Read the excerpt from "Civil Peace" by Chinua Achebe.
What effect does the setting have on Jonathan's
thoughts and feelings?
At first he went daily, then every other day and finally
once a week, to the offices of the Coal Corporation
where he used to be a miner, to find out what was
what. The only thing he did find out in the end was that
that little house of his was even a greater blessing than
he had thought. Some of his fellow ex-miners who had
nowhere to return at the end of the day's waiting just
slept outside the doors of the offices and cooked what
meal they could scrounge together in Bournvita tins.
As the weeks lengthened and still nobody could say
what was what Jonathan discontinued his weekly visits
altogether and faced his palm-wine bar.
O Jonathan becomes more grateful for his house and
the new business he has started.
O Jonathan becomes suspicious of why the other ex-
miners continue to sleep outside the offices.
O Jonathan learns that he must be less persistent with
the mine owners if he wants the offices to open
anytime soon.
O Jonathan is grateful that the offices have not
reopened and stops going to check on the workers.