Tangled Cultures in Heart of Darkness, Things Fall Apart and Learning to Bow, Inside the Heart of Japan

People are often misplaced, having to adapt to new languages, culture, and ways of life. Culture can give bring people together as much as it tears people apart. With constantly changing cultures, people can learn and grow from others’ lifestyles, “… they are always changing…” ( Beyond Intractability). Culture can alleviate conflict by bringing people together and can help people of other cultures understand each other better and differences can be celebrated instead of conflicting.

Even though Reverend Smith entered Umuofia in times of distress, he could have conducted himself in a different way, so that the new diverse society would be able to function peacefully. Unfortunately, when Smith entered Umuofia in place of Mr. Brown, “He condemned openly Mr. Brown’s policy of compromise and accommodation. He saw things as black and white. And black was evil” (Achebe 184). The reverend was unaccepting of the Africans’ beliefs, including those who converted to Christianity. It is not that Smith detested the Africans, he just wanted them to believe his version of Christianity because he was raised to believe that Christianity was the only true religion, and that any other god was false. If Mr. Smith was a cosmopolitan, he

Nigeria’s population is 40% Christian, but it was not always this way. After a little persuading by European missionaries and British imperialism, more began to believe in Christianity. Many say Nigeria is the creation of European imperialism. Europeans also brought Christianity to Nigeria with them. As a “British invasion” started up in Africa, Nigeria was revolutionized. European colonies began to scramble for Nigeria and take control. These colonies did succeed in bringing their religion with them. Many tribes struggles to let go of their ethnic religions, but soon began to accept Christianity and it expanded throughout Africa. It all began in the 1800s when Roman Catholic missionaries returned to Nigeria after coming

The fact that these missionaries have started to really make an impact was unprecedented by the Ibo people; their continuous misunderstandings of one another contribute to make this situation frustrating to both the Ibo clansmen and the Christians that view their religion as superior. Okonkwo returns back to his home village of Umuofia after his exile to Mbanta, and he arrives to see missionaries have overtaken the village, created a government, and many Umuofians have joined the church. As Okonkwo and his friend Obierika are talking, Obierika says of the missionaries and their impact, “He says that our customs are bad; and our own brothers who have taken up his religion also say that our customs are bad. How do you think we can fight when our own brothers have turned against us?...He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart” (176). The white men and missionaries have been successful in coming in and gaining power. They believe the customs to be “bad”, showing their disregard of Ibo culture, and how their motives for infiltrating Ibo life is based off of selfish ideas- only to gain more followers to their religion. Furthermore, by actually being successful in drawing Umuofians into their religion, they have turned

In the novel, Christianity presents a clear and present danger to the tribe. As Christianity moves into the region, the African tribes begin to make decisions on whether or not they will follow it. Some of the tribe members convert to this new religion, but many do not. When tribe members decide to convert to Christianity, it gives the missionaries more power and they become stronger. When the Christian missionaries gain power, they are able to control the tribe and weaken the Ibo religion. The Christian missionaries “built their church in the Evil Forest” (62). The missionaries are also able to build schools and other Christian centered facilities due to this newfound power. When they build a church in the evil forest, it weakens the tribe members beliefs and, “That week they won a handful more converts” (62). The members begin to question the Ibo religion because, “The villagers were so certain about the doom that awaited these men”

Mr. Brown is willing to make an effort to understand Igbo’s beliefs. He didn’t try to tell them what they believed in was wrong. Mr. Brown made the people of Umuofia have a feeling of growth again. He told them that “everything was possible.” (Things Fall Apart 178) He didn’t come in trying to tell the people of Umuofia what to do; his first impression was easy going. By him being so generous it earned him a lot of respect from the clan. Ross W. Sanderson argues, that “Professor Patterson stated in his very interesting discussion of the relation of the pleasure and pain economies says: Christ is not the God of war and hate, but the God of peace and love.” (Unapologetic Christianity 34) Being hateful doesn’t get you anywhere in life. The Umuofia people respected Mr. Brown so much that they presented him with a “carved elephant tusk, which was a sign of dignity and rank.” (Things Fall Apart 179) Mr. Brown was very likeable because he took the time out to actually engage with the

The white missionaries bring a different set of beliefs and laws which are incompatible with Igbo traditions and practices. The church which is built by the Christians, contributes to the destruction of the clan. Many Umuofians decide to convert to Christianity, as they feel they will get more freedom, comfort and they can be and do what the clan does not agree to. "Three converts had gone into the village and boasted openly that all the gods were dead and impotent and that they were prepared to defy them by burning all their shrines" (Achebe 116). This shows that the converts and the missionaries no longer respect the views and beliefs of the Igbo clan. The converts know that they are protected by the white men and the feel that they have a 'greater god' than the Igbo people.

Nigeria has become the fastest growing country in Africa, its coastal ports are the heart and soul of its economy. Since its creation by the British Empire, there has been a civil breakdown and conflict among its tribal leaders. However, their religious understanding between Islam and Christianity has kept them at peace amidst themselves throughout time. The last few years, the government has developed itself into a functioning federation, the people are able to notice how outside influence has improved their daily lives.

A reason why I believe that the major conflict of this novel is due to the issues of the Christian missionaries coming to Nigeria and changing their culture is that the introduction to Christianity in Umuofia is not beneficial for all of its citizens. While, some joined the Christians,

The missionaries, while pledging about how terrible Umuofia’s religion was and explaining Christianity in a good light, shows the tribe a different option from that of their known culture.This new concept holds appeal to the people of Umuofia. With the addition of the new religion comes a trading post, which increased the value of palm oil and kernel. When Okonkwo returns from his seven year exile, he finds the village to be dismantled as many people had converted to the new religion: “Umuofia had indeed changed during the seven years Okonkwo had been in exile. The church had come and led many astray… the low born and the outcast … sometimes a worthy man had joined it” (174). Okonkwo came back to Umuofia expecting it to be exactly the same as when he left and have the majority of his friends and supporters there when he returned. Instead, he sees the damage made to the structure of the culture by the missionaries. In addition, the Christian religion is understandable to Nwoye, Okonkwo’s son. Nwoye was very close with Ikemefuna and was devastated after his death. He could not understand why his father would do something so selfish and cruel as to commit murder, and especially to his brother and best friend. When the Christians came spreading the word of their God, Nwoye was one of the first to convert as Christianity offered an explanation for some of the horrors he had seen in his life. As he stated, “It was after such a day at the farm during the last harvest that Nwoye felt for the first time the snapping inside him like the one he now felt...when they heard the voice of an infant crying in the thick forest...it descended on him again, this feeling, when his father walked in, that night after killing Ikemefuna” (61-62). Some of the customs of the tribe continue to

The negativity the people of Umuofia have towards the christian missionaries discouraged many others who would have liked to give Christianity a try. They seen the missionaries as a bad example that they had decided to let them build their church in the Evil Forest, thinking that the missionaries would face death. Unfortunately for the villagers, they did not die. Also, another example would be Okonkwo not being pleased knowing that Nwoye, his oldest wife’s son, wanted to convert into the new religion that may had new gods and taboos. When Nwoye finally converts due to being a efulefu, Okonkwo finally accepts his departure.

The Ibo belief of honoring ancestors was very important to their culture. Also, having many gods was a vital part of the religion. When the missionaries came they tried to convince them that their was only one god, and that they should only believe in their god because all others were not real. Okonkwo did not give into these Christian idea and instead continued to support polytheism that he has been practicing for years. This shows that he is a true man because even when others tried to influence him to change his ways, Okonkwo still fought for what he believed in and continued to be faithful to his Ibo religion. A true Ibo man would give sacrifices when he knew he did something wrong, like Okonkwo did. They also would not be enticed by other religions and similarly to Okonkwo not betray their culture. Additionally, another change that the Christians forced on Umuofia was to the Ibo judicial system. The Ibo judicial system was effective and kept order in Umuofia. The people were given punishments for any wrong doings, while the victims received the justice they deserved.

Secondly, the Christians unite the converts, but this unity does not prevent the new converts from demeaning others because of their religion or beliefs. When Mr. Kiaga, the missionaries’ interpreter, persuades the converts to accept the osu, or those who are cast out of the clan, Achebe writes, “‘Before God,’ he [Mr. Kiaga] said, ‘there is no slave or free. We are all children of God and we must receive these our brothers’”(136). The people are guided by Mr. Kiaga’s words as he teaches that they are all children of God and are, therefore, equal. One might think that converts would subsequently show the other religion in Umuofia an equal amount of respect as before, but they do not. While the church is still new to the village and does not perish in Evil Forest, Achebe says, “Three converts had gone into the village and

The novel “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe is about the Ibo people and how they have to face the threat of colonization and the white people’s religion which is Christianity. When Achebe portrayed the missionaries and Europeans, he did not make them sound hostile. Originally, they seemed like passive wanderers in an unknown land not planning to cause any trouble. The Ibo people also did not assume they were threats, either. “ He was not an albino. He was quite different. And he was riding an iron horse.” ( p. 138, Things Fall Apart ) At first, they did not give off any outstanding first impression; the missionaries appeared to be harmless.

177”8. In our very recent present, Nigeria has witnessed the so-called religious-crises in Northern Nigeria that has claimed millions of lives9. These religious crises could as well have