Introduction

Chike’s School Days is a story about a first born son coming into a family full of daughters. It is because of this reason that Chike is given two additional names at baptism, including John and Obiajulu, meaning “the mind at last is at rest.” Chike was raised “in the ways of the white man,” (Achebe, 830) learning to shun old Nigerian religious and cultural practices. Despite the cultural shock, Chike develops a deep connection for literature and English words, even though he is unaware of all the meanings. Thus, we can understand a mixture of two different cultures combining to tell a tale that goes far beyond just the story of a boy.