Destany Trujillo
Wren Scott
AP Literature & Composition
24 January 2017
Chinua Achebe’s Nigerian Culture Nigeria has always had extremely different traditions and culture than the United States. As Chinua Achebe described in his book, the native Igbo were treated like savages by the white missionaries who settled on their land. Women were lower than men in class. Wealth determined the status of many men in the villages. Religion at the time was changing and evolving into a more modern and Christian belief. Things Fall Apart, set in the 1890s, displays many scenes showing the culture of the time, such as race relations, religion, ceremonies, gender roles, and other cultural distinctions that Achebe faced as part of the Ibo tribe. Chinua
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Beginning in 1807, the British were set on abolishing slave trade, and they confronted Nigeria on the subject (Culture of Nigeria - History, People, Clothing, Traditions, Women, Beliefs, Food, Customs, Family). Problems began to emerge between the two countries. Colonies were established in Nigeria and missionaries were being sent to convert the native tribes. This caused the tense relations between the natives and the men from Britain. Most missionaries sent, like Reverend James Smith in Achebe’s novel, were insensitive to the culture and traditions of the Ibo tribe. They beat the natives and openly disrespected the gods and shrines of the Ibo people. As many members of the villages turned to the unfamiliar religion, those who wanted the indigenous religion to stay felt as though their tribe was being stolen from them, and they became angry. This is described by Achebe in Things Fall Apart when Obierika says “he has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart” (176). The tribes were being split by indecision, and all the while being treated like everything they believed was a sin. They way the white missionaries were regarding them caused anger and hate in the native people. This unfortunately lead to many deaths of the …show more content…
One man in Things Fall Apart gives an insight to who the Ibo believed in by asking, “which is this god of yours, the goddess of the earth, the god of the sky, Amadiora or the thunderbolt, or what?” (146). This question shows that they believe in many deities. Although they believe in several deities, they only believe in one god (Igbo). The deities were represented by human priestesses and the egwugwu. The egwugwu were nine masked men who represented the villages and were supposedly spirits (Achebe 88). When a problem arose, the villages consulted with the priestesses and egwugwu to find a solution. Both entities were revered in the villages and were a human rendition of the beings of the Igbo
The Effect of White Missionaries on an African Tribe in Things Fall Apart by Achebe
Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and Chimamanda Adichie’s “The Headstrong Historian” both deal with the heavily controversial tellings of the Christian assimilation of Nigeria. The two stories take place in Nigeria and more specifically, the Ibo society. Achebe’s telling of the story involves many people/villages and their own stories, even though their story may not pertain to the main character’s. Adichie’s version focuses mainly on one family and the lasting effects of the encounters with Christianity. Achebe’s novel does fixate on the ideas involved in the means of Christian assimilation. To put it another way, Achebe talks more about the approaches the missionaries take in order to convert
During the African colonization period, Western beliefs greatly impacted the African mindset and belief system. In the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe the impact of Western beliefs is very evident. The novel focuses on pre- and post- colonial life in Nigeria. It was among the first novels to be recognized globally by an African author, and it is widely read in modern African literature. The story is about the fall of the main character Okonkwo as well as the Igbo culture. European beliefs clashed with the traditions that are rooted deep into the society of this Nigerian community. The Igbo, especially Okonkwo, at first try to fight the influence of the evangelists; nevertheless the arrival of Christianity largely affects the Igbo religion,
In the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe it is demonstrated how the Ibo culture slowly deteriorated from their own culture. The Western ideas influenced a different impact on certain characters, this also included characters like Okonwo and his son Nwoye. Many from the Ibo culture were confused by the merge of the European people slowly but subtly trying to enforce and covert their religion upon them. The books ending explained why the book was written in the first place, which was to “break the silence” that existed from the unheard side of the colonized people. The novel explained the impact Nwoye encountered with Western ideas was a clear and positive one. Nwoye felt like he resonated, was wanted, and more suited in the new culture
One of Achebe’s challenges was to illustrate the Ibo’s religious system. Even though the Ibo people had little contact with the outside world, they had developed their own beliefs and practices that became essential elements in their everyday lives. The Ibo religion played a role in the way they raised their families, communicated, entertained, and governed their society. Similar to those of the early Egyptian and Greek religions,
Every day that there was a link with Nigeria or I chatted with my partner about the main topics of life I always learned something new. It ranged from college life to religion, without overstepping any boundaries. The eagerness to learn about another country and their views on life was just as exciting for me as it was my partners. Although there are many differences between Nigeria and America, there is also much in common that I would have never expected. I enjoyed all the conversations that I encountered with the Nigerians who also share a love for their own culture.
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
Ever seen something that may look odd to you? Or someone that shows up and you seem to wonder why they’re doing what they’re doing? Do you feel a little unpleasant about their actions? That’s totally normal, because that’s what we call cultural collision. In the book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, he shows how cultural collision affected the Ibo culture in Nigeria because of colonization and the arrival of Europeans who brought forth a new religion, a new lifestyle and ways that challenge the Ibo culture. The conflict in Things Fall Apart is the struggle between change and tradition. Chinua Achebe demonstrates Okonkwo’s daily life as a struggle to resist changing from
The novel Things Fall Apart was written in 1958 by a late Nigerian author, Chinua Achebe. Things Fall Apart alludes to the effects of European Imperialism on Igbo culture. This novel begins in a fictional town called “Umuofia”, on the boundary of modern day Nigeria. European missionaries arrive in Umuofia, uninvited and especially unwelcomed. Upon the missionaries arrival, Umuofia’s cultural tradition is shaken to its core and tampered with by the Europeans. The effects of the Europeans on the Igbo culture in Umuofia alter the village’s religion, political structure, and the Igbo peoples way of life.
In the novel, “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe the Igbo tradition revolves around structured gender role. Everything essential of Igbo life is based on their gender, which throughout the novel it shows the role of women and the position they hold, from their role in the family household, also planting women crops, to bearing children. Although the women were claimed to be weaker and seemed to be treated as objects, in the Igbo culture the women still provided qualities that make them worthy.
In the novel Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, religion, an indispensable tradition is celebrated within the Igbo people. The Igbo people, hosts gatherings, worship, and celebrate their ancestors. They are polytheistic, in other words, they believe in many gods. The Igbo people also believe in sacrifices to their ancestors and crimes are considered as sins. Their ancestors and gods serve as a role model, or a sculpture, to whom they worship and sacrifice in Igbo society. However, the arrival of the European Missionaries not only brings tremendous changes to Igbo religion and culture, but also creates conflicts among them.
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
Hey Girl! It’s me Jasmine. How are things going with you, Eddie and the children since we left for Nigeria? Antonio and I really love it here, every morning we wake up to the beautiful sounds of the ocean and the sweet smelling fresh air. Antonio found us a wonderful beach house overlooking the white sandy beach of Abuja, Nigeria. I have no idea how he found this place but I’m so happy he found it. The house has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. It’s a newly remodeled condo apartment in Mailtama Hilltop of Abuja. It has a private balcony with a swing chair, outside tables and surprisingly a small grill. So, Antonio can make our favorite jerk chicken and grill fish. Each of the rooms include a luxury bed and Sony HDTV with 36 channels. The
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe was wrote in 1958 as a response to European Literature viewing Africans as savages who were then enlightened and found peace and safety by the Europeans. Chinua describes the Igbo people and showed the culture and showing the way of life of the Igbo people. This book shows this powerful and eye opening look into the complex society of these tribes and villages and how law and order is run. The major theme that is I will focus is that traditional development of the Igbo tribe alone and with the influence of the Europeans.
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.