How Is Colonialism In Things Fall Apart

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Recommended: Effects of European colonization on Africa

Musye Gebrezgiy World History Professor Minkin Things Fall Apart How is colonialism a theme throughout the novel? How does this novel address a Eurocentric understanding of African history? Things Fall Apart is about the tragic fall of Okonkwo our main character and the Igbo culture. Okonkwo is a respected leader within the Igbo community of Umunfia in eastern Nigeria. He first gets respect within the village by defeating Amalinze the Cat in a wrestling contest. Okonkwo is determined to become a powerful and wealthy man unlike his father who was weak. Within the community, Unoka was considered a failure and a laughingstock he was looked upon as a woman who had no property to call his own. He eventually died a shameful death and left numerous debts. Okonkwo despises and resents his father gentle ways he decides to overcome the shame that he feels for his father’s weakness by becoming what he considers to be “manly”. He dominates his wives and children by being insensitive and controlling. Over the years, Okonkwo becomes an extremely volatile man. For example beating his youngest wife Ojiugo for accidently forgetting to prepare the afternoon meal for his family. Things begin to fall apart soon with the arrival of Christian missionaries who spread their religion and culture throughout the land and. Colonialism is a theme that’s constantly addressed throughout the book and is to blame for the fall of the Igbo culture and Okonkwo. The first signs of colonization come to Abame when the first white man appears. The village at first didn’t know what to expect from him. The elders of the village consulted the Oracle and soon came to the decision to kill the man because they f... ... middle of paper ... ... people and obedience to the tribal leaders and their gods. The missionaries who subjugated unfortunately stripped this for the Igbo people. Eurocentric perspective was a widely held belief among Europeans that Africa was wild, exotic, and natives were uneducated had no principle. This was more than enough for the Europeans to establish their culture into Africa because it was more superior to that of African culture. Achebe does a great job in proving this idea wrong. He takes us into a new world shows us that even though the natives had a different view of the world they were still no different than that of the Europeans who just like the whites showed compassion, hate, have faith in a god(s) and unite as one for the better. He was a man on a mission dedicated to spreading knowledge of Africa’s contributions to history and unifying the continent and its people.

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