Things Fall Apart Imperialism Essay

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Imperialism forces a society to change whether they desire a change or not. Most imperialists would argue that the nations or peoples that they conquer need their enlightened concepts and technological support in order to grow. In “Things Fall Apart,” Chinua Achebe discusses not only the impact of imperialism but also the peoples’ reactions towards it. Achebe highlights both the positive and negative characteristics that imperialism brings to a society. Achebe conveys an overall negative attitude regarding imperialism. Achebe describes three benefits that imperialism has to offer. The first benefit is trade. As the Europeans discover these remote tribes, they also discover some valuable goods that the tribes produce. The palm-oil that many of the tribes use frequently transforms into a bartering tool. Achebe describes, “The white man had indeed brought a lunatic religion, but he had also built a trading store and for the first time palm-oil and kernel became things of great price, and much money flowed into Umuofia” (Achebe, 1994, p.178). Another …show more content…

Brown. Mr. Brown deeply invests in the lives of the natives around him. He builds relationships with people and makes himself known to the village of Umuofia. Before Mr. Brown begins his work as a missionary, he educates himself on the culture that surrounds him. Achebe states, “Whenever Mr. Brown went to that village he spent long hours with Akunna in his obi talking through an interpreter” (Achebe, 1994, p.179). During his conversations with Akunna, Mr. Brown did not force Christianity on Akunna but attempted to gently persuade him into knowing Christ. Mr. Brown was very successful in his field because he came to the natives as an equal and not as someone who was superior and further advanced. He presented the benefits of European culture and let them decide whether they would seize the tools that would lead to growth as a

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