Corruption as a Consequence of Colonialism - as portrayed in Achebe’s The African Trilogy

The novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe discusses the rise of an Igbo chieftain who came from great poverty to power and the eventual loss of Igbo traditions, rites, and the influence of his clan through his eyes due to western imperialism and colonialism. The intended audience for this novel is very broad, but if we tried to define it would primarily be people who have not experienced the Igbo culture and westerners or people who speak English. In this essay I will be focusing on the last six chapters: chapters 20 to 25. These chapters highlight the loss of power and customs of the Igbo people who have succumb to colonial rule. I fell Achebe is rhetorically effective and

Throughout the course of the book Achebe frequently uses African worlds and phrases to describe and show the different aspect of Igbo culture. The familiarity in, which the narrative focuses on the African language creates a sense of authenticity to the writing. What is unique about the narrative tone found within the book is that not only does the author frequently insert the african language within the diction, but the way he translates or explains the words in plain english so the readers who are unfamiliar with the language can still follow, for example: “ ‘Agbala do-o-o-o! Umuachi! Agbala ekene unuo-o-ol’ It was just as Ekwefi had thought. The

In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, it is shown that the African people had their own complex culture before the Europeans decided to "pacify" them. The idea that the dignity of these people has been greatly compromised is acknowledged in the essay "The Role of the Writer," which is explanatory of Achebe's novels. A writer trying to capture the truth of a situation that his readers may know little or nothing about needs a sense of history in order to appropriately address the topic. It is not enough "to beat" another writer to the issue. Writers should make the attempt to express a deeper understanding. Without proper mental investment in a written work, the

Chinua Achebe once said, "the world is like a mask dancing...if you want to see it well, you do not stand in one place," (Goodreads). Renowned for his novel Things Fall Apart, in which he responds to the stereotypes of the British who conquered the continent of Africa in the era of New Imperialism, Achebe explores Igbo culture through many aspects of daily village life. Contradicting the racism employed by whites in the 1890s in order to justify slavery in earlier history, Things Fall Apart offers a new fresh perspective into the lives of ordinary villagers of the Igbo tribe in Nigeria, before they are taken over by the British. Just as the whites in Europe, the tribe applies their own religion, customs, beliefs, and language to their lives. Through this lens the reader is able to extract a deeper meaning of the powerful message Achebe communicates by penning the famous novel.

“He  has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart” (152).

Chinua Achebe was educated in the West, though he hails from an African tribe. His exposure to both African and Western thinking gives him a unique perspective on the colonization of Africa, which is argued to be barbaric by some, but beneficial and necessary by others. In “Things Fall Apart,” Achebe perspective comes through as he masterfully describes a pre-colonization African tribe, and how colonization percolated through it. His authentic accounts of the positives and negatives of both tribal society and colonization leave the reader to answer the question of whether imperialism was morally justifiable or not.

Preconceived ideas about one’s culture often arises from stereotypes passed down from generation to generation. It is those stereotypes which shape one’s way of thinking, without being educated properly. In the novel Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, misunderstood culture is what drives the story of a small African clan called the Umuofia and the life story of Okonkwo, a fearless warrior and farmer. An in-depth look into pre-colonial African culture helps the reader discover and understand an unbiased point of view of a world one may not understand. In doing so, Achebe uses imagery as well as strong narration to describe the cultural norms and activities that the Nigerian tribe undergoes in everyday life. Through this he offers a nonbiased point of view, and communicates and accurate picture of pre-colonial African culture to a western reader.

“That is what he calls himself, we are unsure if he was here before the order or if he was brought into being because

They needed something that stood out. The government that set the rules and the laws that they follow and the root that they stand on. The white men needed to change the way the Igbo society were running the land. They need to make a change to the society by the way they are going to rule. “But apart from the church, the white men had also brought government. They had built a court where the District Commissioner judged cases in ignorance” ( Achebe 174) The District Commissioners were the ones that judges the cases, unlike Igbo government the elders took control. While the British made their decisions with ignorance they were more strict, more harsh similar like the Igbo. Making decisions in land that wasn't theirs was a way of making the Clan see that the British is taking control and getting what they came for they were not going to leave empty handed but to colonize the land and accustom it as theirs. Civilizing the Igbo society by shrinking it and making it theirs to rule as one whole society without division. In the other hand the Igbo kept working with their government they each other were being judged by one another.

Throughout the reign of the Missionaries, the Igbo religion became lost. Clan members no longer worships their sacred gods and goddesses. “To abandon the gods of one’s father and go about with a lot of effeminate men clucking like old hens was the very depth of abomination,” (153; pt.2, ch.17) Okonkwo says in regards to his fellow clansmen converting to Christianity. At first, many members of the clan did not notice the changes around them. They became oblivious to the missionaries and what they had brought with them, “the white men has not only brought a religion, but also a government.” (155; pt.2, ch. 8) The changes brought by the white men, occur slowly and cautiously, until it becomes too late for the clan members to react. Members of

The Igbo community is developed because they have fair ideology practice. For example, when Okonkwo shot his gun on accident and hit Ezeudu's son who’s father the clan was burying it says “The only course of action was to flee from

Sub-Saharan Africa’s colonial past has led to ethnic conflict, social problems, and economic problems during the present day. Let me start out saying that you can’t start a revolution without some kickback of the people’s opinions. The transition wasn't smoothly for the two countries I researched, The Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan. These two country's colonial leaders did not do a good job of setting up these countries. If they hadn’t set up the enslavement of the people living there, the nations might’ve been a little better off. Another event that led to the ethnic conflicts going on today was the leaders gave the people independence but it wasn't given fully, North Sudanese were

Society misrepresents Africa as disease ridden, uncivilized, overpopulated and poor. It is generalized as one united nation rather than fifty-four individual states, and is conceived as an inferior nation. European nations deployed a mission of colonization to bring the continent civilization. This paper interprets the link between British colonization of Sub-Saharan Africa and lasting economic problems evident today. The argument of British underdevelopment in Africa draws on studies collected on individual African states as well as the continent as whole, regarding economic growth statistics from before, during and post-colonization. Britain failed to develop African nations, leaving them plagued with social issues following independence. This paper expands on the link between Africa’s colonial roots and international intervention’s impact on contemporary Africa today. Britain’s lack of development, rooted in colonization, is to blame for Africa’s crumbling economy.

This paper reflects the novel “Things Fall Apart” written by Chinua Achebe in 1958. Achebe gives an overview of pre-colonialism and post-colonialism on Igbo, detailing how local traditions and cultural practices can “fall apart” in some scenarios through some introduced, externally created hassles elevated because of colonization. The protagonist named Okonkwo mentioned in the story is a proof showing the lifestyle of the tribe. My main objective and focus is to lay emphasis on Africa specifically the Igbo society, before and after the arrival of the Europeans in Umuofia community; the results of their arrival concerning Igbo culture, thus leading to the clash of cultures between the two categories. I will also draw on post-colonialism with respect to globalization.

The story of Africa is incredibly long and complex but what makes this history so interesting was Africa’s autonomy in creating it. For centuries Africans were left to their own devices and were able to flourish in several regions and time periods without any aid from foreign powers. That is, until colonialism entered the scene and drastically changed the course that Africa was on. No longer was Africa free to progress and develop according to the cultures and traditions that existed. Rather, hegemonic states used their political and economic power to employ colonialism, hijacking African history during the twentieth century. In order to evaluate the impact of colonialism and its dismantlement throughout the twentieth century, one must acknowledge the events that preceded this century. Despite the clear existence of several functioning states in Africa, colonial powers viewed the continent as inferior and in desperate need of intervention.