Things Fall Apart Essay

In Today’s modern world we have access to information on thousands of religions at the touch of our fingertips. This is why it is hard to imagine living in a world where there is only one religion. It is even more difficult to imagine the position Ibo people in the book Things Fall Apart when the white missionaries came. With them, these missionaries brought new religion, new government and new culture to the Ibo people. Though many of the white men were overly zealous about their traditions, these new traditions also brought changes that were beneficial to Umuofia. Mr. Brown for example, was a missionary who’s motives were sincere and he genuinely tried to help the Ibo people. However when Mr. Smith replaced him there was a noticeable tension between the clan and the church. Regardless, the presence of the missionaries was neither entirely negative or positive however, both of their presence brought an inevitable cultural change to the clan. Their presence in the novel and how the clan was affected depended on the missionaries themselves and the relationships they held with the clan.

Mr. Brown for example, created a hospital and a school in Umuofia. Constantly he urged the clan to send their children to school to be educated, so that they may have the hope of being independent from the white man. Mr. Brown also managed to create peace and respect between the clan and the church, emphasizing the importance of tolerance, “And so Mr. Brown came to be respected even by the clan, because he trod softly on its faith” (Achebe 132). Religion was discussed openly between Mr. Brown and Akunna, one of the clan’s most respected members. Though they never came to an agreement, Mr. Brown’s willingness to listen and learn about the Ibo peopl...

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...g they ever believed true, meant nothing; things were falling apart.

Evidently it is clear that the presence of the missionaries in the novel was both beneficial and malicious. It was neither entirely one or the other, because it depended on the missionaries themselves and the relationships they held with members of the clan. Mr. Brown was a sincere missionary who brought respect and understanding between the clan and the church. Mr. Brown created a hospital and a school, where he urged the Ibo people to go and be educated, for their own benefit. Then there is Mr. Smith who was abusive and prejudice, even towards the converts. Regardless, both of their presence brought an inevitable cultural change in the traditions of the clan. Whether change is good or not is an entirely different debate.

Works Cited

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