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In The Voter by Chinua Achebe we have the theme of corruption, loyalty, guilt, power, greed and tradition. Taken from his Girls at War and Other Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Achebe may be exploring the theme of corruption. As a politician Marcus has made sure that his life has improved in comparison to those who live in Umuofia. He has built himself a new home with running water yet his constituents don’t have the same access to water as Marcus does. Though it is not explicitly stated that Marcus has inappropriately obtained his property the fact that he has ready and easy access to large amounts of money suggests that he may be corrupt. Also Roof on Marcus’ instructions bribes some of the local elders in order to ensure that they will vote for Marcus. At no stage in the story does Roof advise the elders as to why they should vote for Marcus or what benefit electing Marcus will be to the community. The reality being that Roof is bribing the elders in order to ensure that they vote for Marcus regardless of what Marcus might and might not do for those in the village. Roof’s main concern is not the elders or those in the community but Marcus himself. There also seems to be no thought given by the elders as to what the consequences of their actions (voting for Marcus) might be. Just as Marcus and Roof are corrupt so too are the local elders who are more concerned with receiving payment for their vote than they are on improving life in the village.
It may also be a case that Achebe is exploring the theme of loyalty. Not only do the elders accept a bribe in return for their loyalty to Marcus but Roof too accepts a bribe to ensure that he will vote for Maduka. Even though he spends the entirety of the story attempting to ensure that Marcus will get re-elected Roof at the end shows Marcus no loyalty. Having being swayed by the five pounds he has received in order to vote for Maduka. Which in many ways is ironic as there is a sense that even though Roof is working for Marcus he cannot be trusted by Marcus. It is also possible that Achebe is placing a spotlight on the way that elections were held in Nigeria at the time the story was written. With the possibility that corruption was commonplace. By bribing the elders of a village a politician was able to ensure that they got elected. Where many would expect an individual to be allowed to independently decide on who they should vote for this is not the case in the story. With constituents being instructed by the elders on which way to vote.
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It may also be a case that Achebe is exploring the theme of loyalty. Not only do the elders accept a bribe in return for their loyalty to Marcus but Roof too accepts a bribe to ensure that he will vote for Maduka. Even though he spends the entirety of the story attempting to ensure that Marcus will get re-elected Roof at the end shows Marcus no loyalty. Having being swayed by the five pounds he has received in order to vote for Maduka. Which in many ways is ironic as there is a sense that even though Roof is working for Marcus he cannot be trusted by Marcus. It is also possible that Achebe is placing a spotlight on the way that elections were held in Nigeria at the time the story was written. With the possibility that corruption was commonplace. By bribing the elders of a village a politician was able to ensure that they got elected. Where many would expect an individual to be allowed to independently decide on who they should vote for this is not the case in the story. With constituents being instructed by the elders on which way to vote.