious that he believes in medicine but he is well educated not to be superstitious. Him telling forty years is entire lifetime and no one should live past forty but claiming he intends to live till sixty, seventy and eighty. All of these ambiguous decisions he was making in his life made no sense.  He seems mad, lazy and self- inflicting until chapter five.

However, he starts an argument against rationalist and utopian thinkers from then on. Utopian thinkers believed that society would be perfect where everything is systemized and well calculated. There would be nothing a man should worry so that society would be peaceful and people would be happy. In contrast, Dostoyevsky argued people actually would be suffering in that kind of perfect life. Because human nature doesn’t allow us live solely following rule. Men wish to have his own way. In addition; we wish good in life as much as we unconsciously wish for bad. Histories of civil wars all around the world was perfect illustration of this idea. People found peace through civilization; simultaneously, civilization was found through terrible bloodshed wars. He now becomes intelligible, genuine and lover of freedom.

I was fascinated with his writing style. It was almost felt like I was talking to him directly. He constantly raises interesting questions and answers them accordingly. It was much more relaxed than Enlightenment and Romantics literature. He jokes and comments on his own ideas. Most of the time he starts with asking questions and illustrates taking examples. Plus, he never forgets to remind the reader what was question and what was his response in regard.