No Longer At Ease Themes
Identity
Obi's identity is shaped by two dual forces: Western culture and values and Igbo culture and values. Though Obi embraces Western values as evidenced through his education and his nominal adherence...
Duty
Obi's downfall is related to the many expensive duties he suddenly acquired after he returned home from England. Suddenly, he was responsible for providing for his parents' retirement income, payin...
Lies and Deceit
According to No Longer At Ease, corruption is an integral part of the Nigerian civil and business system. In order to get a job or a scholarship, bribery seems to be a necessary step. Obi, a young...
Society and Class
Education is critical for social position and status in Nigeria, as presented by No Longer At Ease. With an education, your salary jumps to five times the amount you might obtain without an educati...
Family
In Igbo culture, family has a broad definition. Not only are Obi's parents and siblings his family, but all the men and women who come from his region are also considered his kinsmen. While on the...
Marriage
Obi Okonkwo has absorbed Western ideals of marriage, believing that he should be allowed to marry whomever he wants, whenever he wants, because it only affects himself. But when he falls in love wi...
Dreams, Hopes, Plans
All characters in No Longer At Ease has dreams and hopes that they want to fulfill. Unfortunately, these hopes and dreams often conflict with the reality of their life situations. Obi Okonkwo wants...
Love
Although Obi does love Clara, he has allowed his infatuation with her to blind him to the reality of their situation. Ultimately, No Longer At Ease appears to suggest that love is not a weapon that...
Principles
Obi absorbed Western values and customs during his time in England. These values extended from the belief that he should be able to choose his own wife to the belief that education was a cure for c...
Isolation
Obi left Nigeria for college in England at the typical age. Isolated and alone in a foreign country, he fell in love with his native land. He longed for it in that nostalgic, homesick way that caus...