Biafras impassioned struggle to establish an independent republic in nigeria, and the chilling violence that followed. Poll ballot half of a yellow sun by chimamanda ngozi adichie 4 stars. This month john mullans book club is looking at half of a yellow sun by chimamanda ngozi adichie, a book thats sold a cool halfmillion copies in the uk alone this commercial success is. A readers guide to half of a yellow sun openlearn open. The film is historical fiction that follows two sisters who are caught up in the outbreak of the nigerian civil war. Home half of a yellow sun discussion guide libguides at. Code switching is the act of actively dipping in and out of two languages that a user is fluent in, in this case english and igbo ugwu describes odenigbos speech almost entirely in terms of how it relates to his english usage. Half of a yellow sun by chimamanda ngozi adichie, paperback. With chiwetel ejiofor, thandie newton, anika noni rose, joseph mawle. This novel follows the course of the nigerianbiafran civil war. Odenigbo is in love with olanna, the beautiful daughter of a wealthy nigerian. At once historical and eerily current, half of a yellow sun honours the memory of a war largely forgotten outside nigeria, except as a synonym for famine.
When chimamanda ngozi adichie came to the guardian book club to discuss half of a yellow sun, her novel about 1960s nigeria and the. Aside from discussions of half of a yellow sun, ive only ever heard it mentioned in vague relation to episodes of mass starvation. Holiday shopping is just around the corner, so here is a list in random order of some of the best steampunk books you can get or give. Many books have reading guides at the end of the book that are perfect to use for your book club. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in half of a yellow sun, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Trello is a great way to keep track of books you and your fellow book club members want to read, as well as continue the discussion outside of the meetups. W hen chimamanda ngozi adichie came to the guardian book club to discuss half of a yellow sun, her novel about 1960s nigeria and the biafran war, readers were curious about responses to. This 59page guide for half of a yellow sun by chimamanda ngozi adichie includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 37 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. Download or stream half of a yellow sun by chimamanda ngozi adichie.
Half of a yellow sun discussion questions yellow sun, this or that. The first chapter is through ugwus perspective who is odenigbos. See plot diagram summary part 1, chapters 16the early sixties in 1961 ugwu, a young, uneducated igbo boy from a small village in eastern nigeria, comes to work for odenigbo, a politically radical professor at the university of nsukka. Half of a yellow sun kindle edition by adichie, chimamanda ngozi. Ugwu is only thirteen when he begins working as a houseboy for odenigbo, but he is one of the most intelligent and observant characters in the novel. Half of a yellow sun chapter summaries course hero. But although she uses history to gain leverage on the present, adichie is a storyteller, not a crusader. If it wasnt for odenigbo ugwu wouldnt be the educated and skilled person who he turned out to be. What is the meaning in the novel half of a yellow sun. From the awardwinning author of half of a yellow sun, a dazzling new novel. Half of a yellow sun is a powerful portrait of the.
Half of a yellow sun by chimamanda ngozi adichie, features nigeria during the 1960s and the struggle of the people trying to come to terms with a dual nature and culture. Approaching literature that way can change us and change how we. We are introduced to the igbo, hausa, and yoruba tribes. Sep 19, 2012 half of a yellow sun discussion questions 1 what significance is there to odenigbos code switching.
The award is given annually for the best original fulllength novel written by a woman in english. Chimamanda ngozi adichies half of a yellow sun chapter summary. John mullan on readers responses to half of a yellow sun books. Half a yellow sun is an example of one of the many forms where fiction can coexist with history.
General book club questions for study and discussion. Chimamanda ngozi adichies half of a yellow sun plot summary. The half of a yellow sun community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. No matter the genre, age, notoriety, or length of the book of the moment, book club questions can kickstart or enhance your group discussion. John mullan on readers responses to half of a yellow sun. The book opens by focusing on a young yearold igbo boy named, ugwu. If youre ready to start a book club, heres 40 of the best book club questions, for fiction and nonfiction alike.
Olanna, a privileged woman from lagos educated in london. Half of a yellow sun questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on half of a yellow sun. Half of a yellow sun is a powerful portrait of the nigerian. The questions, discussion topics, and suggestions for further reading that follow are intended to enhance your groups conversation about half of a yellow sun, a richly imagined story of the disastrous war between nigeria and biafra, largely forgotten in the west, which won the 2007 orange prize in britain and was a finalist for the national. Half of a yellow sun kindle edition by adichie, chimamanda. Learn more about half of a yellow sun with a detailed plot summary and plot diagram. Half of a yellow sun is a novel by nigerian author chimamanda ngozi adichie. Chimamanda ngozi adichies second novel, half of a yellow sun, won the. As a member or leader of a book club, you are likely to be reading books on a wide variety of topics, both fiction and nonfiction. Olanna moves in with odenigbo and meets his friends, who argue about. Half of a yellow sun received the 2007 orange prize for fiction. He is going to work in the city at a rich professors home. Oct 23, 2009 w hen chimamanda ngozi adichie came to the guardian book club to discuss half of a yellow sun, her novel about 1960s nigeria and the biafran war, readers were curious about responses to her book. This 50page guide for half of a yellow sun by chimamanda ngozi adichie includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 37 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis.
About this guide the questions, discussion topics, and suggestions for further reading that follow are intended to enhance your groups conversation about half of a yellow sun, a richly imagined story of the disastrous war between nigeria and biafra, largely forgotten in the west, which won the 2007 orange prize in britain and was a finalist for the national book critics circle award. Her third book, the thing around your neck 2009, is a collection of short stories. Half of a yellow sun by chimamanda ngozi adichie reading. This site is about what we read, how we read, and how we think about what we read. Published in 2006 by knopfanchor, the novel tells the story of the biafran war through the perspective of the characters olanna, ugwu, and richard. Like those in the novels nigerpolitan club, they have become critical of. Joining sarah kanowski to discuss the novel are writer and sinologist linda jaivin, who counts this as one of her favourite books. Half of a yellow sun is concerned with class and race and ethnicity which seem to play the biggest role in the relationships of characters to one another.
We announce the book selection on the first monday of the month and discuss on the last monday of the month at. I knew very little of the events that led to this war before reading the book, and i feel like this work of fiction brought so much life to an obviously very tumultuous and. With effortless grace, celebrated author chimamanda ngozi adichie illuminates a seminal moment in modern african history. Half of a yellow sun is a 20 anglonigerian drama film directed by biyi bandele and based on the novel of the same name by chimamanda ngozi adichie. Half of a yellow sun discussion questions special topics in. Want to see these questions in action, and join a fun monthly online book club no awkward silences, promise. Ugwu is a sweet and relatively simple character throughout the entire book, interacting with the novels other characters with youthful innocence. As civil war breaks out, political events loom larger than their differences as they join the fight to establish an independent republic. Half of a yellow sun swings back and forth between the early 1960s nigeria and the southern region affected by the breakout of the nigeriabiafra civil war in the late 1960s. Half of a yellow sun by chimamanda ngozi adichie overdrive. The thematic of war opens up into the bigger theme of humanity where we see characters struggling with issues of love, class, race, profession and family, among others. It is told through the intertwining perspectives of three characters. We meet in a private facebook group and chat about a new book every month. The book begins when ugwu, an igbo boy from a bush village, goes to nsukka to work as a houseboy for odenigbo, a professor and radical.
Download half of a yellow sun audiobook by chimamanda. Olanna moves in with odenigbo and meets his friends, who argue about politics every night. Aug 21, 2017 ive found that the best book club discussion questions are ones that are openended and that get people to share their personal opinions. Youll also find printable book club questions at the end of this post to bring to. This study guide consists of approximately 85 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of half of a yellow sun. Both half of a yellow sun and adichies first novel, purple hibiscus which won a commonwealth writers prize, explore the gap between the public performances of male heroes and.
Adichie, who grew up in the immediate aftermath of the war, crafts a unique story from three. Based loosely on political events in nineteensixties. Half of a yellow sun the martian nonfiction trello team picks. Get 50% off this audiobook at the audiobooksnow online audio book store and download or stream it right to your computer, smartphone or tablet. Her second novel, half of a yellow sun, named after the flag of the shortlived nation of biafra, is set before and during the biafran war. At first it was a little slow but it kept building up in intensity and interest so i could not stop wanting to read every moment i got. I knew very little of the events that led to this war before reading the book, and i feel like this work of fiction brought so much life to an obviously very tumultuous and disturbing period in what is now nigerias history. In the beginning of the book, ugwu, an igbo boy,has to go to nsukka as a houseboy for odenigbo. Half of a yellow sun discussion questions 1 what significance is there to odenigbos code switching. Whether you are discussing characters and their actions, setting, theme, or images, having a guide to questions that will. Half of a yellow sun takes place in nigeria in the 1960s. Half of a yellow sun 9 september 2016 its very clever of adichie to include richard and the development of his book to her novel because she can inform the reader about the biafran war in an unusual and unique manner.
Our february group read is half of a yellow sun by chimamanda ngozi adichie. Half of a yellow sun discussion questions special topics. Half of a yellow sun is good read which provides an insightful narrative on the nigerianbiafran war. I found a very long set of suggested discussion questions here warning. Half of a yellow sun centers largely around the nigerian civil war and the problems that created it. Biafras impassioned struggle to establish an independent republic in southeastern nigeria during the late 1960s. Chimamanda ngozi adichie was born in nigeria in 1977. Find summaries for every chapter, including a half of a yellow sun chapter summary chart to help you understand the book. The questions, discussion topics, and suggestions for further reading that follow are intended to enhance your groups conversation about half of a yellow sun. A haunting story of love and war from the bestselling author of americanah and we should all be feminists. Half of a yellow sun summary and study guide supersummary.
Topics about this book topics that mention this book. Half of a yellow sun chimamanda adichie english literature. In 2010 she was listed among the authors of the new yorker. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading half of a yellow sun. Half of a yellow sun by chimamanda ngozi adichie books. A masterly, haunting novel from a writer heralded by the washington post book world as the 21stcentury daughter of chinua achebe, half of a yellow sun recreates a seminal moment in modern african history. I think its amazing that richard and ugwu were able to make a connection and they both made part of the book. Half of a yellow sun chimamanda adichie english literature essay. Oct 01, 2006 both half of a yellow sun and adichies first novel, purple hibiscus which won a commonwealth writers prize, explore the gap between the public performances of male heroes and. Half of a yellow sun by italian see profile 072811. Sisters olanna and kainene return home to 1960s nigeria, where they soon diverge on different paths. At the end i agreed with his dedication to his master.
Published in 2006, half of a yellow sun garnered numerous. Sep 05, 2016 when you choose a popular book club book, you can often find a wealth of book discussion questions already written for you. Half of a yellow sun is a historical fiction work following several characters through the years before, after and during the biafrannigerian war. How much does your own race affect the experience of reading this or any novel. Readers guide the questions, discussion topics, and. Ugwu, a poor village boy who gets a job as a houseboy for odenigbo, a university professor. Soon odenigbos girlfriend olanna, the beautiful, londoneducated daughter of a prominent nigerian businessman, comes to live with them. The book raises disturbing questions about moral responsibility. Ive found that the best book club discussion questions are ones that are openended and that get people to share their personal opinions. Oct 12, 2009 this month john mullans book club is looking at half of a yellow sun by chimamanda ngozi adichie, a book thats sold a cool half million copies in the uk alone this commercial success is. The half of a yellow sun is the symbol of the republic of biafra, appearing on both its national flag and military uniforms.