essays on things fall apart

Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe

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Things Fall Apart Essays

Both friend and foil: how the characterization of obierika conveys human truths and social concerns anonymous 10th grade, things fall apart.

In his novel, Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe masterfully uses his characters to convey larger human truths as well as to drive his plot. Things Fall Apart is about the colonialization of a Nigerian tribe called the Igbo, following the characters...

The portrayal of Umuofia as a contact zone Salindri Dulara Rajakaruna College

Chinua Achebe’s autoethnographic novel “Things Fall Apart “written in 1958 can be viewed as an attempt to destroy the misleading conceptions about Igbo culture that were given to the world by European writers. The way novel presents the arrival of...

Theme Of Superstition Expressed In Things Fall Apart Praket Venkatasai Akshantala 10th Grade

“What the mind doesn't understand, it worships or fears” (Alice Walker). This quote by Alice Walker, a prominent writer, delineates how ideologies and beliefs are often created with a lack of evidence - commonly referred to by the term...

Chinua Achebe's Portrayal of Pre-Colonial Africa: Anonymous

The concept of balance in Achebe's novel, Things Fall Apart, is an important theme throughout the book. Achebe introduces this idea with an excerpt from William Butler Yeats's poem, "The Second Coming." The notion of balance is stressed here as...

The Destructive Clash of Cultures Jennifer Chiu

In their respective works Things Fall Apart and The Joys of Motherhood, both Chinua Achebe and Buchi Emecheta depict the effects of colonialism on Igbo society.

While Achebe demonstrates the gradual process of colonial imposition, Buchi Emecheta...

The Role of Women Annie White

Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart explores the struggle between old traditions within the Igbo community as well as Christianity and "the second coming" it brings forth. While on the surface, it appears the novel narrows its focus to a single...

The Comparison of One Hundred Years of Solitude with Things Fall Apart Justin J.R.K. Kirkey

By Justin J.R.K. Kirkey

An Involved Essay: The Comparison of

One Hundred Years of Solitude with Things Fall Apart

Things - and societies - fall apart. Societies are born; they grow, thrive, decline, and finally perish. Their procession through...

The Release of African Culture on the World Michael Alexander MacGill

In the novel Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe uses Okonkwo's story to elaborate a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of the cultural values of African tribes. Achebe wrote Things Fall Apart as a rebuttal to Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness....

Heart of Darkness and Things Fall Apart: Complements, or Contrasts? Audrey Fisher

When the Europeans arrived in Nigeria to harvest ivory and spread their religious ideals, many Africans were exploited and their cultures were irreversibly changed. Two novels, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and Things Fall Apart by Chinua...

Portraits of Nigeria in Two Novels Timothy Sexton

The novels Things Fall Apart and The Joys of Motherhood both present Nigeria as a competitive, consumption-crazed country. Each novel, therefore, also creates a parallel between Nigeria and capitalist, Western societies--yet each one shows that...

Why Things Fall Apart Anonymous

“The white man is very clever…He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.”

Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart is a prime example of African literature that demonstrates the clash between cultures and...

The Story of Okonkwo: A Fine Balance of Hope and Tragedy Joshua Nobleman

The South African Igbo tribe of Umuofia, as depicted in Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart,” (1958) encompasses layer upon complex layer of social order. From birth to death, every aspect of Umuofian culture is defined by an intricate balance of...

Family Relationships in White Teeth, Disgrace and Things Fall Apart Anonymous

By comparing White Teeth with at least one other appropriate text, explore the presentation of family and family relationships in postcolonial literature.

The ‘metanarrative’ of Zadie Smith’s White Teeth differs from the direct linear narrative of...

Sexism In Things Fall Apart Stephen Harris

The presence of sexism, both individual and institutional, runs rampant in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. It is the most constant theme in the story, more intrinsic in the plotline than even racism, and certainly more deep-rooted. The...

The Culmination of Tragedy: Tradition and Change in Things Fall Apart Anonymous College

Tradition and change are as much at war as the people are in Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart. The events that define this war are centered on and around the main character, Okonkwo, who finds himself unable to adapt to the changes taking...

Proverb Symbolism for the Clan Anonymous 12th Grade

In the novel Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe introduces the ideas of maturity/reputation, respect, and communication as Umuofian cultural values. The success of its citizens when it comes to their social standing is dependent on their abilities...

Fathers and Sons in Purple Hibiscus and Things Fall Apart Anonymous 11th Grade

Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus and Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart both emphasize the complexities of father-son relationships. The major theme of parental conflict is developed throughout the course of both texts and serves to illustrate...

The European and African Narrative Techniques used in 'Things Fall Apart' and 'Petals of Blood' Diana Grech College

The structure of the African novel is seen to be made up from two different frameworks, the external, or international, and the indigenous “mode of discourse and artistic expression.” 1 Therefore, the typical African novel contains elements in its...

Murder and Repression in Things Fall Apart Leah Kristine Smith College

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a novel full of individuals, within a tribe, as they deal with the frequently tragic and disappointing events of their lives. Okonkwo, the protagonist, and his son, Nwoye, are two of these individuals who must...

Misconception of the Generation Gap Anonymous College

Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart , is set in Nigeria; the novel examines the clash between traditional African culture, and western ideals by the Igbo tribe, through the protagonist, Okonkwo. Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s...

Setting in Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart" Anonymous 11th Grade

Perhaps one of the most influential elements of literature, a setting may potentially dictate the plotline of a story, establishing culture, tradition, and a backstory. Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart sees an African world that largely revolves...

Globalization in Things Fall Apart and Gods Without Men: A Challenge to Spirituality? Anonymous College

After conducting extensive research studying cultures around the world, theorist and social anthropologist Peter Van Der Veer remarked that "the critical elements, like those to be found in the spiritual ideas at the beginning of the 20th century,...

The Process of Colonialism: Narratives from Achebe and Boyden Anonymous 12th Grade

The process of colonialism is the ongoing eradication of old practices and the exploitation of new practices, and often entails settlement into a foreign land, the introduction of new cultural practices, and the enforcement of religious practices....

The Importance of Setting in Ethan Frome and Things Fall Apart Anonymous College

Ethan Frome and Things Fall Apart are found in two dramatically different settings, with each plot relying heavily on the setting of the novel to tell its story. The setting of a story is a broad term and can contain many layers. While each story...

essays on things fall apart

Things Fall Apart

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Things Fall Apart , first novel by Chinua Achebe , written in English and published in 1958. Things Fall Apart helped create the Nigerian literary renaissance of the 1960s.

The novel chronicles the life of Okonkwo, the leader of an Igbo community , from the events leading up to his banishment from the community for accidentally killing a clansman, through the seven years of his exile, to his return, and it addresses a particular problem of emergent Africa—the intrusion in the 1890s of white missionaries and colonial government into tribal Igbo society. Traditionally structured, and peppered with Igbo proverbs, it describes the simultaneous disintegration of its protagonist Okonkwo and of his village. The novel was praised for its intelligent and realistic treatment of tribal beliefs and of psychological disintegration coincident with social unraveling.

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Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Essay Example

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Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Essay Example

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I. Introduction: Thesis Statement: “Things Fall Apart” is about a struggle between change and tradition, as the protagonist Okonkwo suffers from many cultural conflicts that lead to his ultimate downfall.

II. “His Whole Life Was Dominated by Fear, the Fear of Failure and Weakness.”

III. “When a Man Says Yes His Chi Also Says Yes.”

IV. “Okonkwo’s Chi Was No Made for Great Things.”

V. Okonkwo’s Family Relationships.

VI. Conclusion. Okonwo’s pride and fear result in his self condemnation.

In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, the reader is given insight into the culture of an African tribesman and how his ideals, when confronted with cultural transition, affect his concept of identity. Things Fall Apart is about a struggle between change and tradition, as the protagonist Okonkwo suffers from many cultural conflicts that lead to his ultimate downfall.

Achebe wrote of Okonkwo, “His whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and weakness.” Three examples of this fear can be seen in his fear of being viewed as effeminate, his fear of becoming his father, and his fear of having an unproductive and disgraceful life. Ikemefuna’s death is an example of Okonkwo’s immense fear of being seen as effeminate, is an example of his fear of weakness and failure because the goal of his culture is to be perceived as masculine and to be perceived as effeminate is to be perceived as weak and fail at the core goal of his culture at the same exact time. This situation is noted in the text when the author says, “ He made him feel grown up; and they no longer spent the evenings in mother’s hut while she cooked , but know sat with Okonkwo in his obi,…”(p. 45). Despite embracing his son and trying very hard to make him sell feminine, he fails and ultimately plays a role in the boy’s execution. In many ways Okonkwo’s success can be seen as a product of his fear of weakness and failure. Another example of his fear of weakness isn’t that he was afraid of work, but rather his fear of weakness and failure in regards to his father and the desire to never be anything like him. As noted in the text, Okonkwo’s father was lazy and carefree. The man had the reputation for being “poor and his wife and children had just barely enough to eat… they swore never to lend him any more money because he never paid back.” (5) Okonkwo’s fear that he will become like his father is so powerful that it ultimately becomes the driving factor that makes him successful and the leading cause for his failure with his family. Okonkwo’s final fear can be attributed to his relationship with his father, but also to his relationship with his culture, as the one thing he has most come to dread is suffering from an unproductive life and a disgraceful death. These fears instilled a drive in Okonkwo and allowed him to develop skills necessary to be successful.

Three examples leading to, or reasons for, Okonkwo’s success, can be seen in his obsession with gaining status, his refusal to take handouts, and his desire to be the first to start adulthood at a young age. For Okonkwo success is based on material acquisition and growth, and his power. Okonkwo starts off working hard on a far to gain status and respect. He says, “I began to fend for myself at an age when most people still suck at their mothers’ breasts. If you give me some yam seeds I shall not fail you” (21). Okonkwo’s obsession with success, throughout the novel is becomes a major part of his character and can be attributed as a main characteristic contributing to his success. This obsession manifested itself in many materialistic ways. One example of the values that lead Okonkwo to become successful can be seen in how he does not want to borrow seeds from a wealthy many, but does any way to get an early start at harvest. His ambitions to start farming at a young age, lead him to starting adulthood at a young age, and getting a jumpstart on his life building status in his tribe before his peers. All three of these traits demonstrated by Okonkwo make it very clear why he rose to success within his tribe. Achebe does make it clear to point out that, “Okonkwo’s chi is not “made for great things,” which ultimately becomes the cause of his failure.

Three examples of reasons why Okonkwo’s actions lead to his failure can be seen in his exile, his pride, and his inability to control his temper. The fact that Okonkwo is sent into exile is an example of his ultimate failure. He is essentially sent for chopping a man’s head off, but when he is sent to exile for seven years, he is never the same again. Okonkwo’s greatest tragic flaw that leads to his downfall is his pride. Pride is ultimately the trait that leads to commit suicide. He is overbearing with his impatience and expectations of others who are not as successful as his pride causes him to feel self righteous. Okonkwo has established himself as a self-made man and it makes him impatient of others who are not of the same status. For example, when meeting with the tribe’s elders, he deliberately refers to a man as a woman and says, “This meeting is for men.” This man had no titles, and so Okonkwo felt that he was entitled to speak to the man in this manner. However, Okonkwo was forced to apologize to him. Another flaw Okonkwo has that results in failure is his temper. Okonkwo is very strict and judgmental with his son, Nwoye, for following in his footsteps. Okonkwo’s fears that Nwoye will be a failure so he allows his temper to get the best of him due to his on fear and he mistreats his son. He is also violent with his wives due to his temper and his fear of losing authority over them. He ultimately breaks the rules of Week of Peace when he beats his wife for not bringing him dinner. The combination of Okonkwo’s pride and uncontrollable temper are what lead him to the decision to commit suicide after he returns from a 7 year exile, but his flaws are also what contribute to many of the conflicts he has with his family.

Achebe wrote that Oknonkwo had conflicts or problems in his family relationships. Examples of these can be seen in Okonkwo’s family interactions. One example of the conflict Okonkwo had with his family can be seen in the fact that he allowed his son, Ikemefuna’s, to be sentenced to death and then took part in the executions despite opposing the decision, simply out of fear of appearing weak. It is an example of how he put his culture before his family. Another example that can be seen is how Okonkwo’s treats members of his family harshly due to fear. This can definitely be seen with his son Nwoye, who he views as lazy. Okonkwo perceives his own work ethic as great, admirable and powerful, while he views Nwoye as a “degenerate and effeminate” (133). The final example can be seen in how Okonkwo viewed his personal role in his family. The text notes that Okonkow believed, “No matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and his children (and especially his women) he was not really a man” (45). Okonkwo is afraid of losing control of his family and being perceived as weak by his wives, so he occasionally mistreats them to compensate for this fear. Okonkwo’s obsession goes so deep that he perceives a loss of respect within his family will result in a loss of respect in the community. The perspective Okonkwo held onto about what it means to be a man transferred over to his relationships with his children and his wives and resulted in him being disconnected from his family and a failure as a father and husband based on his own standards of respect.

In sum, the conflicts that Okonkwo faces, in the book Things Fall Apart, are partially a product of his own doing, and partially a product of cultural transition from what he knows to something new. He devotes his life to gaining status and power within a culture that is taken from him by Christina colonists. The stories centers on his personal evolution of identity within a pre-colonial society to a post-colonial one. The reader is able to interpete all of the fears, values, failures and successes that Okonkwo embodies and that ultimately result in his suicide throughout this transition.

“Okonkwo’s Downfall in: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe” WriteWork.com. WriteWork.com, 26 November, 2009. Web. 10 Oct. 2012.

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Things Fall Apart Essays

essays on things fall apart

Things Fall Apart

interesting and help explain the theme and plot. Without a strong list of characters a book becomes dull. In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart the characters help explain the lost Ibo culture, from strong to lazy, to women and a sacrifice to prevent war. The main character sets up the plot of a book, through their life and point of view the story is told. The main character in Things Fall Apart is a strong and culture hearted man named Okonkwo. He can be described as a tragic hero from his journey and life

Okonkwo is a tragic hero in "Things Fall Apart" Question ( 2 ): Discuss Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe 's “Things Fall Apart” is a tragic hero. Answer: In Chinua Achebe’s novel “Things Fall Apart” Okonkwo is a tragic hero. Aristotle’s Poetics defines a Tragic Hero as a good man of high status who displays a tragic flaw ‘hamartia’ and experiences a dramatic reversal ‘peripeteia’, as well as an intense moment of recognition ‘anagnorisis’. Okonkwo is a leader and hardworking member of the Igbo community

differently by two different readers? Things Fall Apart Language and Literature Things fall apart is a novel written by Chinua Achebe. It is set during the late 19th, early 20th century in a small village named Umuofia situated in Nigeria. This time period is important because it was a period in colonial history when the British were increasing their influence economic, cultural, and political influence in Africa. The novel deals with the rise and fall of Okonkwo, a man from the village of

Based off the book Things Fall Apart, the videos we watched in class, and the poem “The White Man’s Burden”, the white man’s burden of spreading Christianity was more harmful than helpful. In both the book and the film the African Tribes were already fully functional as a whole. They had systems in place such as forms of government, art, social systems, and economic systems. After the whites came to convert them, things started to fall apart and become chaotic. As we saw in the videos, there were

The author of “The Women of Things Fall Apart, Speaking from a Different Perspective: Chimamanda Adichie’s Headstrong Storytellers,” Anene Ejikeme, claims that Chinua Achebe successfully introduces Ibo culture to a Western audience; however, even Achebe would agree that there cannot just be one story to represent such a complex society, and Ejikeme argues that Things Fall Apart is too centered upon the male’s reaction to English powers. Therefore, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Headstrong Historians”

moment it opens with W.B. Yeats’s haunting poem, pieces are being chipped away and fall silently to the dust. However, things do not truly fall apart until the final act and freezing conclusion. Although the storytelling and plot is very straightforward, (usually erring on the blunt side of the rhetorical spectrum) the true genius of the book lies in its subtleties. By the end of the story things have fallen apart for Okonkwo and his people, but it's not until that ending that the reader can put

Things fall apart

Reflection on the novel Things Fall Apart The Idea of Culture in Things Fall Apart The novel Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe is a story about personal beliefs, customs and also about conflict. There is struggle between family and within culture and it also deals with the concept of culture and the notion of the values and traditions within a culture. The word culture is Latin and means to cultivate. To cultivate has several meanings; it can mean to plow, fertilize, raise and plant, to

Society (Things Fall Apart) Women are often thought of as the weaker, more vulnerable of the two sexes. Thus, women’s roles in literature are often subdued and subordinate. In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, women are repressed by an entrenched structure of the social repression. Women suffer great losses in this novel but, also in certain circumstances, hold tremendous power. Achebe provides progressively changing attitudes towards women’s role. At first glance, the women in Things Fall Apart may

English oral presentation Cultural strengths of the Ibo society before the invasion of the colons. The novel "Things fall apart" by Chinua Achebe describes the social and cultural traits of a culture based on the principles of labor and masculinity, conformity and kinship and finally on solid juridical system. The worth of a man was measured by his strength and the amount of work he could accomplish and how efficiently feed his family, the concepts of masculinity is strictly related with

Around the late 1800s, African communities resisted against the attempts to colonize their countries and force foreign domination . In Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, colonizers come to the villages of Umuofia and Mbanta. The title is a reflection of the effect of colonialism on the novel’s protagonist, Okonkwo. He fights to stop the colonizers from taking control of his village. Throughout the novel, he struggles to not become lazy, like his father, and works desperately to keep his the

Okonkwo Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a novel about a man in West Africa. It tells about his triumphs and trial ultimately leading to his demise. It explains how the “white man” came into his country and took over. It show you how the “white man” mad things fall apart. Okonkwo was a very large and tall man. He had big bushy eyebrows and a huge nose. As stated in Things Fall Apart, “He was tall and huge, and his bushy eyebrows and wide nose gave him a very severe look (3-4).” He was extremely

which have gradually faded away over time. In the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, an African society is introduced to Western culture and faces a strong clash between those who want to keep the tribe’s tradition and those who want to change to adapt to the new customs. If this text would have been written in a different time of place, there would be a significant amount of changes in the way the plot unravels. If Things Fall Apart had been written in the 1490s with Native American tribes

Things Fall Apart, a novel by Chinua Achebe, highlights the fight between colonialism and traditional societies. The protagonist Okonkwo is a man of high status throughout the nine villages and even beyond due to his many achievements, such as gaining fame as a young person when he defeated the undefeatable, a wrestler nicknamed “the cat”. He is strong and hard-working, unlike his father, Unoka, who has a tainted legacy of being effeminate and cowardly. Unoka died and left many unpaid debts, so

someones personality and life. I wouldn’t say they define us but they shift and mold who we are going to be when we grow up. If you strip away the core of traditions or activities that were considered normal, it could really affect someone. In Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo is a perfect example of this theory. He was torn that Missionaries came into Umofia while he was gone and changed everything. Okonkwo felt betrayed by how much change took toll in Umofia. He isn’t used to the new rules and regulars given

Culture plays an important role in society, it is what makes a people unique. In the book Things Fall Apart, author Chinua Achebe wrote the book using proverbs and traditions of the Ibo to reveal the uniqueness and wisdom of the culture, which ends up getting interfered with another culture. Throughout the book, proverbs are used to illustrate the wisdom of the Ibo people. On page 19, a man says, “We shall all live. We shall pray for life, children, a good harvest and happiness... let the kite

Book Report Things Fall Apart, the first book of the African Trilogy, is written by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. The classic narrative depicts Africa’s interactions with Europe as Europe begins to have an influence on the country (culture, religion, etc.) Throughout the story the reader will peruse about Okonkwo’s, the protagonist, fictional encounters. Okonkwo is the beloved leader of the Igbo community of Umuofia in eastern Nigeria. Throughout the book there is a reoccuring theme that Okonkwo

Things Fall Apart, written by Chinua Achebe was set in pre-colonial Nigeria during the constant battle against the way the country was run. The main character Okonkwo, was very famous in the surrounding village for being a wrestling champion. In the story, Okonkwo was portrayed as a hard-working, and strived to show no weakness like his father, Unoka. His father, has tainted Okonkwo’s family as being effeminate. The bad reputation of Okonkwo’s family caused him to be diligent in building his wealth

In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe tells a story set during the British colonialism of Nigeria in the late 19th century. Of the descriptions that Achebe makes, one of the most significant is the British District Court officers and the egwugwu. There are several superficial similarities between the District Court officers and the egwugwu. These similarities include their relationship with the people of the culture. The egwugwu are masqueraders who impersonate the gods of the Igbo

The word hero means a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. In the book “Things Fall Apart “ by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo is a hard-working leader in the village of Umuofia during the time of British colonialism of Nigeria. He is portrayed as a tragic hero because he allows inner and outside forces to contribute to his downfall and gains the sympathy from the reader. Okonkwo allowed his inner and outside forces to contribute to his downfall

A novel extremely fascinating yet exceptionally ambiguous. Things Fall Apart is a novel by Chinua Achebe that takes place in Nigeria, Africa where the story is mainly about how the main character’s life is falling apart. Therefore, if there were two different readers are someone from the African Culture and someone from the American culture reading it in modern time they would interpret the novel differently. In the novel the text could be interpreted differently by two different readers through

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Essay On Things Fall Apart | Things Fall Apart Essay

March 6, 2023 by Raju

Things Fall Apart: Things Fall Apart is a novel that describes the lifestyle and living of Nigerians in Igbo society. Generally, we are all know and aware of some things about Nigeria, in Nigeria, there are many tribes right? The Umofia clan is a tribe in Nigeria, it is led by a famous and honored warrior who is a wealthy one among the tribe, is Okonkwo is the leader of the tribe and Umofia clan. His father is unsuccessful in leaving debts without settling them and died with shame. Contrary to his father, Okonkwo becomes a great warrior, a respectable leader, a farmer, and a rich one in the tribe. His manliness makes the path to value him first. He is a combo pack of emotions like anger, rashness, and violence, it brings destruction easily.

Things fall apart means broken into pieces. The essay Things Fall Apart describes the role of the head of the family and how to lead, in that process due to some weaknesses of Okankwo emotions like anger, violence, and rashness, his family breaks down into pieces. It leads to the disturbance in the Igbo society of the Nigerian tribe.

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Essay On Things Fall Apart

We have to know clearly what is things fall apart says, explore, and give knowledge about the concept in the above paragraphs. Let’s dig into the topic more clearly of how the family of Okonkwo falls apart and how it suits the title.

The Okonkwo at the time of maintaining peace and harmony with the villagers has beaten severely his youngest wife without thinking due to his temperamental nature. Her name is Ojigua the reason not braided her before dinner time.

He thought she was acting with negligence, It made him accuse her on that point. He has broken the harmony and piece at once. He offered some sacrifices himself sincerely. It makes the community shocked. They were all in the dilemma of his actions. The community is shocked and not rectifies that Okonkwo’s actions. It is a blunder mistake of Okonkwo.

Okonkwo’s elder son was severely oppressed by his father’s powers. The elder son called Nwoye reflects his grandfather who died with shame. He is always beaten by his father. After the arrival of a young talented boy next to his village came for Nwoye.

He did a lot of things for Nwoye which were helpful to him not beaten by his father. The young talented boy is called “Ikemefuna”. He was brutally murdered. He was congratulated by the Okankwo for advising his son with good suggestions that how to act like a mature one. After the assassination of the “Ikemefuna”. He becomes soft and like the old one.

Essay On Things Fall Apart

He turns against Okankwo couldn’t bear the actions of the Okankwo. Ogbuefi Ezeudu is more explanatory. The tragedy in the case of ogbuefi ezeudu is dead and at the funeral by accidentally Ogbuefi ezeudu’s 16 years old son died because of a gunshot of Okonkwo. According to traditions of the clan, a holy goddess revolves around the clan filled with sin by Okankwo. He is getting rid of his clan, for up to 7 years.

He has taken his family along with him to his mother’s town “Mbanta”. He is working as a farmer over there and doing hard work for their family. The valuables of okankwo are burnt by the villagers to get rid of the sin made by him at that place. He is not that much of enthusiastic to work on the farm as in the beginning. He has worked tirelessly for the desire of becoming a clan leader. This other Things Fall Apart in his life.

Revealing the Nwoye, and what he is aiming for by the father’s oppression. He wants to be independent of the vengeance for his father’s actions. The jealousy of his father’s events made the Nwoye get involved in a trap. He left him to the whites and the church is another great fall in his life.

After the completion of exile, he returned to Umofia. He observed drastic changes in the clan led by white men. They build the church and it becomes stronger. The traditions, systems, and governments have been changed. Their actions were cruel and harsh. He killed a person related to the church who has been a messenger to the church. The clan didn’t respond. The people of the clan no more intervene in the war. It was understood by the Okankwo. It is the greatest shock to okankwo.

What he was aimed for? in the past becoming a clan leader goes into ashes. The strict and masculine actions of okankwo are of no use against white men. He hanged himself because his clan changed and no more missionaries. Too much manliness is very dangerous to a person. In this case of Okankwo also did the same thing. This is the story about Things Fall Apart.

FAQs On Essay On Things Fall Apart

Question 1. What is the main message of Things Fall Apart?

Answer: The main message of Things Fall Apart is the bond and drastic tragedy broke down pieces of the Okankwo family.

Question 2. What is a short summary of Things Fall Apart?

Answer: Summary of Things Fall Apart is Okankwo Nigerian tribe Umofia clan, the respectable warrior. He strictly implies contrary to his father by serving his hard work to the clan to become the leader of the clan. He was unsuccessful on that matter. He did 3 blunders mistakes that led him to break down his family into pieces.

Question 3. What led to Okonkwo’s downfall essay?

Answer: His manliness.

Question 4. What is important about Things Fall Apart?

Answer: Igbo society customs and traditions.

Question 5. What is the conclusion of Things Fall Apart?

Answer: A hero who tragically broke down his family into pieces. Due to his manliness, he lost everything.

Chinua Achebe

Critical Essays Major Themes in Things Fall Apart

For many writers, the theme of a novel is the driving force of the book during its creation. Even if the author doesn't consciously identify an intended theme, the creative process is directed by at least one controlling idea — a concept or principle or belief or purpose significant to the author. The theme — often several themes — guides the author by controlling where the story goes, what the characters do, what mood is portrayed, what style evolves, and what emotional effects the story will create in the reader.

Igbo Society Complexity

From Achebe's own statements, we know that one of his themes is the complexity of Igbo society before the arrival of the Europeans. To support this theme, he includes detailed descriptions of the justice codes and the trial process, the social and family rituals, the marriage customs, food production and preparation processes, the process of shared leadership for the community, religious beliefs and practices, and the opportunities for virtually every man to climb the clan's ladder of success through his own efforts. The book may have been written more simply as a study of Okonkwo's deterioration in character in an increasingly unsympathetic and incompatible environment, but consider what would have been lost had Achebe not emphasized the theme of the complex and dynamic qualities of the Igbo in Umuofia.

Clash of Cultures

Against Achebe's theme of Igbo cultural complexity is his theme of the clash of cultures. This collision of cultures occurs at the individual and societal levels, and the cultural misunderstanding cuts both ways: Just as the uncompromising Reverend Smith views Africans as "heathens," the Igbo initially criticize the Christians and the missionaries as "foolish." For Achebe, the Africans' misperceptions of themselves and of Europeans need realignment as much as do the misperceptions of Africans by the West. Writing as an African who had been "Europeanized," Achebe wrote Things Fall Apart as "an act of atonement with [his] past, the ritual return and homage of a prodigal son." By his own act, he encourages other Africans, especially ones with Western educations, to realize that they may misperceive their native culture.

Related to the theme of cultural clash is the issue of how much the flexibility or the rigidity of the characters (and by implication, of the British and Igbo) contribute to their destiny. Because of Okonkwo's inflexible nature, he seems destined for self-destruction, even before the arrival of the European colonizers. The arrival of a new culture only hastens Okonkwo's tragic fate.

Two other characters contrast with Okonkwo in this regard: Mr. Brown, the first missionary, and Obierika, Okonkwo's good friend. Whereas Okonkwo is an unyielding man of action, the other two are more open and adaptable men of thought. Mr. Brown wins converts by first respecting the traditions and beliefs of the Igbo and subsequently allowing some accommodation in the conversion process. Like Brown, Obierika is also a reasonable and thinking person. He does not advocate the use of force to counter the colonizers and the opposition. Rather, he has an open mind about changing values and foreign culture: "Who knows what may happen tomorrow?" he comments about the arrival of foreigners. Obierika's receptive and adaptable nature may be more representative of the spirit of Umuofia than Okonkwo's unquestioning rigidity.

For example, consider Umuofia's initial lack of resistance to the establishment of a new religion in its midst. With all its deep roots in tribal heritage, the community hardly takes a stand against the intruders — against new laws as well as new religion. What accounts for this lack of community opposition? Was Igbo society more receptive and adaptable than it appeared to be? The lack of strong initial resistance may also come from the fact that the Igbo society does not foster strong central leadership. This quality encourages individual initiative toward recognition and achievement but also limits timely decision-making and the authority-backed actions needed on short notice to maintain its integrity and welfare. Whatever the reason — perhaps a combination of these reasons — the British culture and its code of behavior, ambitious for its goals of native "enlightenment" as well as of British self-enrichment, begin to encroach upon the existing Igbo culture and its corresponding code of behavior.

A factor that hastens the decline of the traditional Igbo society is their custom of marginalizing some of their people — allowing the existence of an outcast group and keeping women subservient in their household and community involvement, treating them as property, and accepting physical abuse of them somewhat lightly. When representatives of a foreign culture (beginning with Christian missionaries) enter Igbo territory and accept these marginalized people — including the twins — at their full human value, the Igbo's traditional shared leadership finds itself unable to control its whole population. The lack of a clear, sustaining center of authority in Igbo society may be the quality that decided Achebe to draw his title from the Yeats poem, "The Second Coming." The key phrase of the poems reads, "Things fall apart; the center cannot hold."

Underlying the aforementioned cultural themes is a theme of fate , or destiny. This theme is also played at the individual and societal levels. In the story, readers are frequently reminded about this theme in references to chi , the individual's personal god as well as his ultimate capability and destiny. Okonkwo, at his best, feels that his chi supports his ambition: "When a man says yes, his chi says yes also" (Chapter 4). At his worst, Okonkwo feels that his chi has let him down: His chi "was not made for great things. A man could not rise beyond the destiny of his chi. . . . Here was a man whose chi said nay despite his own affirmation" (Chapter 14).

At the societal level, the Igbos' lack of a unifying self-image and centralized leadership as well as their weakness in the treatment of some of their own people — both previously discussed — suggest the inevitable fate of becoming victim to colonization by a power eager to exploit its resources.

In addition to the three themes discussed in this essay, the thoughtful reader will probably be able to identify other themes in the novel: for example, the universality of human motives and emotions across cultures and time, and the need for balance between individual needs and community needs.

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Things Fall Apart Essays

Things Fall Apart Essays (Examples)

661 results for “Things Fall Apart” .

Things Fall Apart

Things Fall Apart What falls apart and why? The title of Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart refers mainly to the integrity of the Nigerian tribal cultures: to their customs, traditions, and ways of life, all of which fall apart as the result of internal and external conflicts. In Okonkwo's personal life, a series of unfortunate events lead to his loss of personal integrity and his eventual psychological destruction. The gradual yet dramatic falling apart of Okonkwo parallels the falling apart of his community. Okonkwo's beating his wife during the Week of Peace denoted a clear violation of sacred tradition. Okonkwo's respect for tradition diminishes further throughout the novel and culminates in his killing Ikemefuna. The murder of his foster son was not an ordinary moral transgression, but also an affront to the wisdom of the tribal elders and their spiritual oracles. Things really fall apart for Okonkwo and his…

Things Fall Apart' Is Not

The unpolluted picture of Ibo people comes to life with the helps of such things as the detailed description of New Yam Festival that opens Chapter 5. While some things may appear corny and affected such as sentences like this one: "Drums beat violently, and men leaped up and down in a frenzy" [86], most of the comments are meant to highlight the true meaning of these otherwise demeaning observations. The author explains what beating of drums meant for the people and how it resonated with the true spirit and pulse of the village: The drums were still beating, persistent and unchanging. Their sound was no longer a separate thing from the living village. It was like the pulse of its heart. It throbbed in the air, in the sunshine, and even in the trees, and filled the village with excitement [31]. Achebe also carefully studies tribal myths to understand…

Things Fall Apart Turning and

" Okonkwo inflexible traditionalism pitted him against his gentle son Nwoye, who joined the Christian European missionaries. In the book, Oknokwo had to participate in a ceremonial human sacrifice and endure a seven-year exile after his gun accidentally killed the son of the deceased warrior Ezeudu. He also lost part of himself when he lost Ikemefuna. Upon returning to the village, he found it torn apart by Western Imperialism. Finally, he commits suicide after decapitating a white messenger who violated his authority. Okonokwo's demise was brought about by breaking the sacred laws of the clan as well as unsuccessfully fighting against the unjust system of the colonists. He stands as a representation of his entire clan and other similar cultures who, through the centuries, have lost their traditions through the assault of Imperialism. Achebe's book demonstrates that humanity, in both its best and worst cases, is represented in all cultures.…

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Fawcett Press, 1959.

____. "The Role of the Writer in a New Nation." African Writers on African Writing. Ed. G.D. Killam. Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 1978. 7-13.

Isichei, Elizabeth. Ibo and Christian Beliefs: Some Aspects of a Theological Encounter. African Affairs 68.271 (1969): 121-134.

Leonard, A.G. The Lower Niger and its Tribes. London: MacMillan, 1906.

Things Fall Apart Is a

Therefore, Okonkwo rejected his father, and hence, the womanly element of himself. He turned out to be a leading wrestler and warrior in his people to make available the facilities of life for his family at a very small age. Simultaneously, he established a new farm and began to collect his own riches, and ultimately a name. His uphill struggle confirms itself in his victory, and he rapidly became well-known and appreciated in his tribe for his devotion and leadership qualities. Having achieved wealth, wives and children, he considered that he has controlled over his father's womanly mistakes. His great dream was to develop into one of the influential elders of the tribe and at a point he successfully achieved that goal. Okonkwo felt steady and safe in his way of manliness in its edges. Nevertheless, it shortly turned out to be obvious that not everything was perfect. His son,…

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Anchor Books, 1994.

Iyase-re, Solomon Ogbede. Understanding Things Fall Apart.Troy, N.Y.: Whitston Pub. Co, 1998.

Larson, Charles R. The Emergence of African Fiction. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1972.

Ogede, Ode. Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. Reader's guides. London: Continuum, 2007.

Things Fall Apart Hubris and the Suicide

Things Fall Apart Hubris and the Suicide of Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart This novel by Chinua Achebe was first published in 1958. Set on the continent of Africa this is the story of Okonkwo, a member of the Umuofia clan, one of nine villages of a tribe in Nigeria. Okonkwo is an esteemed tribesman who, despite the stigma of his cowardly father who died in disgrace leaving many unsettled debts behind, has achieved wealth and respect through hard work and self-reliance. Okonkwo worries that his son, Nwoye, will end up a failure like his father. His favorite daughter, Ezinma, is the only child of Ekwefi. She is more like her father in spirit and Okonkwo often wishes she had been born a boy. The story centers on the events that surround Okonkwo during the course of his life and the self-realizations that lead him to take his…

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1992.

Asamoah-Gyadu, J. Kwabena. "The Evil You Have Done Can Ruin the Whole Clan: African Cosmology, Community, and Christianity in Achebe's Things Fall Apart." Studies in World Christianity.Vol. 16, Issue 1. 2010: 46- 62. 4 September 2011.

Dannenbeg. Hilary. "The Many Voices of Things Fall Apart." Interventions: The International Journal of Postcolonial Studies.Vol. 11, Issue 2. July 2009: 176- 179. 4 September 2011.

Things Fall Apart Who Is

Smith hates the Igbo faith so much that he equates it to the Baal and the followers of Baal in the Biblical Old Testament. He has strict policy over conversion to Christianity such that any elder to decides to get converted to Christian faith must immediately abandon the traditional ways and follow Christianity only. His cruelty and strictness to the abandoning of all Igbo traditional ways is seen when he suspends a woman from the church for having fulfilled the traditional ways of handling a dead Ogbanje child who had to have some rituals conducted in order to avoid another Ogbanje from being born. From the contributions and character traits of the two preachers, it is seen that Mr. Brown makes a better preacher and influences more people into Christianity without much violence than everend Smith does, hence making Mr. Brown a more successful preacher here. Who makes a better…

Achebe Chinua,(1958). Things Fall Apart. New York: First Anchor Books, 1994.

Things Fall Apart if Okonkwo

The best members of African youth are destroyed or ignored. Although he is African, because he is a member of a rival clan, Ikemefuna, is killed, when the energies of the Umuofians would be better spent resisting white influence. Because she is a woman, the noble and stalwart Ezinma is not valued, although her father loves her almost as if she were a son. A final interpretation might be that the best of any society lack all conviction in the sense that it is better not to embody either extreme, either the hyper-masculinity of Okonkwo or the laziness of Unoka, or the utter certainty that there is only one valid faith like the Reverend Smith. Instead one ought to follow a middle path like Ikemefuna, who is able to see past clan differences from an early age, and find a balanced way of being an African man. Sadly, the passionate…

Things Fall Apart as Tragedy

For this reason, he is a tragic hero according to Aristotle's definition of the word. Aristotle believed tragedies must "imitate actions which excite pity and fear" (Aristotle). This involves the hero to suffer a change, which usually means going from good fortune to misfortune through the course of the story. Like real life, all things are not all good or all bad. Aristotle believed "misfortune is brought about not by vice or depravity, but by some error or frailty" (Aristotle XIII). In addition, this change is the result of something the hero does. Aristotle believed it was necessary for the hero to comprehend the gravity of what he has done. This forces him to realize his fatal flaw. A catharsis follows this realization and it heightens the drama of the story. Aristotle believed the best effect results from a surprise. In this way, action drives the plot and keeps the…

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Anchor Books. 1959.

Aristotle. "Poetics." S.H. Butcher, Trans. MIT Internet Classics Archive. Site Accessed April 05, 2011.

Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe's

Moreover, the unquestioned belief in the oracle's word conflicts with Okonkwo's own needs to solidify his family's political leadership and social standing in the tribe. Okonkwo's desire to redeem himself and his family name proves stronger than his respect for the oracle. Thus, Okonkwo at once seeks to preserve the political institutions of Umuofia culture while at the same time subverting core social and spiritual traditions. He wants to retain his position as political leader and establish his adopted son Ikemefuma as his heir. Yet Okonkwo disrespects social traditions like the Week of Peace and religious traditions like obeying the oracle. Interestingly, the oracle's word proves superior to that of Okonkwo. Achebe suggests that the old tribal ways may in fact bear significant wisdom. Umuofia religious traditions were falling apart even before Christianity infiltrated African society with the European missionaries. Umuofia social structure is tied together by the dual pillars…

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Things Fall Apart All classical heroes have tragic flaws. In the case of Okonkwo, the protagonist in Chinau Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart, heroism is demonstrated by his position of leadership and power in his community and his allegiance to tradition. However, Okonkwo's flaws haunt him, his family and his clansmen throughout the tale. Okonkwo's key flaws are his intense pride and anger. These tragic flaws lead to the death of two children and to his committing suicide at the end of the book. Okonkwo's excessive need to prove his worth over that of his lazy father and his consequential expectations and projections onto his son and community cause his downfall and are the source of his tragic flaw. Ironically, it is the young men of his clan, especially his son and Ikemefuna, that most inspire Okonkwo to act as a true leader and hero. Okonkwo hopes to embody an…

Things Fall Apart by Chinua

This was especially important to the reading because it also showed that the natives wanted to get along with the whites, but the whites were far less interested in getting along with the natives - they simply wanted to dominate and control them. It was hard not to think about this story after it was done. The Nigerians lived hard lives, but it is clear they were happy. It was hard not to wonder why the whites felt such a need to control them and take over their land and their lives. It was also hard to read what the natives went through, and how they lost people because of misunderstandings and other problems. This certainly was not a happy story to read, but it was very well written, and the images of the natural world were often beautiful. Achebe is doing more than telling a story in this tale,…

The Bedford Anthology of World Literature: The Twentieth Century, 1900-the Present. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2003.

Achebe puts it this way, "Okonkwo encouraged the boys to sit with him in his obi, and he told them stories of the land -- masculine stories of violence and bloodshed" (Achebe 52). Okonkwo represents all men in society who are so obsessed with their own manliness that they can never allow themselves any emotion, caring, or concern. Sadly, these archaic attitudes are still not uncommon in today's society, and Okonkwo illustrates just how outdated and ridiculous they really are. The women of the tribe are often silent, and they play a very minor role in the book. This is true of the society as well. Achebe did not even give some of the women names. Women were simply not as important in Ibo society as men, but they did have some vital roles, and some of the men knew they could learn from the women. Okonkwo did not, and…

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Fawcett, 1978.

Aji, Aron, and Kirstin Lynne Ellsworth. "Ezinma: the Ogbanje Child in Achebe's 'Things Fall Apart'." College Literature 20.1 (1993): 170-175.

Alidou, Ousseina D., and Alamin M. Mazrui. "Secrets: Farah's 'Things Fall Apart'." Research in African Literatures 31.1 (2000): 122-128.

Begam, Richard. "Achebe's Sense of an Ending: History and Tragedy in 'Things Fall Apart'." Studies in the Novel 29.3 (1997): 396+.

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Specifically

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Specifically, it will evaluate how the arrival of the Europeans in Nigeria transformed everyday life for the Nigerian villagers. It will present an argument about whether, overall, these changes improved society as a whole. The arrival of the white man in Nigeria spelled the end of a way of life for the Ibo, and the other native tribes in the area. The white men required strict control over the natives, and wanted to make them "white" in almost every sense. In doing so, they took away the natives natural and simple way of life, and "things fell apart." Things Fall Apart Achebe's "Things Fall Apart" is the story of the native Ibo people who live in what is now Nigeria, and the invasion of Europeans into their ordered and happy lives. Much of the tale involves the natives endeavoring to interact with the white…

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and

Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, and "Tintern Abbey," by William Wordsworth. Specifically, it will analyze imagery (metaphor, simile, symbol, etc.), and discuss the ways in which the imagery of these texts creates relationships either between humans and nature, or between humans and the divine. What kind of relationship is created by the imagery in each case, and how? How do the details of the two texts' imagery create differences and/or similarities in the relationships you're discussing? Imagery in a piece of writing may not be apparent at first, it may hide underneath the theme and structure of the piece, but unlike landscape to a blind eye, imagery can be seen by reading a little more closely, and taking the time to really think about what the author was trying to say with his or her work. LANDSCAPE TO A BLIND MAN Imagery plays an important part in much of…

Achebe, Chinua. "Things Fall Apart." The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Ed. Maynard Mack et al. Expanded edition in one volume. New York W.W. Norton, 1997. 2931-3030.

Wordsworth, William. "Tintern Abbey." The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Ed. Maynard Mack et al. Expanded edition in one volume. New York W.W. Norton, 1997. 2273-79.

Things Fall Apart the Author Chinua Achebe

Things Fall Apart" the author, Chinua Achebe, offers a unique perspective on Africa and the effect of European civilization on Africa. The story is told with a focus on the central character, Okonkwo. This focus gives the book a definite sense of reality, makes the theme of the tragedy of the change more forceful and also says something greater about all societies. We will begin by giving a brief overview of the story, especially the story of Okonkwo. We will then discuss the sense of reality, the themes and the tragedy of the story and finally the greater meaning of the novel. The Story of Okonkwo The book starts by telling Okonkwo's story and his rise to the top of his African tribe. At the same time, his story also tells us about African culture. Without needing to lecture on the subject, the reader becomes aware of the traditions of…

Things Fall Apart the Role

In times of trouble and cultural breakdown dominant figures often seek out the most vulnerable of members to rail against and yet Achebe does not give evidence to this effect. He does not depict women or other marginalized members of the society as receiving punishment or objectification, outside ordinary levels, and yet the objectification and violence is extreme. If this inclusion had been made the filter of the work could be broadened to demonstrate that the breakdown of the culture included the demonstrative objectification of women, as the marginalized and therefore abused group, yet it does not. The Igbo culture is depicted as wholly patriarchal as objectification of women and violence against women is supported by Achebe's depiction of the culture not as a culture in decline but as part of the culture that will be lost under colonialism. Gender is clearly defined by the novel as wholly patriarchal, in…

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Oxford: Heinemann, 1996.

Mohan, Rajeswari. "Dodging the Crossfire: Questions for Postcolonial Pedagogy." College Literature 20.1 (1993): 28-44.

Osei-Nyame, Kwadwo. "Chinua Achebe Writing Culture: Representations of Gender and Tradition in Things Fall Apart." Research in African Literatures a.2 (1999): 148-164.

Stratton, Florence. Contemporary African Literature and the Politics of Gender. New York: Routledge, 1994.

Things Fall Apart Gender Roles and Toxic Masculinity

The 1958 novel, Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, follows the life of the protagonist, Okonkwo, a leader and a local athletic hero in a made-up Nigerian hamlet, named Umuofia. The novel is divided into three very distinct sections— the first which examines the family of the hero, another his personal perspective and lineage along with the current societal customs, the following sections look at the influence of outsiders on the village such as colonists from the United Kingdom and missionaries of the Christian faith. Despite these clear separations within the book, there is a consistent treatment of gender and gender roles that paint a disturbing picture. Achebe’s novel shows the scathing legacy of destruction that strict gender roles can unleash upon society. The strict divisions of gender and gendered work, along with gendered roles in society, are one of the ways this society manifests fear. Rather than confronting the…

Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe before referencing Things Fall Apart: Still relevant to Africa today The postcolonial classic Things Fall Apart by Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe shows both the cruelty of British colonialism and the folly of oppressed African peoples' inability to unite with one another across tribal lines. In the novel, the tribal patriarch Okonkwo of the Umuofia tribe attempts to exert total control over his entire village and family. He is rich and prosperous, and dominates his father Unoka, who represents the sensitive, artistic side of African traditions. Okonkwo, because of his desire to seem masculine and authoritative, rejects the children who actually show promise to lead the tribe into the future. He kills his foster son Ikemefuna, because this is in accordance with tribal law, even though he and the boy are both Africans, although they are rival clans. Although his daughter Ezinma is far more…

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Heinemann, 1996.

Things Fall Apart Okonkwo's Suicide

He does not hesitate to host Ikemefuna when his tribe provides him with this task and he even takes part in murdering the child when the tribe's elders decide that he should die. Even with that, it appears that Okonkwo's fate is sealed and that he has limited control over what happens to him. Okonkwo cannot stand by and watch as his village's values are being trampled by men that have nothing to do with his clan or his lands. Upon seeing that his tribesmen are reluctant to join him at the time when he slays a messenger, Okonkwo realizes that the battle is lost and decides that he can no longer live in a world where everything that he respects is destroyed both by his people and by the invading white individuals. On the other hand, the man's death can also be perceived as proof that people are unable…

Achebe, Chinua, "Things fall apart," Heinemann, 1996.

Empowerment through Creation and Protection: The Role of Women in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a depiction of the tragic life of Okonkwo, the main character. Many elements combine to result in the tragic end of the book, as well as the end of the traditional ways of Okonkwo's Ibo tribe. The major contributing factor to this demise is the arrival of Western missionaries. The foreign beliefs and customs imposed upon the tribe change them forever, effectively destroying the social structure they have built up. This traditional social structure involves specific roles assigned to men and women respectively. Men are to be involved in politics and hunting, while women are creatively involved in the household environment and childbirth. While to the western eye then it would appear that women are inexcusably abused in the Ibo culture, these women do use their traditional roles to wield subtle power in…

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1958.

Chun, June. "The Role of Women in Things Fall Apart" 1990. http://www.scholars.nus.edu.sg/landow/post/nigeria/women.html

White, Annie. "Things Fall Apart: The Role of Women." Classic Notes, 1999. http://www.gradesaver.com/ClassicNotes/Titles/things/essays/essay1.html

Today, most Americans do not socialize with their neighbors, or depend on them for their entertainment and friendship, and so, modern culture differs greatly from this clan-like village culture. eligion was important to the Ibo, and their belief in spirits often appears in the novel. Their religious beliefs centered on signs and spirits, as this passage clearly indicates. "The Oracle said to him, 'Your dead father wants you to sacrifice a goat to him'" (Achebe 15). While religion was important to them, it was certainly not the same form of religion as modern Christianity and other beliefs. It is based in superstition and oral tradition, and on a set of spirits who rule over all areas of life. The Ibo also practice sacrifice, which is certainly not a part of modern American society. These beliefs seem pagan-like to modern cultures, and probably would not be accepted by most modern Americans.…

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Oxford: Heinemann Publishers, 1958, 1986.

Booker, M. Keith, and Simon Gikandi, eds. The Chinua Achebe Encyclopedia. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2003.

Brians, Paul. "Things Fall Apart Study Guide." Washington State University. 13 Dec. 2005. 21 June 2006.

A https://www.wsu.edu/~brians/anglophone/achebe.html

Things Fall Apart in the

Okonkwo seems full of passionate intensity to preserve things as they are, and to preserve his sense of masculine, patriarchal authority. But although this sense of passion seems to have its origin sense of nostalgia for traditional forms of control, it is also too tied up the man's ego to be called a conviction. A true conviction about justice is not self-interested. It is also worth remembering that Okonkwo's father did not embody such authority within his own family structure, thus Okonkwo partly wishes to defy his own family's tradition. And Okonkwo's sense of wishing to preserve the positive aspects of his personal authority does not mean that he is not willing to kill his adopted son, for fear of looking weak, even though this hurts the tribe's future. Thus Okonkwo lacks convictions that transcend the self, and denies such positive self-sacrificing values as feminine.

things fall apart novel analysis

Chinua Achebe’s classic novel Things Fall Apart describes a critical juncture in Igbo society: the first point of contact with missionaries. Even prior to their arrival, the protagonist of the story, Okonkwo, contends with both personal and collective crises in his community. Okonkwo “was well known throughout the nine villages and beyond,” an introduction to a man whose power and prestige have become the cornerstones of his identity (Achebe, 1958, p. 1). However, Achebe (1958) also describes Okonkwo’s dark side: his severity, the way he would “pounce on people,” acting with violence and aggression to achieve his egoistic goals (Achebe, 1958, p. 1). As the community of Umuofia falls apart due to historical changes, external threats, and a leadership crisis, Okonkwo also falls apart due to his own existential crisis. Things Fall Apart has a strong ethical overtone, offering the reader insight into Igbo society but also into universal norms…

Things Fall Apart Achebe

Things Fall Apart" Achebe before referencing Things Fall Apart: Summary Things Fall Apart is the story of the tribal leader Okonkwo of the Umuofia tribe. At the beginning of the story, Okonkwo is rich and has three wives. He rules his family with an iron fist because he does not want to be like his father Unoka. At one point he beats his youngest wife so severely that even the masculine, patriarchal tribe is shocked. Okonkwo is always compensating for his impoverished childhood, which he sees as the fault of his spendthrift father. Although Unoka was a great musician, he was also undisciplined with his money, and Okonkwo wants to show his clansmen that he is strong. Okonkwo is ashamed of his oldest son Nwoye, who he sees as weak, and too much like the boy's grandfather. Okonkwo's daughter Ezinma is far stronger in temperament than Nwoye, and Okonkwo favors…

things fall apart achebe character analysis

Chinua Achebe presents an archetypal patriarchal warrior with the character of Okonkwo in the novel Things Fall Apart. Okonkwo is described as being “well known,” his fame being based on quintessential masculine feats like winning wrestling tournaments and having many wives. A round character, rather than a dynamic one, Okonkwo also epitomizes the classical tragic hero whose hubris and stubbornness prevent him from changing or recognizing what he could do to better lead his people. Achebe uses traditional storytelling methods and a straightforward narrative style to elucidate the main elements of his protagonist. The reader therefore gleans information about Okonkwo primarily through the narrator’s direct descriptions of the protagonist’s actions, reactions, and words. Motivated by the desire to maintain power and to fulfill patriarchal roles and norms in his society, Okonkwo ends up committing egregious ethical wrongs in order to achieve his egotistical goals, and in the end of the…

things fall apart literary analysis

Okonkwo, the protagonist of Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart, exemplifies the traits of a classic tragic hero. Determined to cling to the past and its out-dated traditions and social norms, Okonkwo uses violence to maintain his power and prestige in the community. As a result, he is a feared leader even more than an effective one. Through the character of Okonkwo and the setting of the Nigerian village, author Chinua Achebe shows how things fall apart when leaders resist change. Things Fall Apart has several interrelated themes, the most notable of which is linked to the title. Okonkwo believes that in order to be an effective leader, he must use violence and aggression instead of methods that promote peace and collaboration. He understandably resists the colonial influences on his village, but fails to provide his fellow people with a viable alternative they can embrace. As a result of his…

Emergence of Colonial Resistance in Things Fall Apart

Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe is one of the most influential and powerful writers of today, and he is also one of the most widely published writers today. Chinua Achebe has in fact written more than twenty-one novels, and short stories, and books of poetry as well, and his very first landmark work was "Things Fall apart," which was published in the year 1958, when the author was just twenty-eight years old. This work has proved to be popular not only in Nigeria, but also in the whole of Africa, as well as in the rest of the world. Chinua Achebe was born in the year 1930 in Nigeria, as the son of a Christian Churchman and his wife. He attended the Government College in Umuahia, and then went on to University College in Ibadan, after which he went on to the London University, where he received his BA. Chinua…

Chinua Achebe. New York State Writer's Institute. Retrieved From

http://www.albany.edu/writers-inst/achebe.html Accessed 10 August, 2005

Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, Study guide. Retrieved From

http://www.wsu.edu:8000/~brians/anglophone/achebe.html

Culture and Universal Principles in Things Fall Apart

Things Fall Apart and the Issue of Culture From a cultural analysis perspective, the two main cultures represented in Achebe's Things Fall Apart, stem from opposing religious/social positions and both react to and against one another in different ways, as illustrated by the actions of the main character Okonkwo, a native Igbo and leader of his community (violently committed to defending his tribe's ways and culture against other tribes and against the incoming foreign invasion of the Christian missionaries and British soldiers), and by Nwoye, Okonkwo's son who rejects the culture and beliefs of the Ibo tribe and converts to Christianity. The split between father and son represents the split at the heart of the novel between two cultures and two worldviews; neither is without its flaws and both speak to different matters of the heart and head. However, the irreconcilable differences that arise between the meeting of the two…

Achebe, C. (1996). Things Fall Apart, Expanded Edition. UK: Heinemann.

Caldwell, R. (2005). Things fall apart? Discourses on agency and change in organizations. Human Relations, 58(1): 83-114.

Gilbert, A. (1989). Things Fall Apart? Psychological theory in the context of rapid social change. South African Journal of Psychology, 19(2): 91-100.

Langford, T. (1999). Things fall apart: State failure and the politics of intervention.

CC Mandabi-Things Fall Apart a

] [4: Ibid.] In Things Fall Apart, the reader can see how the ritish and French began to institute their governing and belief systems. Achebe writes, "[Apart] from the church, the white men had also brought a government. They had built a court where the District Commissioner judges cases in ignorance" and the prisons were "full of men who had offended against the white man's law." [footnoteRef:5] Furthermore, Achebe comments on the integrity of men before the white man began to institute his laws and traditions. In Things Fall Apart, Okwonko laments, "Worthy men are no more…Isike will never forget how we slaughtered them in that war…efore the end of the fourth market week they were suing for peace. Those were the days when men were men."[footnoteRef:6] Ibrahima's ability to cash the money order is hindered by a corrupt bureaucratic process with which Ibrahima is unfamiliar with, and which ultimately…

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. 1959. http://l-adam-mekler.com/things-fall-apart.pdf

(accessed 8 April 2013).

Mandabi (the Money Order). Directed by Ousmane Sembene. 1968. Senegal: New Yorker

Video. Netflix Instant Streaming (accessed 7 April 2013).

Second Coming Things Fall Apart

They are rocked by a hand of fear, not motherly nurturance. They are obsessed by their fears, of becoming like his father in the case of Okonkwo and of not becoming like his father in Nwoye's instance. However, Nwyoe, because of the cultural and political shifts endured by his native land, has another framework of self-definition that his father lacks -- the availability of another culture, namely that of the Christian missionaries who have come to the country. To find a new identity, Nwyoe literally as well as metaphorically slouches towards Bethlehem. Within the foreign doctrine of Christianity Nwoye finds a prop for his sense of self against which his father's African nationalism and masculinity ultimately proves to be powerless. Through the weakness advocated by Christianity (a false weakness, given the overarching ambitions of the missionaries to convert all African natives) Nwoye finally finds strength that his father's worldview cannot…

Chinchua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

But such a violent and unexpected murder, and to come in such a very uncivilized manner! According to what the other men told me, there was absolutely no provocation or intimidation -- they simply told the assembly to disperse, and one of them that had been in jail yesterday simply started hacking him to pieces with a machete. The other men were understandably shaken, and I cannot say I blame them. We must all thank God that they were able to escape with their lives, though it does seems that only this one individual displayed such extreme rage. Still, I do not relish my duty now. Like Daniel walking right into the lion's den -- except he had a king who threw him in, and I have only the weight of history and the advancement of proper civilization pushing me forward. And the lions Daniel faced were never so dangerous,…

Colonial Resistance in Thing Fall Apart

Colonial Resistance in Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe was born in Ogidi, Nigeria, and his father was a teacher in a missionary school. His parents were devout evangelical Protestants and christened him Albert after Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, although they installed in him many of the values of their traditional Igbo culture. He attended University College in Ibadan, where he studied English, history and theology. At the university Achebe rejected his ritish name and took his indigenous name Chinua. In 1953 he graduated with a A, and later studied broadcasting at the C where, in 1961, he became the first Director of External roadcasting at the Nigerian roadcasting Corporation. In 1944 Achebe attended Government College in Umuahia. He was also educated at the University College of Ibadan, like other major Nigerian writers including John Okigbo, Wole Soyinka, John Pepper Clark, Elechi Amadi, and Cole Omotso. There he studied…

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1958.

Balint-Kurti, Daniel. "Novelist rejects national honors to protest conditions in Nigeria." Chicago Sun-Times. 18 October 2004. 4 August 2005 .

Bowen, Roger. "Speaking Truth to Power: An Interview with Chinua Achebe." Academe. Jan/Feb 2005. 4 August 2005 .

Gallagher, Susan VanZanten. "Linguistic power: encounter with Chinua Achebe - Nigerian writer." Christian Century. 12 March 1997. 4 August 2005 .

Okonkwo the Novel Things Fall Apart by

Okonkwo The novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a story about the culture clash that occurs when white colonizers arrived on the African continent and attempted to force the indigenous population to accept the empirical culture. hen the white people arrived in Africa, they perpetrated a campaign of superiority upon the indigenous peoples. They enslaved Africans and forcibly shipped them to toil on plantations for the rest of their lives. They also attempted to convert people from their native religions and force them into accepting Christianity. ith this set up, it would be easy to make all white characters evil and all the African characters as purely good. However, Achebe does not do this. Instead the main character Okonkwo is a troubled, "problematic" hero who performs actions which are not at all heroic or good which makes him more complex and ultimately more real which is shown in…

Achebe, Chinua, and Abiola Irele. Things Fall Apart: Authoritative Text, Contexts and Criticism.

New York: W.W. Norton &, 2009. Print.

Female Characters Things Fall Apart

"ould you like a white woman ongee?" Jimmie asked. "Don't seem ter make their cow-cockies happy, having white woman for 'is wife. hy else he come after black girls? Must be sum'pin to white women we ain't been told" (p. 11). The implication drawn from ongee is that aboriginal females are sexier than white women, but Jimmie is sexually attracted to the white woman. On page 12 ongee describes an aboriginal woman who "Yawns for men and not with her mouth. She weeps for men and not with her eyes. She drinks men down, she is cave for men," he said, laughing. In Caledonian that Saturday night Jimmie "suddenly" was "pouring himself without joy into one of the women" while laying in the long grass so police wouldn't see them. The next time readers confront an image of an aboriginal females (p. 20) Jimmie "lay down with a scrawny gin…

Hickling-Hudson, Anne. "White construction of black identity in Australian films about

Aborigines. Literature Film Quarterly 18.4 (1990): 263-275.

Keneally, Thomas. The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith. New York: The Viking Press, 1972.

Comparing Things Fall Apart by Achebe and Nectar in a Sieve by Markandaya

Role of omen in African and Indian Society Both Things Fall Apart and Nectar in a Sieve weave rather vivid imagery of the life of women in the traditional, patriarchal society of Africa and India during the colonial period. The vividness of the images of cultures where a great deal of importance was placed on women bearing sons and devoting their lives to the care of their families, leads the modern day reader to easily conclude that women in traditional African and Indian cultures were without any voice and far too oppressed. hile there is ample evidence in both works to validate such a conclusion, there is a strong case to counter argue that women in both works are also shown as playing an important social role and depicted as possessing a great deal of strength of character. For one, women in African and Indian rural cultures seem to have…

Achebe, Chinua. "Things Fall Apart." Oxford: Heinemann, 1986.

Markandaya, K. "Nectar in a Sieve." New York: The John Day Company, 1954

Othello Things Fall Apart

Humanities 202 FINAL EXAM Emilia: the wife of Iago. She provides the handkerchief for her husband, unwittingly facilitating Iago's orchestrated revenge upon Othello. However, she sympathizes with Desdemona, regarding all men as savages. She represents the ugly side of Iago's view of women, as there are hints Iago has abused her and he openly treats her cruelly when she irritates him -- eventually he kills her when she reveals his scheme. Roderigo: a commoner who foolishly and hopelessly loves Desdemona, and stupidly trusts Iago. Like Othello, he also is desperate to advance in society and subject to the green-eyed monster of jealousy over a woman. Like Iago he is also jealous of those of more military advancement than himself. Cassio: Michael Cassio is the man who Othello promotes to lieutenant rather than Iago at the beginning of the play. He is handsome and dashing, even though he is less experienced…

Thus, the "ceremony of innocence" by which the boy was received into the tribe is now replaced with violence. Okonkwo, even though he loves the boy, kills him to avoid seeming weak. Yeats' slow-moving rough beast with a lion's body but the head of a man may seem to represent Okonkwo, at first, in Achebe's novel, given Okonkwo's violence towards other people in the novel. But while Okonkwo is certainly rough, and unable to appreciate feminine and humane values, as embodied, for example, in his wife's tribe or in the missionaries his son turns to for guidance, the coming colonial influence to Africa could also be characterized as a beast. The beast moves slowly, and is at first imperceptible to the tribesmen who are concerned with their own internal disputes, but gradually the political and religious worldview of outsiders subsume the home-grown tribal ideology of the past. orks Cited Achebe,…

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Heinemann, 1996.

Fall Aristotle on Things Fall

This tragic flaw is very clearly apparent in Okonkwo, the protagonist of Achebe's Things Fall Apart. He is very strong and very masculine according to the expectations of his people, and this both helps him to win success amongst his people despite the shame of his family background -- his father was not well respected in the community -- and causes him to be banished from the villages. This banishment somewhat ironically -- though in a perfect twist for a tragic plot -- weakens the villages and enables the white newcomers' ways to dominate the society, which ultimately leads to Okonkwo's "weak" death at his own hands. The beginning of the change can be seen when Okonkwo convinces himself to take part in the ritual slaying of a kidnapped boy from another village, despite warnings that he should avoid participation: "When did you become a shivering old woman,' Okonkwo asked…

Opening Scenes of Things Fall

In revenge, Okonkwo extracts the payment of the young boy Ikemefuna, to whom he gives to his first wife to raise. Taking the 'riches' of the competing Mbiano clan are equated with taking representatives of their next generation. This anxiety over the next generation is seen in Okonkwo's treatment of his first-born, biological son, whom he fears will be weak like the boy's grandfather. Okonkwo clearly fears a crisis of leadership in the next generation, and he associates leadership skills with physical excellence and bravery, as this has gained him his status within his world. However, despite the emphasis on fighting ability, there is clearly another side to the Umuofia, as Okonkwo's father's gifts are valued and even warring tribes are able to exchange kola nuts and drink palm wine together in a symbolic exchange of hospitality. Finally, the conflict is not settled through war, and the young Ikemefuna is…

Causes Relationships to Fall Apart it Happens

Causes elationships to Fall Apart It happens to us all -- that moment when our knees get weak from the sight of someone else; that split second that it seems like nothing else in the entire world matters; that instant when all seems right in the world, and we hope and pray that it never changes. Most everyone remember those beginning stages in a relationship where everything in the universe is absolutely, irrevocably, fearlessly perfect, right? So how do all of those feelings, thoughts, moments of pure bliss take a gut wrenching nose dive for the worse? Why do people fall out of love? How do people go from being love drunk to those month long purging sessions to rid themselves of the toxins that once were our former soul mates? It happens, even to the best of us, even to those of us who attempt to make every wrong…

Baxter, L.A., & Braithwaite, D.O. (2008). Interpersonal communication: evolving interpersonal relationships. Los Angeles: Sage Publications. http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=aaD9iVgxpE4C&oi=fnd&pg=PR13&dq=Interpersonal+communication+:+evolving+interpersonal+relationships&ots=sI36504Nzv&sig=WLjMoUxRflWxRn6YTf7Hkbfhghg#v=onepage&q&f=false

Harvey, J.H., & Wenzel, A. (2001). Close romantic relationships: maintenance and enhancement. Mahwah, N.J: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=knWespEJEncC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=Close+romantic+relationships+:+maintenance+and+enhancement&ots=Cqv3DKeRC5&sig=Ik894HW_i7oiC5nQUrr8A1uR4LA#v=onepage&q&f=false

Kalbfleisch, P.J. (1993). Interpersonal communication: evolving interpersonal relationships. Hillsdale, N.J: Lawrence Erlbaum.

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=HWLXu63TQWQC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=Engaging+theories+in+interpersonal+communication+:+multiple+perspectives&ots=-C4Hjy8hzt&sig=DphRi4xnkfdGngCGYySqXh8Ubmw#v=onepage&q&f=false

Strength in Themes of Modernist Poetry Things

Strength in Themes of Modernist Poetry Things fall apart, the center cannot hold," wrote Yeats of the modern, human condition. Yeats later poetic vision highlights a central notion in much of modern poetic philosophy, namely that the old ideological and religious structures have begun to unravel in modern life. hat ideologies that once held up the human form and human social norms are no more, in the face of modern war and destruction. The title of this poem "The Second Coming" refers to the fact that the awaited solution to the crisis, that of the second coming of the Messiah, seems no where to be found, and while human beings wait for meaning, it seems to be no where, and all human strength is lost. However, not all of modern poetry is absent of answers of the lack of strength in the face of the bleak crisis of hopelessness, of…

Dickinson, Emily. "I felt a funeral in my brain." http://swc2.hccs.cc.tx.us/htmls/rowhtml/dickinson/emily02.htm. On April 19, 2004

Pound, Ezra. "Fan Piece, for her Imperial Lord." Retrieved at http://www.theotherpages.org/poems/pound01.html . On April 19, 2004.

Yeats, W.B. "The Second Coming." Retrieved at http://www.poets.org/poems/poems.cfm?prmID=1369 on April 19, 2004.

Fall 2015 Fashion Trends

Fall Trends for 2015 Christian Dior, which is commonly known as Dior, is a luxury goods firm that has developed over the years to become an important part of LVMH, which is the largest luxury group in the world. The company, which is headquartered in France, was founded in 1946 by Christian Dior, a designer who the company was named after. Since its inception, Dior has experienced tremendous growth and profitability over the years to become a leading company in the fashion design industry. Currently, Dior designs and retails a wide range of products including leather goods, jewelry, fashion accessories, make-up, footwear, ready-to-wear goods, fragrance, and skincare products. As part of designing and retailing these products, Dior operates several labels for men and children's wear products while retaining its Christian Dior label mostly to women's products. The company not only sells its products online but also throughout its wide range…

Annual Report 2014. LVMH Group. accessed September 27, 2015. http://r.lvmh-

static.com/uploads/2015/04/lvmh_ra2014_gb.pdf

Fashion Color Report Fall 2015. Pantone Color Institute Volume 43. accessed September 27,

2015. http://www.pantone.com/downloads/support/FCR/PANTONE-Fashion-Color-Report-Fall-2015.pdf

Film Critique Do the Right Thing

Spike Lee demonstrates his filmmaking prowess in his 1989 film Do the Right Thing. As with most of Lee's work, race relations are central to the story. With Do the Right Thing, Lee presents a bleak view of the nature and future of cross-cultural relationships in urban America. Mookie (played by Spike Lee) is a twenty-something African-American pizza delivery man. He works for Sal's Pizzeria, an establishment in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, which is a predominantly black neighborhood. Mookie and Sal, despite their differences, reveal a remarkably similar worldview as the film progresses, and especially in their inability to resolve the racial tension that emerges in the film. Mookie and Sal develop a decent professional relationship, yet both retain lingering feelings of resentment toward the "other." Spike Lee does a remarkable job portraying mutual feelings of "otherness" in Do the Right Thing. The writer/director/actor shows that racism exists on…

Falls Great Falls One Form

The 1960's saw the rise of the feminist movement and the demand of equal rights for women. Suddenly women were faced with an array of new possibilities outside the traditional role of housewife and mother. Many women left the home to take jobs, get educations, and fulfill other dreams; and Jackie's mother was one of those. But the liberation of women from the traditional role of wife and mother meant harm to the traditional family unit, and sometimes that harm could be quite enormous. hile many women decided that a wife and mother could also have a job, get an education, etc., others decided that the family was too much of a burden for them. It was Jack Russell who was forced to make the decision for his wife; she was no longer part of the family. hile she could not bring herself to make the final break and live…

Kittredge, William, and Allen Morris Jones. The Best of Montana's Short Fiction.

Guilford, CT: Lyons, 2004. Print.

Fall Camus's Story the Fall

.. Anyone who has considerably meditated on man, by profession or vocation, is led to feel nostalgia for the primates. They at least don't have any ulterior motives." (Camus, 4) Passion as well might make one authentic, or a true and mindless embrace of any aspect of life. Truthfully, the story does little to present us with true authenticity, because the narrator himself never discovers it. The meaning of this story may seem very difficult to grasp if one makes the assumption that the narrator speaks for the author as a voice of wisdom and reason. Actually, no such assumption needs to be made. Camus is well-known for writing ironic works in which the speaker is not a mouth-piece for virtue. A key to this work may be found in something which Camus wrote shortly before-hand regarding his falling-out with Sartre. "Existentialists! henever they accuse themselves, you can be sure…

Camus, Albert. The Fall. Trans. Justin O'Brien. New York: Vintage Books, 1956

Raskin, Richard. "Camus's Critiques of Existentialism." Minerva - an Internet Journal of Philosophy 4 (2001): 156-165

Exile Literary Characters in Exile Can Be

Exile Literary Characters in Exile Exile can be the self-imposed banishment from one's home or given as a form of punishment. The end result of exile is solitude. Exile affords those in it for infinite reflection of themselves, their choices, and their lives in general. Three prominent literary characters experience exile as part of the overall narrative and in that, reveal a great deal about themselves to themselves as well as to the readers. The three narratives in questions are "The Epic of Gilgamesh," "The Tempest," and "Things Fall Apart." All of the main characters of these narratives experience exile as a result of actions taken by the protagonists at earlier points in the story. The protagonist in each respective story are exiled because of their choices and the exile forces each character to face consequences that ultimately bring their inner character to the surface in a more direct manner…

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: First Anchor Books Edition, 1994.

Mason, Herbert. Gilgamesh A Verse Narrative. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003.

Shakespeare, William. "The Tempest." Ed. Barbara A. Mowat & Paul Werstine. New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 1994.

Sutton, Brian. "Virtue Rather Than Vengeance": Genesis and Shakespeare's The Tempest." Explicator, Vol. 66, No. 4, 224-229.

Violence & Discrimination Against Women

Thus, as Kurtz approached his death, he came upon the realization of this possibility -- a possibility that came true upon his 'defeat' (death). This realization was embodied in his exclamation, "The horror! The horror!" As he neared his death. Explicit violence was, evidently, just a "mask" that colonizers used to cover up their fears of the potential power and control of the natives over them (colonizers). In the same vein, violence was also portrayed in Achebe's "Things Fall Apart," although this was expressed implicitly through the inherent tendency of Africans to view women as the weaker and inferior sex. Okonkwo's behavior towards his wives and daughters showed this animosity between sexes in African culture. However, it was also implicitly shown in the novel how, despite their apparent submissiveness, the women in Okonkwo's life and in the Mbanta tribe showed strength of character and control over males more than the…

Achebe, C. (1994). Things Fall Apart. New York: First Anchor Books.

Conrad, J. E-text of "Heart of Darkness." Available at http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=ConDark.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=all .

Okonkwo Self-Made Man in Chinua

Okonkwo is a typical tribesman living and adapting to his surroundings. He is actually no different from anyone else in that he acts according to his heart. He truly believes he is doing the right thing and that is what matters. Okonkwo is not a bad man; he simply makes mistakes and this makes him human. He does not set out to do evil. Upon hearing about Ezeudu's death, Okonkwo is saddened along with the rest of the tribe. Ezeudu was a noble man in the clan and he was also the oldest tribesman. At the funeral ritual, Okonkwo's gun explodes, killing Ezeudu's son. This is a shocking event because nothing like this had happened before. Okonkwo had to obey tribal law and leave the clan because it was a "crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman's son" (124). The law of the land dictated Okonkwo could return…

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Anchor Books. 1959. Print.

Do Electronic Voting Machines Improve the Voting Process

Things Fall Apart" Achebe before referencing Electronic Voting Machines: Technology's failure to rehabilitate American's confidence in the voting process Theoretically, counting votes should be easy. After all, surely it is simply the accumulation and the verifying of data? However, when America attempted to adopt touch-screen, electronic voting on a wide scale, the result was a fiasco. "There was a wonderful confluence of events. There was a vague product requirement coming from an agency that doesn't really understand technology (the U.S. Congress), foisting a system on other government agencies that may not have asked for it. There was a relatively small time frame for development and a lot of money. Finally, the government did not allow for even the notion of failure. By 2004, darn it, we'd all have touch screen voting" (Cringely, 2003). Congress expected to adopt touch-screen voting on a widespread basis in the next election, after the controversy…

Cringely, Robert. (4Dec 2003). "No Confidence Vote." PBS. Retrieved 19 Feb 2008 at http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2003/pulpit_20031204_000794.html

Kantor, Andrew. (4 Jun 2004). "More Problems Arise with 'black box voting.'

USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/andrewkantor/2004-06-04-kantor_x.htm

Krugman, Paul. (2 Dec 2003). "Hack the Vote." The New York Times. Retrieved 19 Feb 2008 at http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940CE2DF1E3AF931A35751C1A9659C8B63

Psychological Trauma of Colonization the

You drove him to kill himself; and now he will be buried like a dog... " This statement shows that the once great leader is nothing in the eyes of the white colonists. This has a trickle-down affect on those around him. When Okonkwo gave in to the struggle, those around him lost their final hope of every overcoming the colonialists. Through an examination of two African historical novels, one can see many similarities in the psychology of change between colonialism and change management in corporate take-overs. Change begins slowly and there are always some that will readily accept the new regime and others that will put up a resistance. The reasons for resistance to change are similar to corporate change. One can find examples of the same psychological reactions in both novels. The resistance becomes more violent as it loses ground and the total change and loss of familiar…

Achebe, C. Things Fall Apart. New York, NY: Anchor Books.

Ngugi, wa Thiong'o. Petals of Blood. New York, NY: Penguin Books.

Sdiffgy-krenke, I. Coping Styles: Does intervention change anything? Eurpoean Journal of Developmental Psychology. 1 (4): 367-382.

Winn, G.A Change in employee attitude IS possible! Change Management, Retrieved April 11,

V S Naipaul's Enigma of Arrival and Chinua

V.S. Naipaul's Enigma of Arrival and Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart both show how colonialism affects individuals as well as whole societies. While Naipaul's book is more optimistic in tone and less tragic in plot than Achebe's is, both of these novels create compelling accounts of how colonialism changes the consciousness of human beings. The consequences of colonialism are difficult to treat in novels because of the varied manifestations of colonial practices and the different ways people react. Although both told from the perspective of the colonized, Enigma of Arrival and Things Fall Apart are completely different in tone, theme, and plot. The differences between the two novels illustrate the wide range of disparate experiences of colonization. One of the things I appreciated most about these two books was in fact receiving an alternative account of history, told through the eyes of the oppressed. The theme of transformation is also…

Conversion Tactics of Mr Brown

Our Lord Himself stressed the importance of fewness...Our Lord used the whip only once in His life -- to drive the crowd away from the Church."(Achebe, 169) On the other hand, Mr. Brown seems to have an overall positive contribution to the African community. Nevertheless, the author ironically implies that there is indeed only a difference in method between the two missionaries, and the decline of the Igbo culture already began under the more lenient government of Mr. Brown. For example, the school he builds can be seen as another way to indoctrinate the clan. This school is in fact the cause of other conflicts inside the Igbo community, since by attending this school an Igbo could become a 'court messenger', that is someone that would report and give out information from inside the clan to the white governors: "Mr. Brown's school produced quick results. A few months in it…

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Greenwich: Fawcett Publications, 1959

African Novels When Authors Are

If anything, the more languages in which a book is published the better. This way there can be as much cross fertilization of ideas and solutions to pressing needs. eferences Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Penguin, 2006. ____African Trilolgy. London: Picador, 2000 Ashcroft, Bill; Griffiths, Gareth and Tiffin, Helen (eds.). The Post Colonial Studies eader, London: outledge, (1995) Bassnett-McGuire, Susan. Translation Studies. London: outledge, 1991. Chevrier, Jacques. "Writing African books in the French Language L'Afrique littcraire et artistique 50 (1979): 49. Janmohamed, a. Janmohamed, a. "Sophisticated Primitivism: The Syncretism of Oral and Literate Modes in Achebe, Chinua Things Fall Apart.." Ariel: A eview of International English Literature 15 (1984): 19-39. Gikandi, Simon. "The Epistemology of Translation: Ngugi, Matigari, and the Politics of Language." esearch in African Literatures 22.4 (1991): 161-67. Gyasi, Kwaku. Writing as Translation: African Literature and the Challenges of Translation.: esearch in African Literatures a.2. (1999).,…

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Penguin, 2006.

____African Trilolgy. London: Picador, 2000

Ashcroft, Bill; Griffiths, Gareth and Tiffin, Helen (eds.). The Post Colonial Studies Reader, London: Routledge, (1995)

Bassnett-McGuire, Susan. Translation Studies. London: Routledge, 1991.

Storni Alfonsina You Want Me White the

Storni, Alfonsina. "You ant Me hite." The Norton Anthology of orld Vol. F. Ed. Sarah Lawall and Mayard Mac. New York: Norton, 2002. 2124-2125 The poem titled "You ant Me hite" written by Alfonsina Storni explores the issue of women mistreatment by men. The women complain how men expect them to be virgins when they (men ) are not. Atwood, Margaret and Martin, Valerie.The Handmaid's Tale . Anchor.1998 In this book the author portrays how women are only valued for their fertility and they are allowed access to education in the patriarch society. This work is important to the research since it shows how women were mistreated by being regarded as sex symbols as well as not being allowed access to education. Staves, Susan. Married omen's Separate Property Rights in England, 1660(1833. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1990. This work is a recollection of the actual case studies and examples of various…

Atwood, Margaret.The Handmaid's Tale . Anchor.1998

Staves, Susan. Married Women's Separate Property Rights in England, 1660(1833. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1990.

Stewart, Maaja A. Domestic Realities and Imperial Fictions: Jane Austen's Novels in Eighteenth-Century Contexts. Athens: U. Of Georgia P, 1993.

Dwellings Body Home City The

If they can change the fundamental beliefs of the tribe, then they can control the natives more easily: "The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. e were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart" (Achebe 152). Confronted with change, individual members of Ibo society react differently. Those who stand to gain from change -- the outcasts, the oppressed -- welcome it. Those who have risen to positions of authority by following the old way -- Okonkwo, for example -- resist change. The battle between the old and the new is highlighted by the arrival of Christian missionaries and colonial authority. Okonkwo and Obierika recognize that many of their clansmen…

1. Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Anchor, 1994.

2. Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. Dover Publications, 1990.

3. Plato. "Apology." The Collected Dialogues of Plato: Including the Letters. Princeton University Press, 2005.

4. Plato. "Crito." The Collected Dialogues of Plato: Including the Letters. Princeton University Press, 2005.

Androgynous Quality of Ezinma in

In the novel, Ani possesses power primarily because she is the one who makes it possible for Umuofia members to have productive harvests and for women to bear more children, yields greater power in the patriarchal Umuofia community (30-1). The power Ani wields to the village reflect the importance given to agriculture and fertility, symbolic and actual concepts related to reproduction, which would not become possible without the participation and presence of women. Thus, Ani embodies the collective power of women in Umuofia, whose ability to reproduce makes them more powerful than the monied and powerful men of their village. Through Ezinma and Ani, female power has managed to emerge and become influential in Umuofia, although male dominance is tolerated in order to maintain the status quo in the tribe. orks Cited Achebe, C. (1994). Things Fall Apart.…

Achebe, C. (1994). Things Fall Apart. NY: First Anchor Books.

Gulliver's Travels Tartuffe Madame Bovary The Death

Gulliver's Travels," "Tartuffe," "Madame Bovary," "The Death of Ivan Ilyich," & "Things Fall Apart" The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and compare how the theme(s) of "Things Fall Apart" by Achebe relate to the theme and/or storylines of "Gulliver's Travels," by Swift, "Tartuffe," by Moliere, "Madame Bovary," by Flaubert, and "The Death of Ivan Ilyich" by Tolstoy. All these authors use their works to "expose and alter the fundamental moral codes that determine political systems and social mores" (Levine 136). POLITICAL SYSTEMS AND SOCIAL MORES Things Fall Apart," by Chinua Achebe is a novel about an African family named Okonkwo, who try to fit in to the white man's society. However, their own society was balanced, happy, and complete, and they did not really need to fit in with the white man. hen they did, it ultimately destroyed their society, and way of life. Gulliver's Travels," by…

Flaubert, Gustave. Madame Bovary: Life in a Country Town. Trans. Gerard Hopkins. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.

Grossman, Debra. "SparkNotes on Gulliver's Travels." SparksNotes.com. 2002. http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/gulliver

Levine, Alan. "Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart as a Case Study in Nietzsche's Transvaluation of Values." Perspectives on Political Science 28.3 (1999): 136-141.

Moliere, Jean Baptiste Poquelin. "Tartuffe." Project Gutenberg. 2002. http://digital.library.upenn.edu/webbin/gutbook/lookup?num=2027

Impact of the European Culture in Africa

European culture in Africa Published in 1958, the book Things Fall Apart is an influential piece of work by Achebe that portrays, in most conventional style, the life and culture in a very traditional village in Africa. This book is about restoration of traditional values and identification of identity of African people in the wake of European cultural dominance and acceptance. This report is about how the writer has projected upon the life and revived the African culture as against the treat of European cultural imperialism. In this novel the writer tries to enlighten the foreign world as regards to the cultural traditions of Ibo and in doing so the writer is also reminding the African people of their own traditions and cultural values. The writer is of the notion that the African people must not forget their old values, customs and cultural norms in this changing verve of the…

Achebe, Chinua. (1958) Things Fall Apart, Heinemarm, 1994 ed.,

McKay, John P., Hill and Buckler (2003) A History of Western Society (Volume 2). 7th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin

Impact of the European culture in Africa

Postcolonial Literature Everytime I Think

There is the feeling that Rushdie is toying with the concept of freedom of speech in this story as well as destroying the concept of the East as mysterious. Rushdie uses English to tell his story, but he incorporates the Indian oral tradition without any kind of chronological structure to the story. He deconstruct the binary opposition of East and est. He himself is between the Orient and the Occident and he chooses to use both structures, combining Britain and India (Buran 10). The factors of race and gender complicate the relations of class in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, ole Soyinka's "Telephone Conversation," and Jean Rhys "Let Them Call It Jazz" in various ways. In Heart of Darkness, the story is centered on the typical male experience, which tends to alienate the female reader from the very "mannish" story. There is some speculation that Marlow and Kurtz's sexist views…

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Heinemann; Expanded edition, 1996.

Buran, Abdullah. Salman Rushdie's East, West: Deconstructing the Binary Division

Between Orient and Occident. Germany: Druck und Bindung: Books on Demand,

Modernism God the World and Literature The

Modernism) God, the World, and Literature: The Concept of Social Morality in Modern Literature Literature, as the primary source of information of people in witnessing and experiencing realities interpreted by the author/writer, is more than a medium that extends messages of reality and experience. Literature is, first and foremost, an expression of thoughts and ideologies that may or may not be agreed upon by the author or his/her characters in the said work. The concept of social morality is such example of these ideologies extended thru literary works. Through literature, writers are able to provide people with varying themes related to the discussion of social morality, offering people avenues wherein morality can be created and developed by the society, and adapted by the individual. Modern literature boasts itself of this kinds of art -- literary works that depict the life of individuals who were directly affected by their own or…

Achebe, C. Things Fall Apart. New York: First Anchor Books, 1994.

Camus, A. The Guest. Available at http://www.geocities.com/su_englit/camus_guest.html.

Eliot, T.S. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. Available at http://www.cs.amherst.edu/~ccm/prufrock.html .

Yeats, W.B. The Second Coming. Available at http://www.poets.org/poems/poems.cfm?prmID=1369 .

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Things Fall Apart What falls apart and why? The title of Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart refers mainly to the integrity of the Nigerian tribal cultures: to their…

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Therefore, Okonkwo rejected his father, and hence, the womanly element of himself. He turned out to be a leading wrestler and warrior in his people to make available the…

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The best members of African youth are destroyed or ignored. Although he is African, because he is a member of a rival clan, Ikemefuna, is killed, when the energies…

Black Studies - Philosophy

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Book Review

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Literature - African

The 1958 novel, Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, follows the life of the protagonist, Okonkwo, a leader and a local athletic hero in a made-up Nigerian hamlet, named…

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Today, most Americans do not socialize with their neighbors, or depend on them for their entertainment and friendship, and so, modern culture differs greatly from this clan-like village culture.…

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Analysis , Things Fall Apart

Things Fall Apart Analysis essay

Things Fall Apart is a novel written by Chinua Achebe that shows the conflicts in Nigeria during the nineteenth century. During this time, missionaries from Great Britain arrived in Nigeria. In this novel, the main character, Okonkwo, resists changes brought about by the British missionaries. Okonkwo’s close friend, Obierika, shares the same dislike towards the change, but isn’t as willing to fight them. Instead, Obierika, along with the tribe, is forced to accept the changes to their culture. Their attitude to change is an example of their many differences. It shows that although Okonkwo and Obierika are close friends, they contrast in personalities, family relations, and attitudes towards change.

In the novel, Okonkwo and Obierika are seen with their families. Okonkwo tended to show minimum emotion towards his family. He “ruled his household with a heavy hand” and punished them as he saw fit (22). However, Okonkwo still cared for his family and especially favored Ezinma. He went to such lengths as to follow the Oracle to the shrine to make sure Ezinma was safe. On the other hand, Obierika showed more affection towards his family than Okonkwo did. He showed pride in his son, who was a prodigious wrestler, and made sure his daughter was married to a good husband. They both cared for their family, but they have different ways to express their emotions.

As the story progresses, the British missionaries arrive in Nigeria. Immediately upon their arrival, Okonkwo and Obierika share different viewpoints. They both disliked the change occurring to the Ibo culture; however, Obierika viewed the missionaries’ culture with an open mind while Okonkwo perceived the missionaries as “insane.” Okonkwo wanted to fight off the missionaries, but Obierika said it was too late, “Our own people…have joined the hands of the stranger…They have put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart” (164). Towards the end, Okonkwo kills a white messenger and realized that Obierika was right: his people weren’t going to fight. In the end, Okonkwo’s inability to change causes him to commit suicide.

Both Okonkwo and Obierika share many differences and similarities in various aspects. They differ in personality: Okonkwo is impulsive while Obierika tends to be more reasonable. They both criticize each other and yet, are respectful, despite their different viewpoints. They also contrast in the emotion shown towards their families. Okonkwo is harsher and less affectionate than Obierika; however, they both care about their family members, even if Okonkwo rarely shows it. Finally, they show different attitudes toward change. They both dislike the change that occurred within their clan, but Okonkwo is more narrow-minded and cannot accept the change in the Ibo culture, whereas Obierika is more open-minded and views the changes, at first, in a curious way; However, he concludes that the Ibo culture had started to break and fall apart. These two friends have as many differences as they have similarities. Their differences and similarities created the balance within their friendship.

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In the novel, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, structured gender roles are depicted as a fundamental part of Igbo life. All life in the culture is gender specific from who can tend to which crops, to how punishments are dealt out. The novel’s protagonist, Okonkwo, primarily focuses on exaggerating male stereotypical behavior and devaluing anything that is feminine. The novel brings to the surface the balance that lies between masculinity and femininity. African Literature researchers such as Kwadwo Osei-Nyame, Christopher Anyokwu, and Biodun Jeyifo analyze just how the strained relationship between age-old traditions and gender play out in the Igbo culture.

While the reader is given some insight into who Okonkwo’s father is and how much he resents his father. It is noted that his mother is only briefly mentioned once throughout the whole novel, the lack of mention is significant in understanding his misogynistic character. The assumed lack of nurture is consistent with the relationship he [Okonkwo] has with his father and later his son Nwoye. In Jeyifo’s article Okonkwo and His Mother: Things Fall Apart and Issues of Gender in the Constitution of African Postcolonial Discourse, the author argues that the under-textualization of his mother led to his extensive issues of overcompensating “…[T]he single mention of Okonkwo’s mother is extraordinarily suggestive for reading Okonkwo’s particular brand of misogyny and neurotic masculinist personality and for analyzing larger questions of the author’s construction of male subjectivity and identity in the novel” (848). Growing up as the child of a man who was deemed no good by their village, Okonkwo reinvented himself to be the opposite of who his father was. Jefiyo believes that Okonkwo deliberately writes his mother off as a fundamental piece in the formation of his development as a person. He represses the memory of his mother and her stories, as well as the hold it has on his spirits. While asleep Okonkwo is bitten by a mosquito, the mosquito bites seemed to remind him of a story his mother once told. It is important to note that once he recalls the story of the mosquito and the ear he succumbs to his sleepiness. “Okonkwo’s mother is assimilated into the neutral, abstract function of ‘mothers’ in general. For him [Okonkwo], his mother’s stories and their significations evaporate into the generalized phallogocentric rubric of the “silliness” of motherlode” (Jefiyo 849). The most interesting detail coming from the story is the reversal in the structure between the female and male personas. Since this story belongs to the genre of folklore, it makes it clear why the rejection of Mosquito converts such a deep fear of female power as the downfall of male vigor and life force. The thought of a dominant female brings forth fear because they have been given the impression that the female is inferior to the male. Kwadwo Osei-Nyame argues that due to the nature of society, in no way does Okonkwo’s behavior have anything to do with his mother, but everything to do with the way those around him were conditioned.

The issue of gender roles in the story can be explained by the direct relationship of man and the Igbo culture. “Masculine traditions operate as forms of consciousness that act foremostly to legitimize specific ideals and values and to distribute and restrict authority within Umofia, one of the most powerful of Igbo communities” (150). As one of the strongest Igbo villages, Umofia is a society where all celebrated figures of male. The fragility of the male ego is the sole purpose in why this specific clan falls apart towards the end of the novel. Much of this clan’s pride is embedded in Okonkwo and his representation of the masculine ideology. Due to the clan’s negative views of his father, Okonkwo became obsessed with championing his masculinity. As he aged, he began to use his masculinity as a defensive resource and it began to overtake his world. “By constructing his identity and embedding his actions in a perverse sense in rebelliousness against everything that his father Unoka represents, Okonkwo apprehends his world pessimistically” (151). To steer clear of being branded as an agbada, the Igbo word referring to weak and lazy men, Okonkwo would assert his masculinity whenever he deemed it fit. Umofia and its inhabitants acknowledge all of Okonkwo’s feats would often align to the marginalization of their women. “[T]he selective tradition of a dominant culture when we trace the modes by which Okonkwo’s adherence to certain values and ideals and Umuofia’s validations of these values converge to generate the masculine nationalist tradition represented by Things Fall Apart” (152). It is fair to claim that the origin and nature of the culture established a selective tradition in which does who exude masculinity are superior. The perception of the issues surrounding gender has triggered tensions between the sexes in society.

Gender stereotyping leaves females in a perilous position, the stringent gender differentiation encourages the repression of the female sex. “And what makes one person “male” and the other ‘female’?” (Anyokwu 17). What truly draws the line of gender identification, biology or cultural definition? If a biologically defined female holds the supposed values of manliness that is decided by the patriarchy, do they qualify to be called a male? In defining gender, there are many blanks where the decision is based purely on one’s interpretation. Along the way, the term male began to imply masculinity and female began to imply pacifism. Okonkwo embodies the Igbo nation’s ideology of masculinity, the ideal alpha male. “Stretched logically, Okonkwo’s multiple selves/personalities comprehend and subsume other less-iconic figures such as his confidant-friend, Obierika. This is more so because Okonkwo is portrayed as almost entirely ‘male’” (Anyokwu 19). To be considered a male in the eyes of Igbo tradition you must possess the drive to conquer any impediments. Any suspected violation of the unspoken standards of the fragile, social structure would lead to never-ending gender misclassification. In the Igbo culture gendering of inanimate objects such as harvest and crops further pushed the narrative of males being superior. The yams have become embedded into the age-old narrative. In the novel Things Fall Apart Achebe states that, “…[The] [y]am stood for manliness, and he who could feed his family on yams from one harvest to another was a very great man indeed” (24). Cultivating the yam gave precedence to the open demonstration of strength. Only with a certain amount of physical strength can a man harness the resources needed to harvest yams successfully. Okonkwo’s hyper-masculinity and overwhelming strength was his greatest weakness. His refusal to think rationally instead of with his emotions leads to his people betraying him. Subjectively, characters like Okonkwo can be feminized if given more exposure to feminine desires. Essentially to gain and or maintain social relevancy one must be physically fit and in tune with their selves, these characteristics are proven to be gender-neutral.

In the novel, gender is a prominent theme and much of the novel focuses on the unstable balance between feminine and masculine forces. Igbo traditions focused on masculinity and all that can be achieved with a masculine nature. African Literature researchers analyzed the intricate balance that lies in between femininity and masculinity. The distinction between what makes a man and what makes a woman is discussed in detail. Through the readings, a greater knowledge of the Igbo culture and why gender is crucial is acquired.

Works Cited

The Use of Proverbs in 'Things Fall Apart' by Chinua Achebe

Things fall apart': the importance of adapting to changes in a book by chinua achebe, theme of the dead by james joyce and things fall apart by chinua: comparative analysis, the role of reputation in the things fall apart, pride and anger in the novel things fall apart.

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The Handling of Gender in Jane Eyre and Things Fall Apart

Patriarchy in things fall apart: a study of gender discrimination, essay on masculinity in 'things fall apart’, impact of the christian missionaries on the igbo society in things fall apart, the similarities and differences in oedipus rex and things fall apart, erich fromm's ideas about personality in things fall apart, essay on themes in ‘things fall apart’, things fall apart: gender and ibo culture, gender roles in things fall apart, the tragic hero in chinua achebe’s things fall apart, things fall apart: the importance of pride, the human condition in things fall apart, is okonkwo a tragic hero in things fall apart, the western society in things fall apart, comparing women from things fall apart with women of today, literary devices in chinua achebe's things fall apart, things fall apart: is suicide a choice, tragedy and tragic hero in things fall apart, community values in things fall apart, the importance of organized story-telling in things fall apart, igbo society in things fall apart, theme of social conflict in chinua achebe’s things fall apart and chimamanda ngozi adichie’s half of a yellow sun, system of colonialism things fall apart, teaching ‘things fall apart’ by chinua achebe essay, internal and external conflict in things fall apart.

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Chinua Achebe’s Life, Igbo Culture, and Things Fall Apart

All literary works are created within a specific historical era characterized by distinct beliefs, cultures, and experiences, which shape the artists’ story, perspective, and style. Published in 1958, Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart (TFA) mirrors the everyday socio-cultural context of the Igbo people as they struggled with the complexities occasioned by the arrival of the Europeans in Nigeria. The publication, set in West Africa’s country in the 1900s, is heavily influenced by the traditional culture of the inhabitants as the author attempts to shatter the stereotypical representation of Africans by European writers. For instance, Achebe’s portrayal of Okonkwo, TFA’s main character, mirrors the customs of the Igbo people, including the patriarchal and gendered structuring of the society. Although TFA is a fictional artistic work, its perspective, style, and story are shaped by Achebe’s socio-cultural context, life, and experiences.

The Gendered Life of the Igbo

The highly patriarchal and gendered traditions of the Igbo significantly influence the presentation of Achebe’s TFA. Notably, the first part of the artistic work illustrates the distinctive genderization and structuring of the Igbo ethnic group. For instance, the author portrays the strict gendered socio-cultural organization of the people of Umuofia as demonstrated by the depiction of male power, subordination, and oppression of women. For instance, Achebe gives the impression that men are the decision-makers and women should remain silent. Nwamadi contends that the traditional African societies were characterized by strict adherence to gender issues that transcended all aspects of the community, including the upbringing of boys and girls (17). Consequently, Achebe depicts this socio-cultural reality by illuminating how girls were brought up while being instilled with such values as obedience, silence, yielding to the wishes of men, and not contradicting their male counterparts. For instance, the author presents the tasks that require more energy as the preserve of men, including cultivating yam tubers and splitting firewood (Nduka and Ozioma 272). In this regard, the gendered stratification of the Igbo culture shapes Achebe’s elevation of masculinity in TFA.

Additionally, such Igbo clans were largely polygamous, with the society apportioning disproportionate power to men and placing women in a secondary position. Notably, this socio-cultural context influences Achebe’s publication as seen in the prominent illustration of multiple wives as one of the strong indicators of success. Moreover, women were always marginalized, treated like men’s property, denied entitlement to their opinions, and generally viewed as servants of their male counterparts. For instance, the Igbo tradition valued the role of women in cooking for their families, and men were justified to beat their wives whenever they failed to prepare meals. To underscore the value of this cultural norm, Achebe remarks that “Okonkwo was provoked to a justifiable anger by his youngest wife (23). This perspective shapes Achebe’s story by presenting Ojugo, Okonkwo’s third wife, to be provocatively at fault for failing to cook an afternoon meal. Therefore, disciplining their wives was an exemplification of their masculinity and superiority over women.

Moreover, the indigenous cultural tradition of elevating men’s superiority while suppressing and oppressing women is pronounced throughout TFA. According to Amaechi and Amaechi, the pre-colonial Igbo community was a man’s world where women were subservient, subordinate to their male counterparts, and relegated to the society’s background (98). Notably, the cultural aspect of men’s superiority shapes Achebe’s depiction of such characters as Okonkwo and his father, Unoka. For instance, Okonkwo’s ruthlessness and uncontrollable rage towards his wives are deemed desirable attributes of manliness, which were conspicuously absent in his father’s persona. Nduka and Ozioma posit that Okonkwo’s violent nature was a manifestation of his masculinity and male superiority over women, which were perceived as indicators of strength and courage (273). Abdullahi et al. corroborate this perspective and assert that pervasively patriarchal cultures and predominant male positions are defined by the increased susceptibility of women and their socialization into accepting the abuse (274). From this perspective, Achebe’s life experience and observations influence the inclusion of domestic violence as the most defining characteristic of Okonkwo.

Autonomy of Communities

One distinct feature of pre-colonial Africa is the relative absence of extensive states to facilitate more effective governance. According to Uzoigwe, Nigeria was subdivided into numerous sovereign autonomous communities, composed of small towns and village groups, which ultimately constituted the large state (180). This unified structure of the Igbo significantly shapes Achebe’s TFA as demonstrated by the absence of a single state ruler. However, the various communities were distinct and lived separately to minimize the occurrence of conflicts, although they shared a common culture and economy. The Igbo placed a high value on independence and autonomy since they were particularly concerned about the potential of an abusive centralized authority (Sharif and Mirkhan 936). For instance, Achebe highlights the indirect rulership of the British colonialists, a strategy that recognized the effectiveness of using the traditional political system and such influential and highly esteemed individuals like Okonkwo (Sharif and Mirkhan 936). The Igbo’s hatred for a centralized leadership shaped Achebe’s work as presented in the community’s administrative structure organized in families, villages, and towns and built around social ties instead of political association.

Achebe’s Life and TFA’s Point of View

TFA’s viewpoint is focused on the absolute essence of establishing balance across all the facets of life since its absence implies lost order, which engenders destruction. From the onset, Chinua depicts the Igbo culture as a system that functioned excellently well due to the integrated concept of balance. However, whenever that principle is defied, undesirable events occur in society. For instance, at the beginning of the book, Okonkwo is portrayed as a visionary and highly esteemed individual working so hard to escape from the poverty that currently afflicts his father. At just 18 years, he had built a name for himself across nine villages, and he was highly regarded as a warrior and wrestler. However, things started crumbling when he could no longer control his abusive instincts against his wives. Nduka and Ozioma note that Okonkwo used to beat his wives so ruthlessly that he offended the gods and ancestors of the land (275). In this regard, while wife-beating was acceptable among the Igbo, Okonkwo’s excessive cruelty and violence against his wives contributed to his downfall.

Additionally, the social, political, and religious fabric of the Igbo society survived due to the established demarcation and equilibrium between the three. However, the community is soon fragmented due to its brutal rules, the arrival of the Christian missionaries, and the rulership of the English government, which upset the exiting balance and harmony. For instance, such people as Nwoye, who were dissatisfied with the stringent rules, changed their denomination, although the community had a robust traditional religion. In chapter 20 of TFA, Okonkwo is decrying the social annihilation by the whites through sneaky and divisive action, and the “clan can no longer act like one” and they “have fallen apart” (Achebe 152). This implies that the unity and harmonious coexistence of the various social facets were distinctively impactful to artistic work.

Achebe extensively uses the linguistic repertoires of language variations and other distinctive features of the Igbo language to enhance communicative effectiveness and delivery of the message. It entails the choice of words, structuring, and patterning of sentences, direct translations, and narrative techniques utilized in a given piece of artistic work. For instance, Achebe makes extensive use of folktales, proverbs, straightforward diction, simple sentences, and religious tenets, utilized in speeches, songs, and prayers to enhance the historical aspect of the book (Awa 17). Consequently, although the non-Igbo audience may often encounter unfamiliar names, the sentences are do not pose any challenge in understanding or contain unnecessary embellishments. This is depicted in the novel’s opening statement in which he illustrates how Okonkwo had earned fame in the village by throwing Amalinze the Cat (Achebe 1). Moreover, the widespread application of the verb ‘to be’ subtly underscores the book’s historical realism, which promotes the reader’s belief in the Igbo cultural world. Therefore, the rich and cultural language of the Igbo people molds Achebe’s writing and enriches his delivery of the book’s message.

TFA’s Historical Significance

TFA straddles two critically significant historical moments in Nigeria, with the author depicting the Igbo society transitioning from its initial contact with the Europeans to the progressive dominance of the British over the indigenous people. The setting of the novel is in the pre-colonial past, which is overlapped and intertwined with the days of colonialism in the West African country. Notably, the literary works of this period painted the stereotypical portraits of the native Africans as primitive and savage people, and Achebe’s TFA can be viewed as a response to imperialist literature.

Further, Achebe foreshadows the resultant challenges and destruction that would be occasioned by the arrival of the colonists by likening them to colonists. For instance, he notes that the colonialists would dominate and control all the aspects of Igbo life, leading to the eventual destruction of their culture. He notes, “they settled on every tree and on every blade of grass, the settled on roofs and the bare ground…and the whole country became the brown-earth color of the vast, hungry swarm (Achebe 49). This juxtaposition of the Igbo culture before and after the arrival of the Europeans is critical in contextualizing the historical and cultural era within which the book was published. As a result, the reader easily transitions across the two critical eras of an African community before and after the arrival of white people.

Chinua Achebe’s TFA is a globally acclaimed novel whose style, perspective, and general story are significantly shaped by the author’s culture and life experiences. The publication creatively mirrors past events and explicitly illustrates the socio-cultural aspects of the Igbo people. Although the work is fictional, it extensively reflects the socio-cultural context within which Achebe was brought up and articulated critical information of the Igbo people. At the time of the publication, no African literary artists were projecting their culture to the world, and the Western authors viewed Africans as inferior, uncivilized, and primitive. Achebe’s work is a compelling articulation of the values, ideals, and traditions of the Igbo people before the arrival of the Europeans.

Works Cited

Abdullahi, Umar et al. “The Influence of Culture in Domestic Violence Against Women in Nigeria.” Journal of Islamic, Social, Economics, and Development, vol. 2, no. 6, 2017, pp. 273−286.

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. William Heinemann Ltd, 1958.

Amaechi, Chidi, and Edwina U. Amaechi. “Pre-Colonial African Gender Cosmology and the Gender Equality Nexus: “The Road Not Taken” in Igboland, Nigeria.” Asian Women, vol. 35, no. 3, 2019, pp. 93−113.

Awa, Onyekachi. “African Culture in Achebe’s Things Fall Apart: A Stylistic Inquiry.” IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, vol. 23, no. 3, 2018, pp. 15−21.

Nwamadi, Chima. The Experience of Exploring the Historical and Current Culture of Silence Regarding Abuse in Igboland: A Critical Ethnographic Study . 2000. Ph.D. dissertation. Bell & Howell Information and Learning .

Nduka, Udeagha, and Nwamah Grace Ozioma. “Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and the Role of Women in Igbo Traditional Religious Culture.” Open Journal of Social Sciences, vol. 7, no. 12, 2019, pp. 272−289.

Sharif, Hamad, and Khasro M. Mirkhan. “Hegemony and Resistance in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart: A Post-colonial Study.” Twejer, vol. 2, no. 3, 2019, pp. 935−936.

Uzoigwe, G. N. “The Evolution and Relevance of Autonomous Communities in Contemporary Igboland: An Essay in Local Governance.” Journal of Third World Studies, vol. 26, no. 2, 2009, pp. 177−189.

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"Chinua Achebe’s Life, Igbo Culture, and Things Fall Apart." StudyCorgi , 8 Mar. 2023, studycorgi.com/chinua-achebes-life-igbo-culture-and-things-fall-apart/.

1. StudyCorgi . "Chinua Achebe’s Life, Igbo Culture, and Things Fall Apart." March 8, 2023. https://studycorgi.com/chinua-achebes-life-igbo-culture-and-things-fall-apart/.

StudyCorgi . "Chinua Achebe’s Life, Igbo Culture, and Things Fall Apart." March 8, 2023. https://studycorgi.com/chinua-achebes-life-igbo-culture-and-things-fall-apart/.

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Things Fall Apart

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Central Idea Essay: The Importance of Proverbs in Things Fall Apart

One of the first things readers may notice in Things Fall Apart is the sheer number of proverbial expressions. All cultures and languages make use of proverbial expressions. Common English-language proverbs include “A picture is worth a thousand words,” and “A watched pot never boils.” Native English speakers immediately comprehend the meaning of such expressions, without need for much reflection, but they pose challenges for anyone learning the language.

In Things Fall Apart , the subject of proverbs first arises in the context of a challenging discussion, when Okoye comes to Unoka’s hut and asks him to repay a longstanding debt. Okoye makes his request by speaking “half a dozen sentences in proverbs,” because “proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten.” This statement itself constitutes a proverb about proverbs, and it emphasizes how proverbial language eases the difficulty of challenging conversations.

In Okoye’s case, proverbs enable him to address the subject of debt indirectly. Using less direct language reduces the risk that his words will offend Unoka and shut down dialogue. The indirectness of proverbs also serves as a reminder that they do no express the opinion of a single individual. Instead, since proverbs emerge from cultural tradition, they express the received wisdom of an entire community.

Although Achebe introduces proverbs through a dispute, he also incorporates proverbs in less charged moments. Achebe’s use of proverbs also infuses the novel with a uniquely Igbo perspective on a range of subjects, from the importance of mothers (e.g., “Mother is supreme”) to the relative value of action over words (e.g., “There is nothing to fear from someone who shouts”) and beyond. Such proverbs often do not occur in the context of dialogue, which means that they do not have a clear social function as they did in the case of Okoye and Unoka. Instead, Achebe places many of these proverbs into the mouth of the narrator, who uses them to comment on the story.

A powerful example occurs at the end of Part One, when the narrator concludes, “As the elders said, if one finger brought oil it soiled the others.” This proverb insists that Okonkwo must go into exile lest he offend the Earth goddess and spell Umuofia’s doom. Yet this proverb is also ominous, gesturing covertly to the coming of the first missionary and the future “contamination” of the nine villages. Here the proverbial expression has a narrative function, foreshadowing the chaos to come.

Things Fall Apart SparkNotes Literature Guide

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Things Fall Apart Salva Jaguarna Quotes

Character analysis: a long water to water.

Another important survival factor that Salva had to do to survive was to be stronger physically and mentally. Salva was getting stronger physically and mentally by not only his friend and his uncle dead but also the attitude that the group give to Salva which made Salva to feel physically and mentally stronger “Marial was gone. Uncle was gone, too, murdered by those Nuer men right before Salva’s eyes. Marial and

The Struggle In Salva's Life

Even though Salva has faced lots of adversities in his life he still managed to overcome his troubles and remain a nice person. When his village was raided, his Uncle being robbed and killed, and his longtime refuge camp being forcefully closed resulting in him and others having to run across a crocodile infested river were just a few examples of the struggles he faced in his life. Just when the raid on his village started all Salva wanted to do was go home (Pg 7)” He wanted to shout ‘I need to go home! I must go home!’ but the words were blocked by the thumping in his throat”. Salva had been in school when he and his class heard gunfire. The teacher ushered the young boys in the back and told them to run, suddenly everyone sprinted away.

The Role Of Overcoming Obstacles In Salva's Novel '

Overcoming obstacles is inherently difficult. For Salva, there are many factors that help him through his circumstances. Salva faced many challenges throughout the novel but Salva did not give up and always tried his best. Sometimes he would stumble and fall but he stood up again and kept trying. Some of us in the US doesn’t even know about what happened in Southern Sudan and the people who had to go through so much difficulties to survive. This is important because it tells us the difficulty of one person and how he managed to survive through hard conditions in his

Survival In Linda Sue Park's A Long Walk To Water

The first component that helps Salva survive is his hope. To hope means “to want something to happen or be true and think that it could happen or be true.”(Merriam Webster Dictionary) Although he is let down at times, he does not diminish the idea of surviving this terrible journey. Even after Marial and Uncle die, Salva still believes that they “left their strength with him to help him on his

A Long Walk To Water Salva Quotes

When the war started affecting Salva and his village it became apparent to him that he may never see his family again. “If I die now, I will never see my family again.” (11) This thought helped Salva strengthen and have the instinct to survive so he could see his family again, which is one of the reasons he did survive. Not only did he think he would never see his family again, but he became friends with Marial, a boy from the group he was in, who was soon taken away from him as well. “It had sought out prey that was small and motionless: Marial, sleeping.” (41) While in the land of Atuot, the land of the lions, Marial was taken away from the camp while sleeping and eaten by one of them. Not only did Salva lose Marial and his family but he also lost the person he knew the most in the group, Uncle. “…one of the men aimed his gun at Uncle. Three shots rang out.” (63) After both Marial and Uncle died it became difficult for Salva to continue on but in spite of all his doubts Salva knew that Marial and Uncle would want him to go on. “…Salva knew that both of them would have wanted him to survive, to finish the trip and reach the Itang refugee camp safely. It was almost as if they had left their strength with him, to help him on his journey.”

Salva's Identity

Culture, time, and place are all important in the development of Salva’s identity. Salva is one of the lost boys who wandered aimlessly in Africa, fleeing from the violence and bloodshed. Without any of these three factors, Salva would be missing a large portion of his personality.

A Long Walk To Water Analysis

While his uncle was alive, he helped Salva do everything throughout the journey. Even when he died nobody forgot him and Salva’s memory of his loving uncle gave him the strength to finish the journey. Food and water was the most important factor that led to his survival. He knew that there was barely any water in the desert and that it was hard to find food which taught him to treasure everything he was given. Throughout the book we are led to believe that Salva’s parents and siblings had passed away but he never lost hope that they were still alive. In the end, his suffering paid off as his hope and dream of finding his family alive finally came true. Through the story of a young boy who treasured all his blessings in a harsh environment, I learned to value the things I have and to not waste these special

Who Is Salva's Determination In A Long Walk To Water

Throughout the novel Salva demonstrates determination by pushing himself to do his best and not give up on anything no mater what is going on. One instance where Salva showed determination is on page 65, paragraph 4. “Marial was gone. Uncle was gone, too, murdered by those Nuer men right before salva’s eyes. Marial and uncle were no longer by his side,and they never would be again,but salva knew that both of them would have wanted him to survive,to finish the trip and reach the itang refugee camp safely. It was almost as if they had left their strength with him, to help him on his journey.” Another example is “ So he had to shake the fear of to continue the journey” These examples prove that Salva was determined because he knew that his family would want him to make the trip.

Long Walk To Water Salva Quotes

In this book Salva survives his first few challenges because of hard work. In this book, after Salva joins a group of refugees he was left behind by this group because they believed he was too small/weak to travel. As a result He grows closer to an older woman ‘Auntie’ and works to not burden her. On page 17 of the book it states “Salva stayed in the woman’s barn again that night...water from the pond.”, this shows how mature Salva truly is as he refuses to cause

Survival In Salva's A Long Walk To Water

After reading the book, readers can see that one of the main factors for Salvas survival is hard work. Salva gets water and does housework for the old woman he considers family. In the text it states “He worked hard so she would not send him away.” (18) Salva worked hard, to have a place to stay during the fighting. Salva helped with the boats so he could get over the river faster. The text explains “It was hard work running back and forth between those cutting and those weaving.” (43) This means Salva is an achiever because instead of not helping because he was a child, he helped all the adults and got reeds. Salva leads a group of thousands of boys to Kenya with his dedication and determination. The text states “I will get us safely to Kenya, he thought. No matter how hard it is” (81) This demonstrates Salva being a hard-worker because he is helping thousands of boys cross to Kenya. Salva’s labor shows he will do anything to survive, and nothing will stop him.

Long Walk To Water Quotes

If you don’t have hope you will not even come close succeeding but if just try you will know if you did fail you failed trying to survive. If you have hope if you have hope you have strength to try again if you try enough times you might achieve it giving you more hope this was the cycle if Salva’s feelings in this book ups and downs. If you and everybody else in the world had as much as an ounce of his hope and strength the world be a better place. So be like Salva and make the world a better place. You can be hero like Salva if you donate to his organization that makes wells for the tribes in

Leadership In Linda Sue Park's Long Walk To Water

With the help of Uncle Jewiir, Salva and many others, crossed the Akobo Desert and sought refuge in the Itang Refugee Camp. Without Uncle Jewiir, Salva wouldn’t be alive. Uncle Jewiir was the chosen leader of the group, and it was a well deserved title. For example, while the group was ready to cross the Nile, Jewiir used his leadership skills and organized groups to create boats out of reeds. Without the help of Uncle Jewiir, the group wouldn’t have crossed the Nile River at all. Uncle Jewiir also showed many acts of leadership even after arriving at the Nile River. In the Akobo Desert, Salva ripped his toenail off and it seemed like the young boy would 've died at the barren wasteland. All of the sudden, Uncle Jewiir was by Salva’s side. For the rest of the trip he used his leadership skills to encourage Salva to take “one step at a time” and eventually, the group. The group also respected Jewiir as well for being an amazing leader. When Uncle Jewiir died, the group decided to bury him out of respect. Take note that five other people died before him, yet they didn’t even get buried at all. The main reason why Salva became such a great leader was because of Uncle Jewiir’s

Character Analysis: A Walk To Water

Through harsh challenges Salvas new foster family was always there for him to support and encourage him through tough times. Salva was thrown straight on into the Sudanese war to fend for himself, so he was all alone without his family. Later on Salva realizes what has happened

Salva's Personal Journey In A Long Walk To Water

The war affected Salva’s journey because it caused his village to be attacked, and made all the children run away from their families and homes.

A Long Walk To Water Quotes

Salva settled on the fact that “there is no one left to help me. They think I am weak and useless.-… They are wrong and I will prove it” (66) Salva no longer has anyone to support him and his group believe him to be incapable and unworthy. But Salva didn’t care one bit and was determined to get through the e trip alive. Salva fed on his uncle's words by saying to himself that “I only have to get through this day…”this day and no other” (73) Salva promises to focus on how to survive the refugee camp and to not plan for the future. Salva had been determined to survive for his deceased friend and uncle, he hadn’t let go of his will to live even through all his

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Things Fall Apart Nwoye Quotes Analysis

essays on things fall apart

Show More Nwoye’s Cultural Identity “Nothing of me is original. I am the combined effort of everyone I’ve ever known” –Chuck Palahiuk. Chinua Achebe kept this quote in mind when she told the story of Nwoye through her book, Things Fall Apart. Nwoye was poorly mistreated by his father, Okonkwo, because Okonkwo felt that Nwoye acted like a woman. Weak, emotional, and scared. Okonkwo also killed Nwoye’s best friend and brother, Ikemefuna. However, the Western nation’s culture collided with Nwoye’s and changed his life because he was able to worship a forgiving god ad escape his old life. The new religion told Nwoye that changing his name would help him connect with his new culture and forget his old one. Nwoye’s name became Isaac and he was soon accepted into the school in Umuru. Achebe even states in the book, “To signal his break from his old heathen ways, Nwoye changes his name to Isaac in an attempt to change his identity and Christianize himself” (Achebe Chapter 21). Nwoye was a peaceful and caring man, and that was not acceptable in Ibo culture. Nwoye joined the Christians because he wanted to feel at …show more content… Nwoye not only embodied everything Okonkwo hated, but Okonkwo was the one who killed Ikemefuna. In Things Fall Apart it is written that, “Okonkwo’s first son, Nwoye, was then twelve years old but was already causing his father great anxiety for his incipient laziness. At any rate, that was how it looked to his father, and he sought to correct him by constant nagging and beating. And so Nwoye was developing into a sad-faced youth” (Achebe Chapter 2). Okonkwo’s father, Unoka, was a terrible disappointment and Okonkwo didn’t want any member of his family to be anything like that. However, Nwoye saw nothing wrong with being kindhearted and peaceful. Thus being why the idea of Christianity appealed to him. They allowed him in with open arms and taught the grace of

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an understanding that he must educate to his children and wives how to succeed through power, determination, and work ethic. Although, Okonkwo disciplines Nwoye, his eldest son, with beatings to drive him away from femininity. Even though the purpose of the beatings is to drive his son into a successful and content life, the lashes pull Nwoye away from Okonkwo and the Ibo culture. Okonkwo shows affection towards his children and wives, but the affection is distributed with harsh brutality and…

Things Fall Apart Character Analysis Essay

EA 3.2 Literary Analysis: character analysis An individual’s persona and character can have an ongoing effect to how they react to events. However, it is how they react to these particular events that can affect the overall purpose of the author’s text. In which, this all relates to Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, as Okonkwo’s personality traits lead to how he reacts to certain cultural events. These events being, the disruption of a new western culture slowly gaining dominance and control…

Okonkwo, The Most Powerful Defenseless Man

Okonkwo, the Most Powerful Defenseless Man In the novel, Things Fall Apart, the protagonist, Okonkwo, overcomes many obstacles that make it difficult for him to be respected in his culture and community. His father, Unoka, was imprudent and was not respected in the community, as he was in debt to many of his neighbors and kept asking for more when he knew he would not be able to pay it back. “When Unoka died he had taken no title at all and he was heavily in debt.”(Achebe 8). Despite these…

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10 Smart Topics for Your Things Fall Apart Analysis

Sometimes you read a book that—whether you love it or hate it—is unlike any other you’ve read before. Things Fall Apart is one of those types of books.

Written by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe , Things Fall Apart shows readers a view of Africa that’s different from the white-authored colonial-type stories like Heart of Darkness .

Instead of viewing Africans as exotic or viewing Africa as a continent to be explored and conquered, this book makes the characters and the settings feel real and familiar.

But it’s precisely because this book is so different that it’s difficult to choose a topic for your Things Fall Apart analysis.

But don’t worry—there are plenty of great topics that can come out of the literature. The following are just a few. You can use them for your analysis or as inspiration to come up with your own topic.

Write About Story Structure for Your Things Fall Apart Analysis

Topic #1: compare and contrast the standard story structure with that of things fall apart.

Besides the portrayal of the characters and the settings, what makes Things Fall Apart so unique is its structure.

It’s a narrative view of the plight of Okonkwo (the protagonist). There’s no goal in mind, and the story doesn’t follow the structure we all learn early on in school—exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, moment of final suspense, and resolution.

Instead, it’s much looser in its structure, which makes it feel more sincere to many readers.

Need help with comparing and contrasting the two? Check out these Kibin blog posts for some guidance:

Explore a Theme in Your Essay

Topic #2: discuss the theme of tradition versus change in the novel.

Change is what pushes any story forward. The tension it causes by disrupting the status quo allows characters to develop and allows a fuller, more nuanced story to develop. In Things Fall Apart , the tension between tradition and change is one of the major themes.

The community of Umuofia certainly has a traditional way of doing things at the beginning and through the middle of the book. Everything from leadership to gender roles, and spirituality to punishment is approached from a traditional viewpoint.

But change is imminent.

In your Things Fall Apart analysis, you can discuss how changes—such as Okonkwo’s exile, the introduction of the missionaries, and the change in leadership of the missionaries—serve to disrupt Umuofia’s traditions.

Topic #3: Describe how the theme of masculinity presents in different ways throughout the book

There are many references to masculinity throughout Things Fall Apart . Okonkwo knows that the clan did not view his father as masculine and sets out to be the exact opposite of him.

The clan views strength as a masculine quality, but Okonkwo takes it a step further—he views aggression as strength and, thus, as a masculine quality. He also sees the first converts to Christianity as unmasculine.

Topic #4: Explain how the colonial and African cultures within Things Fall Apart clash

As explained above, the missionaries are a main source of change in this book. This topic delves into the cultural differences between the missionaries (and the colonial West in general) and the Igbo culture represented in the story.

The laws—and punishments for breaking laws—are different. Their language is different. Their views of each other are different. In your essay, analyze these differences , explaining how they lead to friction.

Look for Symbols

things fall apart analysis

Topic #6: Describe how fire serves as a symbol for Okonkwo’s emotions

Fire plays a major role in Things Fall Apart . It is closely tied to Okonkwo’s emotional state. Just as fire burns intensely, so too does Okonkwo’s anger. It spreads and becomes uncontrollable at times.

And just as fire consumes almost everything in its path, Okonkwo’s anger consumes him and eventually leads to his death.

Topic #7: Explain what the locusts symbolize

In Chapter 15, we get a pretty clear indication of what the locusts symbolize—Obierika mentions a comment from the Oracle that compares the locusts to the arrival of the white men.

It’s important to note that the locusts in Things Fall Apart don’t cause the mass panic that the Biblical plague of locusts does. Instead, they’re just a part of everyday life. In fact, Umuofia residents even eat the bugs, believing the bugs won’t cause any harm.

But locusts do cause harm, much like the missionaries they represent. At first viewed by Umuofia residents as just some harmless pest, the missionaries soon take over the village and destroy the Igbo culture.

Show You Know Your Characters

things fall apart analysis

Topic #8: Explain what makes Okonkwo a tragic hero

A tragic hero is a protagonist who, despite some redeeming qualities, also has one or more major flaws that lead to the hero’s downfall—and that downfall is death in many cases.

Okonkwo possesses many of the traits of a tragic hero. He has hubris , or excessive pride. The story reverses the fate of Okonkwo, who was once well-respected in his community, then exiled and feared.

But most importantly, he possesses a tragic flaw that leads to his downfall—his fear of weakness. It’s the fear of weakness that leads him to kill Ikemefuna.

It’s that same fear that drives him to beat his wives and children, and to kill the British messenger. It’s this last action that ultimately leads to his suicide, but the fear of weakness behind the action is prevalent throughout the novel.

Topic #9: Compare and contrast Mr. Brown and Reverend James Smith

Both Mr. Brown and Reverend James Smith are missionaries and represent Western colonialism.

However, they each have different personalities and ways of approaching the Umuofia residents. Mr. Brown is kind, generous, and willing to learn about the culture and traditions of Umuofia.

Reverend Smith, on the other hand, is much harsher in his approach. He is completely intolerant of Igbo traditions and religion. He not only expects converts to have nothing to do with their old customs but also encourages them to be fanatical in their new beliefs.

Topic #10: Analyze the relationship between Nwoye, Ikemefuna, and Okonkwo

Nwoye doesn’t have the best relationship with his father. Nwoye wants to please Okonkwo, but doesn’t know how and receives many beatings for his failures. Ikemefuna comes along, and the two form a strong bond.

Ikemefuna teaches Nwoye how to be more traditionally masculine (without going overboard like Okonkwo), and it seems like Nwoye and his father have started to mend their relationship.

Okonkwo messes that all up by killing Ikemefuna. Nwoye mourns the loss of his friend and rebels against his father.

A Final Note on Your Things Fall Apart Analysis

Whether you go with one of the above topics or focus on other themes, symbols , imagery , or characters , make sure your literary analysis hits all the right points. Need help? Use these Kibin posts to help keep your Things Fall Apart essay on track:

Whatever topic you choose, it’s important to make sure you have enough support for your argument . Don’t choose the topic that sounds the most complex or the smartest.

By doing that, you’re only making more work for yourself and probably ending up with a worse essay. Instead, choose a topic that you know you can write about and one that’s narrow enough .

If you need a little inspiration for how to approach your paper, take a look at these examples:

When you’ve written your essay, don’t be afraid to get a second opinion. The Kibin editors are here to make sure your Things Fall Apart analysis meets all the assignment requirements and is free of spelling and grammar mistakes.

essays on things fall apart

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essays on things fall apart

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Exploring Nwoye’s Response to the Cultural Collision in Things Fall Apart

Jan 4, 2023 | 0 comments

essays on things fall apart

Jan 4, 2023 | Essays | 0 comments

Introduction

The purpose of this essay is to analyze how Nwoye responded to the cultural clash caused by the Westerners. It will also explain how the collision of culture challenges his sense of identity and further discus on how his response shapes the meaning of the work in general.

Nwoye is the eldest son of Okonkwo. He faced a lot of criticism from his father who considered him to be lazy. “Okonkwo ruled his house hold with a heavy hand”(Achebe, 1959).His father thought the best way to straighten him was by beating and nagging constantly, this resulted to so much sadness in Nwoye’s life. Nwoye’s grew so much distant from his father because of his cruelty and his treatment towards the female members of the family (Shmoop, 2018). He could not confide in his father because of fear; Okonkwo disliked gentleness and associated it with women. Nwoye’s true identity could not show because he always lived to please his father.

Nwoye grew fond of his adopted brother Ikemefuna, “he was like an elder brother to Nwoye” (Achebe, 1959). His brother made him to be the man that his father always wanted, the distance between him and his father grew even more when he came to learn that his father also took part in killing Ikemefuna (Shmoop, 2018). He could not understand his culture including a ritual where twins were not supposed to live so they were thrown away in the forest.

The arrival of the missionaries to Omuofia caused a stir among the villagers; it contradicted their beliefs about God and worship, especially when the missionaries urged them to live their “wicked” ways. They called the missionaries ‘foolish’ and lashed out harsh words to them expressing their dissatisfaction on their presence. However, Nwoye was so much interested with the new religion and I identified himself as one of them (chapter 16) when he was asked by Obierika (Achebe, 1959). In chapter seventeen, “…Nwoye had been attracted to the new faith from the very first day”. He had a positive response to the new culture and found his personality through Christianity (Young, 2014).

It is clearly stated in chapter seventeen that though Nwoye identified himself with Christianity, he was still afraid to tell his father. These are some of the challenges he faced because of his change of culture (Cliffnotes, 2016). He father nearly killed him by chocking because of the stand he took. Once he made a decision to leave his home, he found happiness and the sadness that he lived with fade away, “He was happy to live his father”. At this point it showed that the only thing that he cared for was his happiness and wished that his father would realize how fulfilling Christianity was and leave his traditional ways and follow him (Enotes, 2018).

Nwoye’s response to the cultural collision shapes the meaning of the work in general in a way that the Igbo culture becomes irrelevant. In chapter twenty when Okonkwo was talking to Obierika, “what is that has happened to our people? Why have they lost the power to fight?” it shows how things started to fall apart for the Umuofia people because they lost the determination and their traditional ways were threatened by the arrival of the missionaries (Achebe, 1959).

Achebe, C. (1959). Things fall apart . Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett.

Cliffnotes. (2016). Major Themes in Things Fall Apart. Retrieved from https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/t/things-fall-apart/critical-essays/major-themes-in-things-fall-apart

Help, H., & Apart, T. (2018). How did Nwoye change as a person in Things Fall Apart during the course of the novel (especially in regards to converting to Christianity)? | eNotes. Retrieved from https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/how-did-nwoye-change-person-during-course-novel-245397

Shmoop. (2018). Shmoop Opt In. Retrieved from https://www.shmoop.com/things-fall-apart/nwoye.html#

Young, L. (2014). Nwoye’s Response to Western Ideas. Retrieved from https://prezi.com/7qdkdr2yzr3w/nwoyes-response-to-western-ideas/

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Literature Study (5): ‘Things Fall Apart’ Part 1 – Chapters 6 and 7

Literature Study (5): ‘Things Fall Apart’ Part 1 – Chapters 6 and 7

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Literature Study (7): ‘Things Fall Apart’ Part 1 – Chapters 9 and 10

Literature Study (3): ‘Things Fall Apart’ Part 1 – Chapter 4

Literature Study (3): ‘Things Fall Apart’ Part 1 – Chapter 4

Literature Study (6): ‘Things Fall Apart’ Part 1 – Chapter 8

Literature Study (6): ‘Things Fall Apart’ Part 1 – Chapter 8

Literature Study (16): ‘Things Fall Apart’ Part 3 – Chapters 24 and 25

Literature Study (16): ‘Things Fall Apart’ Part 3 – Chapters 24 and 25

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Literature Study (13): ‘Things Fall Apart’ Part 2 – Chapters 18 and 19

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Literature Study (15): ‘Things Fall Apart’ Part 3 – Chapters 22 and 23

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Literature Study (1): ‘Things Fall Apart’ Part 1 – Chapters 1 and 2

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Literature Study (2): ‘Things Fall Apart’ Part 1 – Chapter 3

Literature Study (11): ‘Things Fall Apart’ Part 2 – Chapters 14 and 15

Literature Study (11): ‘Things Fall Apart’ Part 2 – Chapters 14 and 15

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Literature Study (12): ‘Things Fall Apart’ Part 2 – Chapters 16 and 17

Literature Study (4): ‘Things Fall Apart’ Part 1 – Chapter 5

Literature Study (4): ‘Things Fall Apart’ Part 1 – Chapter 5

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Things Fall Apart: Mini Essays
The conclusion of Things Fall Apart gives the impression of a similar story-within-a-story structure. When the account of how the colonizers have imposed themselves upon Umuofia concludes, the commissioner contemplates the account, leaving little doubt that he will now proceed to impose European values on his version of the account.
Things Fall Apart: A+ Student Essay: The Role of Storytelling in Things
A+ Student Essay: The Role of Storytelling in Things Fall Apart Within the complex oral culture of the Igbo, elaborate storytelling is a prized art form as well as a crucial social tool.
Things Fall Apart Essays
Things Fall Apart By Justin J.R.K. Kirkey An Involved Essay: The Comparison of One Hundred Years of Solitude with Things Fall Apart Things - and societies - fall apart. Societies are born; they grow, thrive, decline, and finally perish. Their procession through... The Release of African Culture on the World Michael Alexander MacGill
Things Fall Apart
Things Fall Apart, first novel by Chinua Achebe, written in English and published in 1958. Things Fall Apart helped create the Nigerian literary renaissance of the 1960s. The novel chronicles the life of Okonkwo, the leader of an Igbo community, from the events leading up to his banishment from the community for accidentally killing a clansman, through the seven years of his exile, to his ...
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Essay Example
Things Fall Apart is about a struggle between change and tradition, as the protagonist Okonkwo suffers from many cultural conflicts that lead to his ultimate downfall. Achebe wrote of Okonkwo, "His whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and weakness."
Things Fall Apart Essay Examples
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a novel full of individuals, within a tribe, as they deal with the frequently tragic and disappointing events of their lives. Okonkwo, the protagonist, and his son, Nwoye, are two of these individuals who must learn to cope... Things Fall Apart Topics:
Things Fall Apart Essays
Things Fall Apart is a novel written by Chinua Achebe that shows the conflicts in Nigeria during the nineteenth century. During this time, missionaries from Great Britain arrived in Nigeria. In this novel, the main character, Okonkwo, resists changes brought about by the British missionaries.
Things Fall Apart Essays
Okonkwo Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a novel about a man in West Africa. It tells about his triumphs and trial ultimately leading to his demise. It explains how the "white man" came into his country and took over. It show you how the "white man" mad things fall apart. Okonkwo was a very large and tall man.
Things Fall Apart Essays
Things Fall Apart is a fiction novel written by Chinua Achebe in 1965. He writes about Okonkwo a wealthy and respected warrior who sees his biological son Nwoye just like his failure of a father Unoka. He soon takes in Ikemefuna a 15-year-old boy and sees in the son who will not disappoint him.
Essay On Things Fall Apart
The essay Things Fall Apart describes the role of the head of the family and how to lead, in that process due to some weaknesses of Okankwo emotions like anger, violence, and rashness, his family breaks down into pieces. It leads to the disturbance in the Igbo society of the Nigerian tribe.
Major Themes in Things Fall Apart
The key phrase of the poems reads, "Things fall apart; the center cannot hold." Underlying the aforementioned cultural themes is a theme of fate, or destiny. This theme is also played at the individual and societal levels. In the story, readers are frequently reminded about this theme in references to chi, the individual's personal god as well ...
Things Fall Apart Essays: Examples, Topics, Titles, & Outlines
The title of Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart refers mainly to the integrity of the Nigerian tribal cultures: to their customs, traditions, and ways of life, all of which fall apart as the result of internal and external conflicts. In Okonkwo's personal life, a series of unfortunate events lead to his loss of personal integrity and his ...
Things Fall Apart Analysis
Things Fall Apart is a novel written by Chinua Achebe that shows the conflicts in Nigeria during the nineteenth century. During this time, missionaries from Great Britain arrived in Nigeria. In this novel, the main character, Okonkwo, resists changes brought about by the British missionaries.
Things Fall Apart: Suggested Essay Topics
Essays Suggested Essay Topics 1. Think about the role of weather in the novel. How does it work, symbolically or otherwise, in relation to important elements of the novel such as religion? Are rain and draught significant? Explore the ways in which weather affects the emotional and spiritual realms of the novel as well as the physical world. 2.
Things Fall Apart Essays & Research Papers
Things Fall Apart Personality is built throughout someone's childhood and a tragic event can cause it to change form. Whatever environment that a child is exposed to can influence how they begin to act, whether it be a good or bad change, they usually pick up their behavior from their guardians.
The Portrayal of Women in Things Fall Apart
Triumph and Tragedy: the Exploration of a Tragic Hero and the Consequences of Others that Contribute to the Overall Tragic Vision of the Peace "Things Fall Apart" Essay. From the very title of this historical fiction novel, Things Fall Apart, composed by Chinua Achebe, it foreshadows the tragedy which is triggered by the tragic hero.
Things Fall Apart Summary English Literature Essay
Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, depicts life among the Igbo society in Nigeria. Okonkwo is a wealthy and respected warrior of the Umuofia clan, a Nigerian tribe. He is constantly haunted by the actions of Unoka, his weak and unaccomplished father, who died in shame, leaving many village debts unsettled.
Things Fall Apart Essay Rough Draft.docx
Keppo 1 Kirsti Keppo AP English Literature Ms. Sherry 11 February 2022 Things Fall Apart The year is 1958, and Chinua Achebe has just published his novel Things Fall Apart that follows pre-colonial life in the Southeastern part of Nigeria and the invasion of Europeans in the 19th century. The novel follows Okonkwo through his journey in the village of Umuofia and the ups and downs he and his ...
Things Fall Apart: Fear Essay Example For FREE 📝
Things Fall Apart: Fear. The fear of being anything close to his father Unoka, the fear of acting anything other than a man and the fear of adjusting to anything other than his own social customs is what drove him over the edge and into a noose. Overtaken by fear, Okonkwo commits senseless actions for the sake of living up to his own selfish ...
Chinua Achebe's Life, Igbo Culture, and Things Fall Apart
Although TFA is a fictional artistic work, its perspective, style, and story are shaped by Achebe's socio-cultural context, life, and experiences. Our experts can deliver a Chinua Achebe's Life, Igbo Culture, and Things Fall Apart essay. tailored to your instructions. for only $13.00 $11.05/page. 308 qualified specialists online.
Things Fall Apart: Central Idea Essay: The Importance of Proverbs in
This proverb insists that Okonkwo must go into exile lest he offend the Earth goddess and spell Umuofia's doom. Yet this proverb is also ominous, gesturing covertly to the coming of the first missionary and the future "contamination" of the nine villages. Here the proverbial expression has a narrative function, foreshadowing the chaos to ...
Things Fall Apart Salva Jaguarna Quotes
Salva helped with the boats so he could get over the river faster. The text explains "It was hard work running back and forth between those cutting and those weaving.". (43) This means Salva is an achiever because instead of not helping because he was a child, he helped all the adults and got reeds.
Things Fall Apart Nwoye Quotes Analysis
Things Fall Apart Nwoye Quotes Analysis. "Nothing of me is original. I am the combined effort of everyone I've ever known" -Chuck Palahiuk. Chinua Achebe kept this quote in mind when she told the story of Nwoye through her book, Things Fall Apart. Nwoye was poorly mistreated by his father, Okonkwo, because Okonkwo felt that Nwoye acted ...
10 Smart Topics for Your Things Fall Apart Analysis
Topic #2: Discuss the theme of tradition versus change in the novel. Change is what pushes any story forward. The tension it causes by disrupting the status quo allows characters to develop and allows a fuller, more nuanced story to develop. In Things Fall Apart, the tension between tradition and change is one of the major themes.
Cultural Clash And Identity In Things Fall Apart
Why have they lost the power to fight?" it shows how things started to fall apart for the Umuofia people because they lost the determination and their traditional ways were threatened by the arrival of the missionaries (Achebe, 1959). References. Achebe, C. (1959). Things fall apart. Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett. Cliffnotes. (2016).
Things Fall Apart Study Guide
Step 2: Identify your techniques. With Things Fall Apart, not many techniques are used, so refer to themes and key ideas for most of your analysis. The book is told in a very straightforward manner. This is because it is intended to be almost an 'historical' (although the characters are fictional) representation of the events.
Results for summaries of chapters of Things Fall Apart
SuperSummary. $12.50. Zip. SuperSummary's bundle with Literature Guide, 6 Quizzes & Vocabulary List for Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe delivers text-specific, assessment-based, and classroom-ready materials for close reading, analysis, comprehension assessment, and essay assignments.Review and plan more easily with summaries and analyses ...