In the Shadow of War (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Ben Okri
- First Published: 1988
- Type of Plot: Magical Realism, postcolonial, fantasy
- Time of Work: Between 1967 and 1970
- Setting: A Nigerian village
- Principal Characters: Omovo, His father, A woman, Three Soldiers
- Genres: Short fiction
- Subjects: 1960’s, 1970’s, Africa or Africans, Blacks, Twentieth century, Villages, Reality, Fear, War, Fantasy, Soldiers, Radio or radio broadcasting, Boys, Civil wars, Nigeria or Nigerians, Eclipses
- Locales: Nigeria
The Story
“In the Shadow of War” is told from the perspective of a young boy, Omovo, who takes a short trip from the sleepy innocent boredom of his sunny village into the dark shadowy forest, where he experiences the terrors of war. In this story, as in much of Ben Okri's fiction, the world of reality and fantasy merge seamlessly.
The story begins one hot afternoon in an unnamed Nigerian village. Omovo, a boy of about eleven, waits for his father to go to work. Only the radio, with its announcements of war and an impending eclipse of the Moon, intrudes on their...
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See Also:
See Also:
- - In the Shadow of War summary and study guide in the eNotes.
- Add In the Shadow of War to your favorites