How does Achebe respond to the argument that narrator not reflect attitudes?

Chinua Achebe, in his essay "The African Writer and the English Language," addresses the argument that the narrator in his novel "Things Fall Apart" does not reflect the attitudes of the Igbo people. Achebe argues that the narrator's perspective is a product of the colonial context in which the novel was written and that it reflects the complex and often contradictory ways in which Igbo culture was perceived and understood by both colonizers and colonized.

Achebe begins by acknowledging that the narrator in "Things Fall Apart" is not a neutral observer. He is a product of his time and his experiences, and his perspective is shaped by the dominant ideologies of the colonial era. However, Achebe argues that this does not mean that the narrator's perspective is not valid or that it does not reflect the attitudes of the Igbo people.

Achebe points out that the narrator is not the only voice in the novel. He is one of many characters who express different perspectives on Igbo culture and society. Achebe also notes that the narrator's perspective is constantly being challenged and interrogated by other characters, and that the reader is ultimately left to decide for themselves what to believe.

Achebe concludes by arguing that the narrator's perspective is a valuable tool for understanding the complex and often contradictory ways in which Igbo culture was perceived and understood during the colonial era. He argues that the narrator's perspective is not a reflection of his personal biases, but rather a reflection of the broader social and historical context in which the novel was written.