Cultural Collision In Things Fall Apart

Culture collisions are in our everyday lives here in America in our own little towns. We might not notice our culture changing because it is a part of our everyday lives. Culture collisions cause some people to triumph and some people to fail. In the novel, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the Ibo tribe did not see these culture clashes everyday until the “white men” showed up and influenced the Ibo to change their ways. Achebe shows how many of the characters react to this culture shock. Obierika is one of the main characters that shows his sense of identity through this culture collision.
Before the culture collision came into play, Obierika was an intelligent man. He thought through all of his problems before he faced them

He saw that the British had the same thinking as the Ibo on how their own culture is correct but all others are wrong. While Obierika was recognizing this his friend, Okonkwo, committed suicide. This was the turning point where Obierika realized that everyone needs to be able to change and this event was definity change. He betrayed some of his traditions and decided that Okonkwo should have a good burial even though it was against their belief to bury someone who committed suicide. “We he has be buried we will then do our duty by him. We shall make sacrifices to cleanse the desecrated land” (Achebe 208).
Throughout the novel, Obierika was known as Okonkwo’s guide or the complete opposite of his personality. Obierika did not have any big consequences when it came to the culture collision because he was not like Okonkwo and things did not fall apart for him. Obierika was one of the people that triumphed when it came to this culture collision. He was able to be flexible and think before he took any action. As for the rest of the Ibo tribe they had lost the battle. The white men have “put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart” (Achebe