The Effect of Colonialism in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

692 Words2 Pages

This essay is about the effect of Colonialism seen in the book Things Fall Apart. Through out the whole book you can see different impressions on the tribe, many other people, and the relationships between the white man and the black man. "Does the white man understand our custom about land?" "How can he when he does not even speak our tongue? But he says that our customs are bad; and our own brothers who have taken up his religion also say that our customs are bad. How do you think we can fight when our own brothers have turned against us? The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We 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, 17)

This discussion of the white man not understanding the customs and traditions, comes ever since the arrival of the colonialists, Obierika seems to voice Achebe's own thoughts on colonialism. Upset by the fact that the white men have come and completely disregarded the Igbo sense of justice, Obierika points out the impossibility of the colonialists understanding anything about the Umuofians without speaking their language. Then he points out the foolishness of belittling unfamiliar customs.

Obierika does not lay the whole blame on the white man’s side. He feels also that the Umuofians who have con...

Show More
Related

  • A Single Story Of African Culture In Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe

    1675 Words  | 4 Pages

    As wise John Berger once said,“Never again shall a single story be told as though it were the only one”. A “single story” is the story of a culture that we learn from stereotypes and conspiracies developed throughout time in our society. In “Things Fall Apart”, Chinua Achebe defies the single story of African culture while still tying their native language in to show the importance between a physical differentiation of culture, and the similarities with morals and values they have in common. Through gender roles and proverbs used in the language of this book, we have a cultural insight of Nigeria through a new set of eyes given to us by Achebe that detures us from the single stories that we were taught to by our society.

    Read More

  • Igbo Civilization In Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe

    943 Words  | 2 Pages

    Things Fall Apart written by Chinua Achebe takes readers through the lives of how the Igbo civilization grew and developed and then how it fell. Within the book the main focus was on the Igbo’s civilization rituals and traditions that had been changed due to the travel of new foreigners. These foreigners clashed with the Igbo tribes causing many differences within the traditions set by their ancestors, ultimately causing everything to fall apart. A scene in the book shows Okonkwo, one of the main characters within the Igbo tribe, had died. One of the quotes from the book, explaining the essence of how the traditions meant to them was Obierika, talking about his friends’ death saying (“It is against our custom, it is an abomination for a man to take his own life.”)(Achebe 178) As the Europeans invaded they claimed one of their own, and buried him. The two friends had obeyed the rituals and customs set by their early ancestors within the Igbo civilization.

    Read More

  • African Imperialism In Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe

    802 Words  | 2 Pages

    Imagine a group of foreign people invading your home, disavowing all your beliefs, and attempting to convert you to a religion you have never heard of. This was the reality for thousands and thousands of African people when many Europeans commenced the Scramble for Africa during the period of New Imperialism. A great fiction novel written by Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, highlights the responses to missionaries by African people. The African natives responded to the presence of white missionaries with submission to their desires, strategic responses to counteract them, and with the most disruptive response of violence.

    Read More

  • Cultural Differences In Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe

    960 Words  | 2 Pages

    He was in great conflict with the ideas of the white men and the missionaries. Okonkwo saw that their beliefs had not only changed the daily life of the Ibo, but it also changed the people themselves: “He mourned for the warlike men of Umuofia, who had so unaccountably become soft like women” (Achebe 183). The author uses strong diction to compare the men before and after colonization. This quote also portrays Okonkwo’s opinion towards the cultural collision. He values strength and masculinity immensely because of his fear of appearing weak like his father Unoka. When he describes that the men of Umuofia changed to be soft like women, this shows how much he dishonors the Western ideas and how it has taken over the village. He made an attempt to get rid of the Western influence by urging the tribe to fight like men, but they refuse to. He was determined and still attempted to furthermore encourage the people of Umuofia to revolt against the new culture. He realizes that his attempts to return the village back to the way it was before were futile. He knew that Christianity was tearing his people apart, but knew he was incapable of making change to help his people. Okonkwo then starts to feel hopeless and abandoned by his clan, which causes him to commit suicide by hanging himself: “Obierika… turned suddenly to the District Commissioner and said ferociously: ‘That man was one of the greatest men

    Read More

  • Ethnocentrism And Racism In Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe

    720 Words  | 2 Pages

    When the District Commissioner, he decided to bring is government and judicial system with him. He sees the African villages as uncivilized and needing saving although the citizens of Umuofia have survived without external assistance. However, the District Commissioner “built a court where [he judges] cases in ignorance” and according to his own law, not considering the African people’s different customs and laws (Achebe, 174). Through ignorance, he was convinced that the Nigerian people did not know right from wrong, when they did, but it was just different from the District Commissioner’s right and wrong. This is similar to a person Chinua Achebe criticized in his essay, An Image of Africa. After travelling through Africa, Schweitzer decides to “build a hospital appropriate to the needs of junior brothers” although the hospitals built had very low hygienic standards (Achebe, 20). The white travellers who find Africa often seem to find them as savages, although they have their own way of life. The travellers seem to want to help the Africans, no matter how little effort they put into their

    Read More

  • Things Fall Apart: The Relationship Between Cultural Relativity and Superiority

    1339 Words  | 3 Pages

    By utilizing an unbiased stance in his novel, Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe promotes cultural relativity without forcibly steering his audience to a particular mindset. He presents the flaws of the Ibo tribe the same way he presents the assets—without either condescension or pride; he presents the cruelties of the colonizers the same way he presents their open mindedness—without either resentment or sympathy. Because of this balance, readers are able to view the characters as multifaceted human beings instead of simply heroes and victims. Achebe writes with such subtle impartiality that American audiences do not feel guilty for the cruel actions of the colonizers or disgusted by the shocking traditions of the tribesmen. The readers stop differentiating the characters as either “tribesmen” or “colonizers”. They see them simply as people, much like themselves. With this mindset, the audience starts to reflect upon their own cultural weaknesses. Conversely, the colonizers forcefully declare their religion onto the tribesmen instead of neutrally presenting their beliefs. Achebe prevails over his anger to present his opinion without forcefulness and with open-minded consideration. Yes, the colonizers succeed in converting many tribesmen into Christians; however, their success is subjective because they destroy African culture in the process. Ultimately, Achebe is successful in delivering his political views, but he does so by encouraging open-mindedness and cultural relativity instead of forcing his individual ideals upon his readers.

    Read More

  • Cultural Collision In Things Fall Apart

    821 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Imperialism in Things Fall Apart, Thesis by Chinua Achebe

    1035 Words  | 3 Pages

    Cultural clashes result in unnecessary conflict. Several countries (European powers) including France, Great Britain, and Belgium imperialized Africa. They did this because of their demand for raw materials, need for markets, and their attempt to implement commerce, create civilization, and to bring in Christianity to be the primary religion. The clash between the Europeans and the Africans caused the Europeans to colonize Africa and to partition the continent, this partition plan is know as the Scramble for Africa. Chinua Achebe’s thesis regarding Colonial Africa in Things Fall Apart is an accurate portrayal of imperialism and Ibo culture to a high extent due to the religious accusations serving as catalysts for conflict, the use of the Christian, European missionaries attempting to conquer Africa, take the resources of the land, and convert multiple Ibo people to Christianity, and the display of cultural aspects (customs/traditions) about the Ibo people.

    Read More

  • Gender Roles in Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe

    2265 Words  | 5 Pages

    Upon an initial reading of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, it is easy to blame the demise of Okonkwo’s life and of the Umofia community on the imperialistic invasions of the white men. After all, Okonkwo seemed to be enjoying relative peace and happiness before then. He did have a few mishaps; one of them resulted in him being exiled for eight years. Nonetheless, he returned to his home town with high spirits and with prospects of increased success. However, everything has changed. The white men have brought with them a new religion and a new government. Okonkwo’s family falls apart. The men in his village lose their courage and valor; they do not offer any resistance to the white men. Consequently, Okonkwo kills himself in disgrace and Umofia succumbs to the white men. However, the white men are not the only people responsible for demise of Umofia. The Igbo culture, particularly their views on gender roles, sows the seed of their own destruction. By glorifying aggressive, manly traits and ignoring the gentle, womanly traits, Umofia brings about its own falling apart.

    Read More

  • Nigerian Culture In Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe

    1540 Words  | 4 Pages

    This crime from Okonkwo left him away from his homeland for seven years, and during his escape, his old culture would soon be evolved. This unintentional action also played a domino effect, first moving his family away and having his home destroyed, then having his son, Nwoye turn back on him and become a missionary in Umuofia joining the white culture. Achebe describes how Nwoye declines Okonkwo being his father towards Obierika who is doing favors for the family (144). Hearing this, his father seems to not be harmed and is disappointed in his son. These missionaries began assembling into Umuofia, convincing the clansmen that there is only one God, and He is the creator of everything unlike what the clansmen had believed. They had a god for everything, but they now were being persuaded. Hearing this, Okonkwo is in shock and believes that the only way to solve the issue is to chase the men out of the village some way (Achebe 146). Nwoye is attracted to the new religion but has yet to reveal it to his father for fear of him. When Okonkwo heard the news, he is infuriated with anger. “… sprang to his feet and gripped him by the neck”

    Read More

  • The Ibo Society In Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe

    1196 Words  | 3 Pages

    Societies are widely portrayed across literature as groups of people living together in an organized community while sharing a similar culture. However, not all societies have developed properly to be classified as civilized. A civilized society is one that has been brought to a stage of social, cultural, and moral development, causing it to be considered more advanced. In the novel, Things Fall Apart, author Chinua Achebe depicts the Ibo society as civilized through their egwugwu justice system, worshipping of a spiritual Oracle, and patriarchal dominance.

    Read More

  • Social Changes in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

    1129 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the book Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, we are able to read about the social changes the white missionaries had on an African tribe. Mr. Achebe describes the way of life before the missionaries arrived and then records some of the changes, which occurred due to the changed belief system introduced by these missionaries.

    Read More

  • Change And Tradition In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

    723 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout history, there have been many instances of people struggling to identify and cope with change and tradition, and this is no different in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart.

    Read More

  • Colonialism In Things Fall Apart Essay

    1166 Words  | 3 Pages

    Colonization in Nigeria affected the Igbo culture and its people in many different ways. In the novel, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the author portrays events in the novel that reflect real experiences that he had. Many of the events in the novel deal with the act of colonization and how it affects different members in society, an idea that Achebe has experienced for himself. The author 's first hand experience with colonization allows the story to depict how colonization affected the Igbo people more accurately. Chinua Achebe creates an accurate representation of colonialism with his use of real events that occurred.

    Read More

  • Conflict in Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe

    1079 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout the world there are many conflicts. It has been that way all throughout history. Since the dawn of man, there have been many conflicts. These conflicts led to wars and changed the lives of many forever. Almost all of the conflicts are due to discrimination by different groups of people. Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, provide examples of discrimination between groups of people. The story focuses on the life and suicide of Okonkwo, a well-respected clansman of Umuofia clan. He struggles between the traditional strong masculine culture in a Nigerian Village and the new customs brought by white missionaries. The book shows the disastrous effects of prejudice and intolerance leading readers to reflect on the similarities of present and history. Achebe’s, Things Fall Apart, strongly represents the vast amount of bigotry between those of different genders, religious groups, and social statuses throughout history.

    Read More

More about The Effect of Colonialism in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Open Document