Book review: Chike and the River, By Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe’s novel, Chike and the River, perfectly displays the idea of working to achieve a dream. Although this novel is considered fiction, children can easily relate to the characters in the novel. Chike, a young boy from Nigeria, has lived in Umuofia for nearly eleven years, until his mother sends him away to live with his uncle in Onitsha. Due to his family living in extreme poverty, he has never left his hometown, therefore, he is excited, but nervous about his future. He has heard many great stories about living in a big city, yet, his mother warns him of the dangers of living in a place like Onitsha. The main piece of advice she gives to Chike is to stay clear of the River Niger.

Chike begins adapting to the new environment in Onitsha. Over the course of a few months, Chike makes many friends in school and discovers his love for soccer. Since he is still considered the “new kid” in school he wants to fit in with his friends, leading him to tell some lies about the wealth of his family. All of Chike’s friends speak of the amazing River Niger and taking the ferries across it to the city of Asaba. Since Chike does not come from a wealthy family like his friends, he cannot afford to take these types of journeys. Chike becomes determined to take this journey across the river and will do whatever it takes to achieve it, ignoring his mother’s advice to stay away from the River Niger.

Chike makes it his goal to find money to take his journey across the River Niger. He tries many times to obtain the money, however, all of his attempts fail. After finding a sixpence on the ground, he begins searching for a way to double his money to a shilling. Again, after multiple attempts in trying to increase the money he found, he fails, so he almost gives up on his dream. He starts to believe that his dream is out of reach and will never happen. Overtime, Chike has some challenges at school that give him more courage and determination. With his increased confidence, he is motivated once again to find a way to acquire one shilling to cross the River Niger. Although he is concerned about the fact that his mother said to stay away from the river, this increases his curiosity even more. Over the course of the novel, Chike has his ups and downs trying to reach his final goal of crossing the River Niger, while gaining courage and confidence over the course of his journey.

The novel truly represents that hard work must be done to reach a goal. Achebe presents the idea that nothing comes easy in a clear manner, while still writing an enjoyable, yet simple book for children to read. Many children do not realize the work that must be put in to reach a goal, which Achebe indicates throughout her novel. Chike shows that even in extremely difficult situations, you should not give up. Although many children cannot relate to the character directly, it is common for kids to want something, but they do not believe that they can achieve their goal. Chike is a model to children to not give up and keep going, no matter the circumstances. Chike’s circumstances in the novel are extremely harsh since he cannot even afford a ride across the river. Kids reading the book can see that even with the struggles of Chike, he pushed through and kept going. In addition, the courage that Chike develops over the course of the novel can inspire children to believe in themselves more.

In addition to teaching children to not give up, the novel gives children a look at life in Nigeria. Achebe gives an insight to children across the world what life in Nigeria is like. Many children do not realize the poverty that many people experience across the world. To some children, a trip across a river does not seem like much, yet, to someone like Chike, this journey means the world. It is important for children to understand life across the world, not just in their hometown. By using words and discussing cultural practices in Nigeria, Achebe helps children begin understanding the idea of different cultures at an early age rather than later.

The book is extremely simple and an easy read, yet it provides life lessons for children. Chike and the River does well in tying in cultural ideas into a story interesting for children. It is important for children to understand that they can overcome their challenges and keep going, which Achebe helps promote through this novel. Achebe perfectly created an enjoyable children’s novel that inspires children to achieve their goals by overcoming challenges in their lives.

Works Cited

Achebe, Chinua. Chike and the River. Cape Town, Cambridge University Press,
2010.