Despite the recent devastation of the Biafran War, Jonathan exhibits a happy tone in the face of death.
"[1] and then continues to explain that he had enough time left in the day to forage for materials "... before thousands more came out of their forest holes looking for the same things,"[1] further emphasizing his optimism and its benefits.
Later in the story, Jonathan opens a bar, creating new employment as opposed to dwelling in the fact that his former job, mining coal, is no longer an option.
[2] A leading novelist at the time, Chinua Achebe was a pioneer in post-war Igbo literary activities.
Achebe maintained[3] It is clear to me that an African creative writer who tries to avoid the big social and political issues of contemporary Africa will end up being completely irrelevant --- like the absurd man in the proverb who leaves his burning house to pursue a rat fleeing from the flames.Achebe does not hide the fact that the Biafran situation has affected his creativity in no small way.