Things Fall Apart And Religion

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Recommended: Colonization effects on indigenous peoples

Resistance and Religion in Post Colonialism Post colonialism is a discipline which concerns itself with the effects of colonialism and imperialism on the native people and their land. It is a subset of the post-modern intellectual discussion and is an active area of research in current times. The term ‘post-colonial’ generally refers to the period from when the colonialization began to the present times rather than from the period when colonization ended. Theories in post colonialism explore and analyse the legacy left behind by the European imperial powers and how it continues to affect the native society despite the end of colonial rule. An interesting aspect of this colonization is the duality that exists. Conquest can be both physical …show more content…

Religion was seen as an attempt to civilize the native population upon colonisation. However, this may not be the truth given the forcible nature of conversions in many colonies. In “Things Fall Apart” Mr. Brown attempts to convert the natives through religious discourse. Many natives convert to Christianity and this is seen as a challenge to the authority of the native religious customs. These followers also question the polytheism and idolatry in the native religion. While his followers wish to adopt sterner means to convert people, Mr Brown restrains them from intimidating the tribe. When Mr. Brown falls ill, Reverend James Smith, who is less tolerant of native religion, replaces him. This leads to events where a tribal ceremony is disturbed following which the church is burned. This culminates in a scuffle between representatives from both sides leading, eventually, to the climax of the plot where Okonkwo kills the leader of the …show more content…

Power is linked to knowledge and while physical brute is successful to an extent, it is the influence over minds which can go a long way in controlling populations. Resistance from the natives is almost always there and most of the times the rebellion is crushed. The cultural colonization, through religion and education, is successful to such an extent that when the colonizers leave, the nation state struggles to cope with its identity. It is only natural that intolerance grows in such contexts. Despite the end of colonial rule, the issues and consequences of colonialism continue to plague the post-colonial

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