Aké: The Years of Childhood Papers & Assignment Topics

Essay Topics/Writing Assignments

These 20 essay questions can be used as essay questions on a test, or as stand-alone essay topics for a take-home or in-class writing assignment. Students should have a full understanding of the text in order to answer these questions. They ask for a thorough analysis of the text.

1. Punishment, especially the punishment of children, is a common image in Ake. Cite three examples of punishment in the text. How is punished viewed, by both the punisher and the punished? Is it an effective deterrent to mischief?

2. Describe the religious beliefs Wole grew up around. How much was borrowed from tribal beliefs, and how much from Christianity? Cite three examples of religious beliefs in the text, and explain them in the context of the overall mix of beliefs in Egbaland.

3. Describe the tone Wole Soyinka uses throughout Ake. What is his attitude...
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