Grade 12 Vultures by Chinua Achebe

In the greyness and drizzle of one despondent dawn unstirred by harbingers of sunbreak a vulture perching high on broken bone of a dead tree nestled close to his mate his smooth bashed-in head, a pebble on a stem rooted in a dump of gross feathers, inclined affectionately to hers. Yesterday they picked the eyes of a swollen corpse in a water-logged trench and ate the things in its bowel. Full gorged they chose their roost keeping the hollowed remnant in easy range of cold telescopic eyes ... Strange indeed how love in other ways so particular will pick a corner in that charnel-house tidy it and coil up there, perhaps even fall asleep - her face turned to the wall! ...Thus the Commandant at Belsen Camp going home for the day with fumes of human roast clinging rebelliously to his hairy nostrils will stop at the wayside sweet-shop and pick up a chocolate for his tender offspring waiting at home for Daddy's return ... Praise bounteous providence if you will that grants even an ogre a tiny glow-worm tenderness encapsulated in icy caverns of a cruel heart or else despair for in every germ of that kindred love is lodged the perpetuity of evil.

The Nigerian Man who wrote Vultures:

Chinua Achebe

Why did Chinua Achebe write this poem

He writes this poem, questioning humanity, how could humans be so cruel to each other?
Good and Evil
Theme: The duality of human nature

Inspiration: The juxtaposition of love and evilImagery: Vultures symbolize decay and survival

Historical Context: Post-colonial African experience

Tone: Dark and contemplative

Purpose: To explore moral ambiguity

Symbolism: Vultures represent both death and nurturing

Personal Experience: Influenced by Achebe's own life and observations

Literary Style: Use of vivid imagery and stark contrasts

Theme of Duality of Human nature

Commandent Belsen, is evil, however there is capacity for love.
Raises the argument, should we rejoice that there is love in evil, or despair that there is evil within love?

Diction in this poem

The words he uses evokes an emotional response. ‘‘Cold, hallowed remnant, telescopic corpse’’
Violent imagery created from the diction

Charnel House

Death house