Essay on Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

In Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo, the protagonist, represents the manly ideal in a native African society of the Igbo that puts great value on masculinity. He prides himself on the fact that he became a well-respected member of the community with little help from others. However, he is not without flaws. When European powers begin colonizing Africa, Okonkwo finds his way of life disrupted. His greatest challenge becomes accepting the beliefs of others and relating to the majority. Okonkwo resists change, trying to hold onto the old way of life. In Things Falls Apart, Okonkwo proves himself to be a notorious anti-hero as he struggles with his own self-image, rules his household with fear, and

Throughout “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe, aspects of Igbo culture are presented to the reader in order for them to obtain a grasp on how people from a part of Africa live. For the majority of Part I, different sides of Igbo culture are relayed to the reader predominantly through the 3rd person, as well as through the perspective of Okonkwo, in order to gain the understanding that these people do indeed, have a rich, intricate, and sophisticated way of life. However, things turn for the worse and in Parts II and III, where Achebe recreates the conflict between European and Igbo cultures at the turn of the twentieth century by focusing on the cataclysmic changes introduced by the forces of Christianity and colonialism, and how they destroyed the strong foundation of the once proud Igbo people.

The character of Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart was driven by fear, a fear of change and losing his self-worth. He needed the village of Umuofia, his home, to remain untouched by time and progress because its system and structure were the measures by which he assigned worth and meaning in his own life. Okonkwo required this external order because of his childhood and a strained relationship with his father, which was also the root of his fears and subsequent drive for success. When the structure of Umuofia changed, as happens in society, Okonkwo was unable to adapt his methods of self-evaluation and ways of functioning in the world; the life he was determined to live could not survive a new environment and collapsed around

For two days after Ikemefuna died, Okonkwo did not eat. He was uneasy about killing the boy, but he tried to ignore his guilt because it wouldn't be manly to do otherwise. Okonkwo is still very determined to keep his status in his village and does very hard not to show his emotions.

Okonkwo had a lot of flaws. He was stuck on having a good reputation and raising the best family he could. He feared for his children to become like his father and his wives to become lazy. He got mad frequently and took it out on his family if they did anything wrong. But one of his flaws were involved with the killing of his adopted son Ikemefuna. A group of elders had gone with Okonkwo and Ikemefuna to a forest, where one of them swung their machete at the poor boy and destroyed. Ikemefuna ran to Okonkwo for help, but “dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down” (61). The man was afraid of being thought of as weak. Then again, he had always had a tough image around others. Of course, accidents happened quite a lot for Okonkwo because he accidentally killed a higher up in the village during Ezeudu’s funeral and “he could not return to the clan after seven years” (124). He had to start all over with his family and return to his motherland. Life was never fun for Okonkwo. Hard work and strict punishment was basically what he was known for. So when Okonkwo and men from Umuofia went to visit the District Commissioner, they were taken as prisoners and whipped along with being shaven until a certain price was paid. Once they were released and they went home, people in the village were accepting until “nobody else spoke but they noticed the long stripes on Okonkwo’s

At the beginning of the book, Okonkwo had very violent, angry interactions with others, which goes along with his behavior and personality. An example from the text to support this claim is, “Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut [Ikemefuna] down. He was afraid of being thought as weak” (61). This quote is very significant because it shows the violent actions associated with Okonkwo and others around him. Ikemefuna was a young boy that lived with Okonkwo for three years; however, he was a captive from another clan. The elders in Umuofia then decided to have him killed, and Okonkwo did the finishing blow. All of this violence and anger surrounding Okonkwo is most likely why he has so many violent and hate-filled interactions with others. However, Okonkwo doesn’t always have these kinds of interactions because toward the end of the novel, he starts to have more personable and pleasant interactions with others. An example to show this change within Okonkwo is when he throws a feast for his mother’s kinsmen. He throws them the feast because they helped him build his life back up after he was exiled from Umuofia for accidentally killing a teenager. The whole interaction between these two parties is very essential to the character development of Okonkwo because it shows him wanting

Chinua Achebe’s novel “Things Fall Apart” chronicles the life of Okonkwo, a strong man whose existence is dominated by fear and anger, and the Ibo tribe, a people deeply rooted in cultural belief and tradition. As events unfold, Okonkwo’s carefully constructed world and the Ibo way of life collapses. The story of Okonkwo’s fall from a respected and feared leader of the Ibo tribe to an outcast who dies in disgrace dramatizes his inability to evolve beyond his personal beliefs, affecting the entire Ibo tribe beyond measure. The “things” that fall apart in Achebe’s novel are Okonkwo’s life – his ambition, dreams, family unity and material wealth – and the Ibo way of life – their beliefs, culture and values.

In the book, Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe presents the main character, Okonkwo, to us as a tragic hero. We watch Okonkwo progress through the book, and observe as his tragic flaw leads to his ultimate downfall. Obierika, Okonkwo’s best friend, always stands by Okonkwo and serves as Okonkwo’s voice of reason as they face the British colonization of their villages. The way Achebe presents these characters to helps shape the overall theme of the novel: the interpretations people have of one another’s culture can lead to their downfall when they clash. More specifically, the misinterpretations the Igbo tribe had of British intentions led to their downfall when the cultures clashed in Things Fall Apart.

In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe conflict is almost inevitable when two cultures come into contact. Okonkwo has a normal life as a male villager he has to grow his yams and live normal but when foreigners show up conflict occurs. This is shown in the book by showing the villagers saying to the white men to build their church in the evil forest and the white men go on and do it. This attracts some of the villagers to this which leads to major conflict in the village and they start to attack each other by burning things and arresting each other. It does not have to lead to conflict right away but it does happen at some point hence the name Things Fall Apart when the Christians first arrive all is ok but later on it all breaks loose. By looking

For centuries, women have been and continue to be the quiet leaders and the backbone of our society. Although they are often times not in high positions of power they are powerful, and vital for society to function. In Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, it is clear that women are viewed as the weaker sex. Throughout the novel, women are treated as property, shown as weak, and are ruled by men. Okonkwo's greatest fears are failure and weakness. When he was a child he learned that, "… agbala was not only another name for woman, it could also mean a man who had taken no title" (Achebe, p.13). Although they are viewed as weak and powerless, when Okonkwo returns to his motherland, Uchendu explains to him that, "… when there is sorrow and bitterness

Additionally, we see Okonkwo's internal struggles driven by his fears becoming like his lazy father who dies with no titles and without honor, while attempting to achieve success. We also see how Okonkwo battles with himself after having killed Ikemefuna, who called him “father”, for fear of being thought weak. “ He did not sleep at night. He tried not to think about Ikemefuna, but the more he tried the more he thought about him (Achebe, 1959, p. 63). The reader is able to sympathize with Okonkwo while disagreeing with his

The classic African literary tale Things Fall Apart, written by Chinua Achebe, is a brilliant account of historical African culture and the destruction colonialism can cause upon such cultures. As the reader follows the narrative and complexity of the characters through the novel, a sense of pride, trust, and faith in history emerges. Yet, with the introduction of colonialism the characters must learn to embrace and adapt to a new culture and set of beliefs or face termination from society. The novel explores the troubles of African cultures and their adaptation to colonialism. As the novel progresses, one can also observe the influence of religion throughout history and how it has changed the face of many societies. Although many

Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, explores the complicated journey of the protagonist Okonkwo, an influential clan leader within the Nigerian village of Umuofia, and the struggles he encounters as a result of white colonist infiltration. Prior to the arrival of the colonist forces, Okonkwo is an individual that prides himself on his masculinity and success; living in direct contrast to his father Unoka, a rather lazy and cowardice man, as a result of a sense of shame he endures from his father’s pathetic life. As colonization progresses and advances into the civilization of Umuofia, particular aspects of Okonkwo’s character and belief system begin to alter and transition away from those aspects present before the colonists’ occupancy. Okonkwo, the central figure and model warrior of Umuofia, affirmed by his masculine-persona, actions, agricultural prosperity and unrivaled ability to provide for his three wives and children, symbolizes the village as a whole as he lives out the values that embody this unique society. The impact that the European colonists’ have on Okonkwo, in addition to the entire community, effect and essentially deteriorate the tradition of the culture, the values and ideals in addition to the sense of unity that once held all members of this Nigerian village together. Chinua Achebe’s choice of the title, Things Fall Apart, is a representation of the dismantling effects that imperialism and colonization have on the indigenous population and native

Thing Fall Apart, first published in 1958, is Chinua Achebe’s first and most acclaimed novel. Achebe illustrates an approving rendering of Nigerian and African tribal life prior to and subsequent to colonialism. Achebe presents various aspects of a native African community, including war, women mistreatment, violence and conflict, while maintaining a balance in social coherence, customs and tradition. Achebe portrays a clash of cultures and violent transitions in life. The novel encompasses values introduced by British colonialism and integrates aspects of western literature with Igbo proverbs, words, allegories, phrases and other African literature essentials. Achebe asserts and maintains African oral traditions and challenges the colonialist language and culture. Through the protagonist, Okonkwo, Achebe portrays encounters of a society marked by emergence of a new tradition associated with Christianity and colonialism. Achebe depicts African traditions, characters and roles of African men among other elements of African life. It is apparent that, in Things Fall Apart, Achebe is influenced by the surrounding circumstances, time and place, as evidenced by the portrayal of some inherent elements that affected the local society such as culture, colonialism, and female gender.

In the novel, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the setting sets forth in Umofia, a lower Nigerian Tribe and Mbanta, Okonkwo’s mother’s kinsmen. The novel begins with a man, whose name is Okonkwo, a noble warrior, resides in Umofia, with his three wives and nine children. Okonkwo is haunted by his father, Unoka’s disgraceful past. Okonkwo desires his son to be a tough, powerful warrior. Thus, this being said causes havoc upon Okonkwo’s families, tearing Nwoye and Okonkwo apart. Meanwhile, missionaries visit the nine villages convincing the villagers to believe their religion and abandon their own beliefs and traditions. After many events occurred, the novel comes to an abrupt end with tragedy and uncertainty. The marvelous author,