Adam took the easy one!

Just to agree with Adam I too thought the same thing about the barbarians and wondered about their actual existence being that we are given practically no information what so ever. From Achebe’s perspective I think she would admire the main character for his will and the amount of duress he endures (although self contrived). On page 44 of my text I found that the main character was trying to break out of this problem that we only see things from our reference point and cannot break form this. He says “What do I have to do to move you” and “Does no one move you.” The next paragraph the character comes to a self actualization that he is the only one putting conations and subtext into everything he is doing for her, even though they do seem rather odd for a non-intimate couple. He says that it his own vanity and his own seduction that he is getting caught up in this very awkward situation. He also refers to things as only being what they are: a bed only a bed and a woman’s body only a site of joy. He then talks about the Colonel and that he must not suffer his crimes as well as distancing himself as much as he can form him. After reading the first two chapters I find it unclear what the main character is doing concurrent to what the Colonel did.