44 pages • 1 hour read
Flora NwapaEfuru
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1966A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Why, in your opinion, do Efuru’s marriages fail? Is it her fate, bad luck, poor choices, or some other reason?
Uhamiri is married to Okita, the owner (god) of the Great River. They quarrel endlessly, and nobody knows the source of their quarrels (Chapter 15, Location 3750). What is the significance of this, given the novel’s themes and Efuru’s association with Uhamiri?
Find three examples of tradition versus modernity in Efuru and explain their significance.
What role do white people play in the novel? Is their presence portrayed as positive, negative, or a combination of both? Cite examples from the text.
In your opinion, is Efuru a feminist novel? Why or why not?
What changes took place in Nigerian society during the transition from the colonial to post-colonial period? How does the novel represent these changes?
How does the novel portray men? Cite examples from the text.
Efuru’s society considers childbearing the ultimate expression of womanhood. Why are fertility and having a large family so important?
Why is it significant that Efuru is chosen to be a follower of Uhamiri? Does that status affect her life, or is it coincidental to the events she experienced?
Nigeria was one of many sites of British colonialism. Discuss the British Empire’s colonization of Africa and its consequences in light of the novel.
