Chinua Achebe 's Things Fall Apart

Things Fall Apart is a literary novel written and published by Albert Chinualumogu Achebe, or Chinua Achebe, in the 1959. Chinua was born on November 16, 1930 into a Nigerian village named Ogidi. Things Fall Apart is based in Nigeria around the year 1890. The book addresses topics including, “Nigeria’s white colonial government and the traditional culture of the indigenous Igbo people” (SparkNotes Editors). The book also contains several controversial topics involving, Christian missionaries being labeled, “foolish”, the subject matter of death and suicide, and the physical and verbal abuse that the women received. Chinua well portrays the “macho” and chiefly attitude of the African men in the Ibo society. But the question is, how exactly are women treated within the society? The well respected Okonkwo is a prime example on exactly how men treated women during this time period.

In Chinua Achebe 's novel Things Fall Apart, a well-known aphorism, "pride goes before a fall", was used. I agreed with and supported this statement. The story line itself backed up this statement as well. Through Okonkwo 's hard work he became a "great man" with a sense of pride and haughtiness, who then suffered a loss of pride, which ultimately led to his down fall and his own suicide.

What would you do if Christianity came and took over your world? In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, describes a man who was affected by Christianity which not only destroyed him but also his family and his tribe. Okonkwo is the main character who faces the demise of his world when the missionaries came in and took over his world. Okonkwo is a very independent, impatient African leader and is affected by Christianity, impacting the way he is accepted back into Umofia or the way he lives. Achebe 's description of life in the village after colonization, helps to create a setting that condemns colonization. In the Caryl Phillips interview, Achebe believes that “Conrad is for the colonizing mission, and he concedes that the novel, in part,

In the story Things Fall Apart the author, Chinua Achebe, uses the character Okonkwo to show that a man’s hubris can one day lead to a terrible fate. Achebe does this by having the main character Okonkwo struggle with keeping his life together. As Victor Uchendu talks about life in The Igbo World “is an equilibrium that is constantly threatened, and sometimes actually disturbed by natural and social calamities”(Uchendu 227). In the beginning of the story Okonkwo starts off as the strongest character when he defeats “Amalinize the Cat” (Achebe 3). This shows the reader that Okonkwo is the strongest and is determined to stay the strongest. Achebe uses certain events later in the story to foreshadow that Okonkwo will soon meet a terrible fate by having him kill Ikemefuna, by having him get kicked out of his village, by having the British change his son, and by displaying his rage and despair at the end of the story.

In Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, the characters Ikemefuna and Obierika are used as “foil characters,” and reveal pertinent traits of Okonkwo’s true nature. The traits of Ikemefuna and Obierika contrast the traits Okonkwo, and allow the reader greater insight into Okonkwo’s fear of emasculation and his trepidation for the transformation of Igbo culture. Both Obierika and Ikemefuna accentuate the abhorrence Okonkwo has for becoming epicene and opprobrious like his father. Obierika also is skeptical of the Igbo culture in that he questions aspects of Igbo traditions and rituals, for he feels a certain degree of change may benefit their society. Furthermore, Ikemefuna’s character also reveals not only Okonkwo’s fear of emasculation, but

In Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo’s “whole life was dominated by his fear, the fear of failure and of weakness” (page 13). Achebe showed Okonkwo’s struggle with fear and strength throughout the novel. He was a great wrestler and warrior, and a great farmer of yams in Umofia. He was a hardworking and motivated man, unlike his father, who Okonkwo thought was lazy. Although the tribe viewed him as a strong and powerful leader, he struggled with inner fear. His life was dominated by fear. He lived in fear of being considered weak, being a failure, and being like his father. Although Okonkwo struggles with inner fear, he is also portrayed as a character with strength because he makes a living, supports his family, and is successful in his job. Chinua Achebe is proposing that strength is being superior to others without having to be violent, having titles, and not allowing fear to stop you from what you want to do.

In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo, the protagonist, experiences change from the cultural collision caused by the introduction of Western ideas into the Igbo culture. Okonkwo is the personification of the Igbo cultural values and morals, he is a true warrior, hard-working man that raises a surplus of staple foods, and a holder of many Igbo cultural titles showing proof of his dedication and work. Okonkwo is also one of the Egwugwu, an elder of the village that acts as a host for a god during the Igbo clan’s cultural and judicial meetings. However, no matter how great Okonkwo was, he fell victim to the changes of Western culture as it infiltrated and destroyed his people.

Many people look at unique social groups in their own way. In the novel, “Things Fall Apart,” by Chinua Achebe, the men are seen as superior and powerful than anyone else. In the novel, it states that men have to meet a certain expectation to be seen as worthy and to be respected. On the other hand, women are represented by being less than the men in any situation. They are seen as objects and trophies for the rich powerful men. The word “women” is used as an insult to men that hold no titles. The importance of women being seen less than a man is that many cultures see this as normal and natural, because in this case the Igbo culture wants men to be respected more than the women.

Have you ever wondered why African cultures don’t affiliate with other cultures? This is because they don’t handle new cultural customs in the best way possible. The mixture of different cultures colliding in Africa causes a bowl full of drama and problems that rise because of it. The way they simply react doesn’t help either them or the other culture. In the book Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo is a masculine, abusive leader put down and went silent full of fear when missionaries of a different culture came, which tell us he was not able to adapt to the change in an efficient way.

Chinua Achebe’s first novel, “Things Fall Apart” takes place in Umuofia, Nigeria in the 19th century. Okonkwo, the protagonist, was a respected, strong leader of the Ibo clan providing for his three wives and their children. His father was a failure, making Okonkwo’s greatest fear being seen as a weak failure, but this also makes Okonkwo strive for success. “His whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness“ (2. 12). With his drive to succeed, Okonkwo managed to make many poor decisions resulting in unwanted consequences. Okonkwo is an exact representation of a western tragic hero in the novel, “Things Fall Apart.”

The African civilizations are often thought to be primitive, unsophisticated regions made up of barbaric and merciless people.  However, this notion is a common misconception that has been portrayed by the British to justify slavery.  The author of Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe, attempts to educate his readers by disproving the common perception of African civilizations and by initiating a process of re-storying.  He believes that the African side of the story has not been told and he must tell their story so Africans are no longer victims of other people’s accounts.  While some may believe that Achebe is ineffective in educating his readers about this fallacy, Achebe clearly shows that the Igbo had components of an advanced civilization.  After thoroughly reading and analyzing this novel, I certainly understand Achebe’s desire to portray the Igbo as civilized despite contrary British literature.  Three major elements, including an organized religion, centralized government, and complex system of communication are portrayed by the author to indicate the intricacy of the Igbo.  Chinua Achebe effectively educates his readers that the Igbo had components of an advanced civilization prior to British colonization rather than being a primitive, barbaric society.

One of the most interesting novels that a person in the contemporary society can read is the novel “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe, a prolific writer from West Africa, Nigeria. The novel remains to be an interesting read despite the fact that it was written in the year 1961. The novel is a narration that follows an Igbo tribe’s life during the time when colonization was washing all over Africa. The story is about Okonkwo who was determined to be prosperous and not end up a failure just like his father, but instead follow tradition and rise up the ranks within the tribe. However, Okonkwo’s desire to have a perfect life goes astray just like the novel portrays hence fate has it that he loses the traditions that he so much cherishes as his dear society falls apart (Bloom, 2009). The following is an expostulation of the novel and an in-depth analysis of the novel.

When outsiders encounter a culture unlike their own they tend to make misconceptions about that culture. The British see the Igbo culture as dark and gory. Achebe sees it as a fully functioning society. The Nigerian community may seem odd and not functional when in actuality it is functional. For a society to be functional, it must have a culture as well as properties of a civilization. The British judge it as dysfunctional, but this is irrelevant to whether the society truly is or isn’t functional. The Nigerian society fulfills many, if not all, of the properties of a functioning society. Despite the negative stereotyping of the Igbo culture by the British, Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart shows a fully functioning society.

For the duration of the novel, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the role of religion and tradition is a very important part of the characters lives. It decides how they live their life and decides their fate. Some of the customs that are practiced in this culture may not be accepted and are frowned upon by the western cultures. One example of this is that they think that in some cases a child should be killed or that the spirits of the dead must be appeased. Thinking this could create a consequence with the white men. They feel the need to “save” the natives from themselves.

In 1958, Chinua Achebe a famous Nigerian author publishes one of his most famous novels Things Fall Apart. The novel takes place in a Nigerian village called Umuofia. During the time that this novel is published Nigeria is being criticized by the Europeans for being uncivilized. In response, Achebe uses his brilliance in this novel to express the valued history of his people to his audience. His focus in the novel is on the pre-colonized people of the Igbo tribe and their tribal leader Okonkwo. Achebe discuses early in the novel that the tribe is outlined by many rituals and values that they follow religiously. However, when the well-respected leader Okonkwo mistakenly