Religion In All Things Fall Apart

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

A form of order and stability are essential for the continued existence of any society. Order and stability are often maintained through religious traditions and societal expectations. Conflicting ideologies however, can lead to a society’s stability being jeopardised. Chinua Achebe’s 1958 novel ‘Things Fall Apart’ explores the concept of societal stability in reference to the West African Ibo society. Through the use of omniscient narration, characterisation, juxtaposition and novel structure, he examines how order can be achieved through religion and societal expectations, and how instability can arise from conflicting ideologies.

Chinua Achebe’s, Things Fall Apart, is a story of a traditional village in Nigeria from inside Umuofia around the late 1800s. This novel depicts late African history and shows how the British administrative structure, in the form of the European Anglican Church, imposed its religion and trappings on the cultures of Africa, which they believed was uncivilized. This missionary zeal subjugated large native populations. Consequently, the native traditions gradually disappeared and in time the whole local social structure within which the indigenous people had lived successfully for centuries was destroyed. Achebe spends the first half of the novel depicting the Ibo culture, by

In a society, religion is supposed to unite people that share a common belief and create peace, but in Umuofia and the other villages in Nigeria, it tears everyone and everything apart. In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the Igbo religion was dominant in Umuofia prior to the Christian missionaries arrival. Everyone followed its teachings, despite how they made them feel. The villagers did what the religious figure (the Oracle) told them to, even if that meant killing someone that they loved. As a result of this, some relationships between people were changed. Despite some of the harsh teachings from the Igbo religion, society was united with a universal belief system. However, the day that the first Christian missionary arrived, this would forever be changed. Not only did the new religion transform relationships between people as well as change people individually (just like the Igbo religion did in some cases), but it also brought destruction to Umuofia and its neighboring villages. In Things Fall Apart, Achebe argues that religion has the power to destruct and change relationships, convince people to convert, and to break apart a society.

In “Things Fall Apart” Achebe talks about two different religions and beliefs. The Igbo society believe in many gods which some of their gods are focused on nature. They worship the earth and try not to dishonor the earth. They don't only worship nature gods but their ancestors are important gods and worship them for their guidance. When the missionaries arrive with their religion “Christianity” the Igbo society is wrecked. The missionaries believe in one supreme god. The god that is the creator of the world believing that men goes for judgement before him when he dies. As Achebe argues “In Things Fall Apart” that British colonialism has a disregard for Igbo Religion, tradition, and government. The British didn't acknowledge how the Igbo society were being

Throughout the novel, we see Okonkwo struggling to deal with the constant changes that take place in his tribe. Before the introduction of the white missionaries, he is known as one of the strongest, most honorable tribesmen many have seen. Affected by his father’s weakness, he works to remove the title that was passed on. His actions and display of strength quickly gains him the respect he desired from the other tribesmen. However this benefit does not fall through later effecting Okonkwo, whom has lived a life of power. When Okonkwo kills the colonial head messenger near the end as an attempt to 'save' his tribe from the influence of the white Christians, no one backs his attempt. Okonkwo, realizing that all is lost for what he once called

A major aspect of one’s society is religion. Without it, the way people hold themselves accountable would be nonexistent. In addition, many moral standards that exist today are values taken directly from religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Currently, there exists a feud between people who believe in a god, and of those who do not. Eventually those who believe in a higher power will fight against each other. In “Things Fall Apart”, Chinua Achebe brings to light the differences and similarities of Christianity and Animism in order to demonstrate the effects of religion upon one’s society, which is exemplified by Okonkwo and his people. This is noticed in the lives of the Ibo, the missionaries, and

The novel “Things Fall Apart” written by Chinua Achebe, is a tale based on the traditional beliefs and customs of an Ibo village during late 1800’s Africa. Through the telling of this story, we witness the remarkable depth of Igbo culture through its functions of religion, politics, judiciary and entertainment.

In Things Fall Apart, the witch doctor’s many unorthodox forms of treatment for Ekwefi’s ogbanje, or evil spirit, show how the values of religion and society can lead the members of the Igbo tribe to commit atrocities. After the witch doctor diagnoses the cause of death, he gives Ekwefi many treatments for getting rid of the ogbanje, one of these being the mutilation of a baby’s corpse in order to keep the evil spirit away. The witch doctor then throws the scarred body of the child into the Evil Forest, where it presumably rots away and is eaten by wild animals. Unnecessary violence like the murder of twins, and the murder of Ikemefuna is not the fault of an individual, but the result of a society that has told African people these acts of violence are not only good, but necessary in order to maintain order.

In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe proves how the introduction of Christianity in Lower Niger through the colonization of European settlers creates tension in the Ibo culture, and begins to diminish the foundations

However, this was during the sacred week of peace, when the priest found out that he had beat her he was very mad and Okonkwo had to pay his duties. “His first two wives ran out in great alarm pleading with him that it was the sacred week. But Okonkwo was not the man to stop beating somebody half-way through, not even for fear of a goddess. ”(29-30). Okonkwo knows that for beating his wife he does not look good but he thinks he would look worse if he did not finish the job of beating Ojiugo.

Christianity and its missionaries have travelled far throughout the years spreading their religion from Europe, to the Americas and also to Africa often times competing with the indigenous religions. In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Achebe writes about Okonkwo, the protagonist, who finds himself unable to conform to the Christian priests who claim that the Ibo Gods are fake and unreal. Similarly, in The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene, Greene mentions the Whiskey Priest, the protagonist, with an inner conflict with the church as the Whiskey Priest finds weaknesses among the Church and also in arguments with the Lieutenant about the lifestyle and the jobs of Priests in general. In Achebe’s novel the religion signifies the culture,

In chapter seventeen it states, “A sudden fury rose within him and he felt a strong desire to take up his machete, go to the church and wipe out the entire vile and miscreant gang.” His violent behavior still hasn’t changed but he did not act on this urge. He blames Nwoye for his own misfortune, but does not want to accept the blame. Okonkwo even refused to acknowledge Christianity. There are parts of Okonkwo’s personality in which he suppresses and doubts from time to time.

Many people become fond of the new religion's authenticity over time, but Okonkwo is a single-minded warrior at heart, and his stubbornness to

In Things Falls Apart, Chinua Achebe stresses the importance of religion in both the Ibo culture and in the white missionaries culture in order to create an ongoing conflict between the two societies. Obierika explains to Okonkwo that no matter what they do they will never be able to drive the white men from their land. That the white men ranks are growing because their brothers, wives, and even their own kids are joining them. “‘But he says that our customs are bad; and our own brothers who have taken up his religion also say that out customs are bad’” (176). The white missionaries say that all the customs of the Ibo are bad, even the people that just converted, immediately say that the Ibo’s customs are bad, providing a conflict between the