There have been many controversies about marriage and its traditions. Our world is changing and people are learning about different cultures and freedoms. Many cultures have arranged marriages but nowadays marriage is becoming more of the individual's choice in whom they marry. This change in tradition causes many conflicts within the family as well as the culture group and raises questions of tradition and independence. A great example of marriage and its meaning to different people is the story by Chinua Achebe, "Marriage is a Private Affair."" Every person has a different outlook on marriage. To some it's a choice, but to others it's a tradition. .
Nnaemeka grew up where tradition played a very important role in the way of life, because of this reason it was taken for granted that he would do as his people did in the past. His father expected him to follow the traditional rules of living. But when Nnaemeka got older he moved to a city and into a completely different culture. Leaving his home town he still knew what was expected of him but he disregarded those feelings. He knew that choosing a bride for him was the job of his father and yet he got engaged all on his own. What was even worse was that the girl wasn't even from the same culture as he was. She wasn't an Ibo. Nnaemeka knew what he was getting himself into, and yet he kept it from both his father and his fiancé. He knew his father wouldn't understand what he felt towards Nene, and he also knew Nene wouldn't understand his father's traditional thinking. Nnaemeka should have explained that part of his life to Nene when they were beginning to get serious but perhaps he didn't think he wanted to marry her then. Some people don't have to worry about tradition, like Nene. She is living her own independent life without worries of satisfying someone else. To her marriage is a beautiful thing no matter who you marry as long as you love that person.