Greed For Power And Its Consequences In Things Fall Apart By John Hersey

Greed for Power and its Consequences

Conflicts between nations and cultures have always been present throughout history causing dispute both internally and externally. Both novels Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and Hiroshima by John Hersey display the effects of Western invasion into both Africa and Japan. These books were centered on first hand accounts of those who suffered the consequences of these invasions. Things Fall Apart demonstrates the impact of western colonizers into Africa centered through the story of Okonkwo. This is considered the first modern African novel demonstrating when British colonizers came into Africa to change their current culture and religion to civilize them. Hiroshima focuses on six survivors to put names

It also follows the long-term effects on civilians who were exposed to the atomic bomb. That bomb was also an invasion because of the lasting effects on Japan as a whole, and as people individually. Major conflicts started due to imperialism, greed for power, and mostly dominance.

Greed of power and differences in cultures between nations lead to disputes that turn into suffering and violence. The sole purpose of imperialism is to use force to establish dominance. In the novel All Things Fall Apart, the need for dominance is portrayed by both Okonkwo and by the British missionaries who want to force a new way of religion and power. Okonkwo uses fear and violence to assert his control internally with his family and externally within his clan. He even killed Ikemefuna, who he grew to see as a son, but

Achebe presents to us the traditional culture within the clan in Mbanta and also how it was destroyed by the invasion of Western missionaries by spreading their religion and form of government. Some of their ideologies were unfair to the Nigerians because suddenly they were told that everything they grew up was wrong, and it created some division within the clan. After Okonkwo threatened to kill Nwoye for participating in Christian rituals, Achebe writes, “He would later return to his mother and his brothers and sisters and convert them to the new faith” (p152). This demonstrated one example of division within a family that came with the missionaries. A couple good traits brought by the Westerners were education and currency once they established stores. This helped advance their culture even if not everyone believed in the Western ways. Hersey also addresses a major Western ideal: war. The US used a very advanced form of technology to manufacture this bomb that became one of the most dangerous known to man. It seems that most nations immediately turn to war and violence to try to settle problems, but it is too far when civilians are hurt when they are not part of the