Chinua Achebe 's Things Fall Apart

In different cultures people are commonly told to stick with whatever your people have said. Since, people like to stick with familiar surroundings to feel safe, but in the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Nwoye ,one of his characters, changes the way things are viewed with leaving your culture. Nwoye is viewed as a girl throughout the novel, he is “emotional”. The Ibo culture tells him his ways are wrong and that he should act more like a man. The one person that tells him the most is Okonkwo, his father, which at the end kills himself in a “womanish” manner. Nwoye changes the plot in different ways. He changes himself by leaving his culture behind and following a new culture that accepts him.

The first Purpose of why Achebe wrote “Things Fall Apart”, because he wanted americans to learn the value of the igbo to non igbo people. He is trying to show good characteristics of the Igbo’s in the book like the character Obierika who is a respected man that was able to stand out to the igbo society and spread the word about the British missionaries had come and taking over their land. Outsiders think that the Igbo people are uncivilized and savages, which they aren’t because they are value. Even though the outsiders think that they are savages and not civilized people, that Igbo’s are able to show their true values, like Okonkwo, who is known as a well-respected member in the umuofia clan who shows the ability to support oneself and his family, respect traditions and laws and taking on new experiences in his tribe.

Chinua Achebe 's Things Fall Apart portrays Africa, especially the Igbo society, during the pre- and post-European imperial era. This novel is about the tragic fall of Okonkwo, the protagonist, and the Igbo culture. Okonkwo is a strong and highly respected leader in the Igbo community of Umuofia. Things Fall Apart examines the demolition of African culture by the appearance of the white man in terms of the destruction of the connections between individuals and their society. Achebe also explains the role of women in this pre-colonial Nigerian community. The position of women in the novel is not respected or honored because they are not treated equally to men; they are overlooked, beat, and oppressed.

The world is full of cultural collisions. Every day people meet other with different worldviews. This concept of cultural collision, is shown perfectly though Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. In the story it is the cultural collision, of the introduction of Western Ideas into the ibo society, that causes Achebe’s characters to grow and change. One character in particular is forced to reevaluate his sense of identity because of the cultural collision. This is the character of Okonkwo. The collision challenges Okonkwo’s sense of self, as a religious leader or an Egwugwu, as a leader of his people, and as a man. It is Okonkwo’s response to these challenges, that shapes the meaning of the book of that as your world changes so must you or you

Chinua Achebe shows the reader the change of Africa as seen by the main character of the novel, Okonkwo. Okonkwo has the hardship of living in an ever-changing society. It is thru Okonkwo that the reader is able to visualize a society of immense cultural standing, and not as European colonizers would say, a society of savages. The main theme of culture is present in all areas of the novel, which helps to show to the reader all of its underlying themes, themes of tradition and themes of religion. Achebe sees the themes of culture, tradition, and religion in one bright light and European colonizers see those same themes in a totally different, somewhat snobbish dim light. However these themes are viewed, one thing is certain, change is on the horizon.

Nwoye’s betrayal in the novel is the same level of betrayal that Achebe is condemned with in his lifetime. African literary theorists who vie for the purity of African literature for African languages defy Achebe as a European traitor, writing his stories with his back turned to his native homeland. Yet this thesis argues for a reevaluation of that criticism. Achebe does not in fact deny his beliefs, his country, or his heritage. He rather aligns himself in a tragically ironic way with the hero of Things Fall Apart. Achebe writes his own struggle with colonialism into the life and death of Okonkwo. It is interesting to note that Achebe’s father was in many ways very similar to Nwoye. His father, Isaiah Achebe, was orphaned early in life and spent most of his childhood with his uncle, Udoh. Udoh was a man of the land; he prided himself on tradition and leadership. Chinua writes in his essay, “My Dad and Me,” that the differences between Isaiah and Udoh were seen early through the eyes of Chinua, a questioning child who was placed in the middle

Through the perspectives of these two characters Achebe is able to create an African perspective of the loss of a distinct African culture as it is replaced by the adaptation to westernized culture and religion. Achebe skillfully establishes a heart wrenching novel that perfectly describes colonization of foreign soils. Achebe's artfully created novel conveys that as a society, we must wisely evaluate our choices to adapt as long as it positively shapes our

Chinua Achebe has made the book come full circle with the use of Nwoye becoming like both his grandfather and his father, in the sense that Okonkwo hated his father and now Nwoye hates his father. For a couple generations, the son in this family, has set his goals to be different than how their father was but in the end they become more similar to each other. Achebe also uses Nwoye to convey the death of an old civilization in response to a new one. Nwoye represents a new culture that has cast away parts of the old traditions and combined it with a new culture. The culture in Nigeria today is best shown by Nwoye adapting to the British ways and it shows that the Ibo culture is slowly fading in order to make room for a new

Achebe introduces Okonkwo as a strong and humbled leader of the Igbo clan, but his own power destroys him. In the novel, “Okonkwo was well-known throughout the nine villages and even beyond” (Achebe 1) and his popularity increases his fear of being viewed as weak, which is one of his tragic flaws that drives him to his own downfall. Achebe adds that Okonkwo’s “fame rested on solid personal achievements”(3) and he had no help from a parent figure to get a start in his road to fame, this leads to the start of his hate against his dad. Finally,

Have you ever worked so hard in your life, that you became successful after all the hard work was done, but during that successful time came the trials and tribulations. Trying to take care of different responsibilities. Well in Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe Okonkwo says” you stay at home and offer sacrifices to a reluctant soil, Go home and work like a man. Chinua achebe shows that you may have good times and being successful in life, but there was also hard work involved. Hard Work always pays off in the end no matter how it’s done. When it comes Okonkwo always wanted to be better than his dad Unoka. He will try and make it through the trials and tribulations.

Another form of political resistance is through the characters in Achebe’s Things fall Apart. The character’s use their bodies and morals to rise against oppression. What the characters do is isolate difference or let, “Umuofia…decided to kill him… [in fear] of being thought weak” (Achebe, 1986, pp. 40-43). Through the physical act of death the end is inevitable and while the Africans decide to act upon it, the colonization is what refrains the movement of the town. There is a clash of cultural conflict because of the way societies deal with political situations. Resulting in separation in Okonkwo’s morals, especially when, “All was silent… Okonkwo’s gun had exploded and a piece pf iron… [In] the…heart… [Forced] to flee.” (Achebe, 1986,

The novel goes in to details that recreate the social, cultural, and religious Igbo life. The novel portrays conflicts and tensions within the Igbo society and it introduces the colonial rule and Christianity. The book is broken down into three parts. The first part portrays life before the colonial Igbo land. The second part talks about the arrival of Europeans and the beginning of Christianity. The third part tells the beginning of the colonial control in eastern Nigeria. Okonkwo is the main character, he is talented but deals with the struggle of Igbo who struggles to achieve success in the traditional

Throughout most of the novel, he writes in a perspective from inside the clan of Umuofia, and describes the customs and traditions of the Igbo in detail. Achebe introduces the role of the Umuofian town crier by describing, “Okonkwo had just blown out the palm-oil lamp and stretched himself on his bamboo bed when he heard the ogene of the town crier piercing the still night air. Gome, gome gome, gome, boomed the hollow metal. Then the crier gave his message, and at the end of it beat his instrument again” (21). Rather than explaining Igbo culture in an informative tone or introducing any of his own opinions or judgment, he simply allows it to be assumed that one traditionally uses the ogene drum to convey messages from distant villages. His integration of Igbo culture in this fashion establishes an alternate perspective to the usual portrayal of Nigerians, while still keeping an objective tone. By telling everything exactly how it is, Achebe not only maintains historical accuracy, but also presents the dualities of Igbo culture. He shows both the good and bad aspects in equal amounts throughout the story. He depicts courage, nobility, humanity, and complexity within his characters and their lives, while still including the cruelty of some Igbo customs, such as the beating of women, the murdering of children, and the treatment of the sick. Achebe

Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, is a tragic story about the rise and fall of Okonkwo. The story takes place in Umuofia, a cluster of villages in Niger during the 1890’s. the Umuofians are known for being a notorious war clan with many members, advanced social institutions, and phenomenal traditions. Chinua Achebe educated his readers throughout the novel by capitalizing on historical importance’s in Nigerian history, like when the Europeans invaded Niger as well as basic history about African culture

The novel "Things Fall Apart" examines African culture before the colonial infiltration. Achebe's novel forces us to examine the customs and traditions that make up an informal culture. At times we may find some their practices appalling, but Achebe makes us realize that the traditions and customs are what essentially hold the Ibo together. Achebe wrote 'Things Fall Apart" with the intention of changing the common view of African culture. He wrote the novel from an insider's perspective, revealing that African culture was not solely based on barbaric and mindless rituals. Achebe reveals the affects of the colonial infiltration on African societies. Through his