Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart Essay - 1736 Words

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†¦show more content†¦These values and beliefs were passed down from generation to generation through the use of songs, poems, and ancient rituals (Liukkonen, 2008). These values and beliefs helped guide African cultures in their everyday lives. In Things Fall Apart, Achebe describes in much detail the impact of daily routine and beliefs upon African societies. Some of these values and beliefs still astonish readers today, but were considered the custom for the way things were for generations before. The reader learns that the belief that men must be strong, battle tested, and leaders among men. Failure to achieve these things is considered the most dire of failures. In the novel, Okonkow believes his father was weak, he believed only the strongest of men could survive, protect, and lead the society into the future (Achebe, 1959). Okonkow states â€Å"In his day he was lazy and improvident and was quite incapable about thinking about tomorrow† (Achebe, 1959, pg.4). Readers also explore ancient rites and beliefs throughout the novel. One such belief was how children were banished to the evil forest because they were twins. The detail and historical significance of this is fact was based on truth. The British Broadcasting Company in 2011 stated â€Å"Twins were put out to die in the bush† (BBC World Service, 2011). The question that astonishes readers is why would another society banish children to death or exile? Because it was the belief and custom of many historicalShow MoreRelatedChinua Achebes Things Fall Apart1601 Words   |  7 Pagesbelieved they were bringing positive changes and good deeds to the locals from an Imperialistic point of view, the majority of natives were affected by the political, cultural, religious, and economic changes which are depicted in the Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart. The novel primarily focuses on small villages such as Umuofia village in southern Nigeria, and the native’s first an d prolonged contacts with the British expansionism or missionaries. In the novel, Achebe depicts the political changesRead MoreChinua Achebes Things Fall Apart1007 Words   |  5 PagesFearful Flaw Okonkwo is the protagonist of Chinua Achebe’s story, Things Fall Apart. 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Rather, the novel suggestsRead MoreChinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart Essay2000 Words   |  8 PagesChinua Achebe’s novel â€Å"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 entireRead MoreEssay on Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart1835 Words   |  8 PagesChinua Achebe’s â€Å"Things fall apart† is a story about a man named Okonkwo who is successful and physically strong. However, Okonkwo is emotionally unavailable and afraid that he will be seen as weak and that others will compare him to his father. The book’s peak is when Okonkwo does something considered immoral by killing a boy who he had taken in and raised as his own for three years, because he did not want to be seen as weak. Okonkwo is ruled by one obsession and that is to hate everything thatRead More Analysis of Achebes Impartiality in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart1098 Words   |  5 PagesAchebes Impartiality In Things Fall Apart   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Knowledge of Africa and the inhabitants of the massive continent were often portrayed as barbaric beasts by the first missionaries to enter the land.   Because of skewed writings by European missionary workers, a picture was painted for their readership of a savage Africa saved only by the benevolent, civilized western influence.   Achebe successfully attempts to redirect this attitude. 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This would bring great shame to any man as it did for OkonkwoRead MoreEssay on Gender in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart1881 Words   |  8 Pagescontradictions in the work of Chinua Achebe in relation to his placement of woman and femininity. Kristen Holst Petersen states that ‘the African discussion is between feminist emancipation versus the fight against neo-colonialism, particularly in its cultural aspect...which comes first, the fight for female equality or the fight against Western cultural imperialism’. This paper will attempt to highlight these contradictions in relation to Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. Above all the tribe values