The Culture Of Umuofia In Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe presents the culture of Umuofia throughout his novel, Things Fall Apart. Achebe describes the culture’s specific traditions, rituals, and norms. Everybody in the clan has to abide by the clans regulations or else they are punished or ridiculed. In the clan, gender plays a major. Men have to act manly and brawny, and the women have to be able to cook, clean, and tend to the men’s children. Power, also plays a huge role amongst, the men; men must grow the most yams or be a great fighter in the clan in order to gain power However, this can develop a conflict between the people who are either discontent with the norms, for those who cannot fulfill the norms, and for those who become obsessed with the norms. Achebe claims that cultural norms and traditions shape the culture and its people, but these

Often, those norms and traditions may be difficult to uphold, or they may not be entirely righteous. A culture’s norms and tradition may shape how the culture is and shape its people, but it is the catalyst for the destruction of its people, as well as the destruction of the clan itself. Umuofia’s culture had certain norms and traditions were many did not agree upon or were unrighteous which lead to conflict. Okonkwo became obsessed with his culture’s norm for men. Eventually, his obsession became his tragic flaw because his ability to interact with his own family and other people in general, became shattered. His obsession became his tragic flaw because it lead to his demise. In addition, the norms and traditions became unrighteous to follow that many of the clan’s people decided to disband their culture and follow a new one. Umuofia lead themselves to their own collapse. Norms and traditions have the power to be destructive, but if culture plans to prosper, then it must have norms and traditions that are suitable for everyone so that it may not lead itself to its own