Anthills of the Savannah Essay Questions

What does the anthill symbolize?

The anthill in many ways mirrors the socioeconomic and political conditions of their fictitious nation; that is, the suffering multitude work in thankless, dangerous conditions in order to support a mere handful of individuals. In the novel, Chris sees the titular anthills on the parched savannah en route to Abazon. This sight spurs him to read Ikem’s poem and opens his mind to the harsh reality that many of the common folk must endure and live out.

Explain the allegory of the leopard and the tortoise, as well as its importance.

The tortoise knows that it will lose to the leopard, and still it makes the effort to "put up a fight," even if it is hopeless from the beginning and won't change the final outcome. The Chief of the Abazon delegation tells this story to say that even if their case may be hopeless in front of His Excellency, they still must fight and try.

The hopelessness of the attempt, as portrayed by the delegation itself, foreshadows increasingly erratic and poor governance by His Excellency. It also speaks to the extent of how bad the current scenario is. If a people can't depend on their government for assistance during a time of crisis, then when can they depend on their government? Furthermore, if support disappears when a region refuses to go along with everything the ruler says, then was there ever really support?

What is the significance of the naming ceremony at the end of the novel?

The novel ends with a heartbroken Beatrice holding a naming ceremony for Iken and Elewa’s daughter. This is particularly significant as the ceremony is traditionally only done by men; regardless, Beatrice carries out the ritual and gives the child the name “Amaechina.” This act again is full of meaning and impact as the name is a traditionally masculine name that means "may the path never close." This act is done in defiance of traditions symbolizing a departure from old norms that Beatrice finds stifling as well as symbolizing hope for a brighter, better, more peaceful future for the child.

Evaluate Chris' claim in the following quote: "Nations were fostered as much by structures as by laws and revolutions. These structures where they exist now are the pride of their nations. But everyone forgets that they were not erected by democratically-elected Prime Ministers but very frequently by rather unattractive, bloodthirsty medieval tyrants. The cathedrals of Europe, the Taj Mahal of India, the pyramids of Egypt and the stone towers of Zimbabwe were all raised on the backs of serfs, starving peasants and slaves. Our present rulers in Africa are in every sense late-flowering medieval monarchs, even the Marxists among them. Do you remember Mazrui calling Nkrumah a Stalinist Czar? Perhaps our leaders have to be that way. Perhaps they may even need to be that way" (79). Do you agree or disagree?

The answer should evaluate whether or not the reader thinks that structures make a country great. Can change only be made through authoritarian rule? The answer should weigh the pros and cons of accomplishing things rapidly at the tradeoff of public participation. Are you results or process oriented? There is no correct answer, but the answer should weigh the pros and cons of each approach.

What does Ikem mean when he says the following about oppression to Beatrice: "the nature of oppression—how flexible it must learn to be, how many faces it must learn to wear if it is to succeed again and again" (101).

Ikem says this to Beatrice after he tells her that she was right to question his feminism and the ways in which he thought of women's roles in society. While he thought of himself as an advocate for women because he was respectful, he is coming to terms with the fact that there are many ways in which actions can lead to oppression or subjugation of women. Oppression is powerful because it can exist in many forms—it is flexible and looks like many different things, making it hard to name and change. His form of oppression looks different than that of a man who hits his wife, but Ikem's version may be more pervasive because it more often goes unnoticed. This quote from him is part of his awakening to his role in the problem.