Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

731 Words2 Pages

I believe it was the great and powerful Napoleon Bonaparte who once said, “In the long run, the sword is always beaten by the spirit”. Bonaparte was not merely referring to the fact that the spirit of the people is stronger than the might of the sword, but he was also referring to the fact that there is no such thing as true oppression. It is this same misleading oppression that we can see happening in the modern day continent of Africa. The African people have lived through “the complexes of denigration and self-abasement” (Achebe). In Chinua Achebe’s book, Things Fall Apart, he tries to help his ‘society regain belief in itself and put away’ these complexities. For Achebe the African image still has hope, and it is through the deliverance of his novel that he successfully shows his people what a strong society can accomplish, and moreover he shows his people whose fault it was for leading them to the situation that they are currently in.
To begin, Chinua Achebe helps build up the self-confidence and spirit of his people by strongly emphasizing and reflecting on the accomplishments of the Igbo society. Achebe begins to describe the superiority and adornment of the Igbo people when he introduces us to the Protagonist of the novel Okonkwo. He describes his arrival to a neighboring village by saying that, “Okonkwo of Umofia arrived at Mbaino as the proud and imperious emissary of war, he arrived with honor and respect” (Achebe 12). Achebe chooses to describe Okonkwo in such a way so that to emphasize how strong the Igbo society once was. For Achebe, Okonkwo is a metaphor of the success of the Igbo people, the things in which the Igbo excel in are also seen in Okonkwo, in this case they were strong, disciplined, and most important ...

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...rned from his mistakes (Achebe 97). The “birds agreed that he was a changed man, and they each gave him a feather” (Achebe 97). Later on however the birds come to find that the Turtle was a person of deception and trickery, so the birds united with one another and took back what they gave him; in this case they each took back a feather. The above story is clear example of Achebe’s emphasis on who the enemy truly is. Achebe in this case tries to show his people that the true enemy is one of trickery and deception. Such an enemy in his case sneaks his way into the community of the people and steals from them little by little. In context the Turtle snuck his way into the bird’s community and stole from them their feathers and food. In short Achebe tries to show his people that in order to fight an enemy they must unite with one another and take back what was theirs.

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
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Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
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According to Webster’s dictionary, a tragic hero is a protagonist that is otherwise perfect except for flaws that are intrinsic to his or her character, which often leads to his or her demise. In Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo, the protagonist was unlike tragic heroes such as Oedipus, Iago and Beowulf, because he was not born into nobility, but had to rise to fame and earn respect through his exceptional stamina, hard work and his historic unrivaled success at defeating the famous Amalinze the Cat. Like Beowulf and Oedipus, Okonkwo shares traits that are characteristic of a tragic hero. These traits exposed his mortal fear of failure, his fear of weakness and his fear of becoming like his father who was lazy and poor. Okonkwo also possesses an unwavering pride and an irrepressible anger. Fear, pride and anger are some of the traits of a tragic hero that were inherent in Okonkwo, and this paper will seek to explore how these traits contributed to his downfall Okonkwo’s connection of manliness with rage, ferocity and recklessness eventually leads to his downfall. Okonkwo finds it difficult to accept the changes the Missionaries have brought to Umuofia. The missionaries changed the way the people of Umuofia think, leading to an irreversible division among the people.
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Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
1165 Words | 3 Pages
Things Fall Apart, a novel based on the cultures and the traditions of the Igbos depict a very strong sense of struggle between change and tradition. This story is somewhat an archetype of To Kill a Mocking Bird. Not just centered on sociopolitical views but also cultural and traditional beliefs, Achebe specifically defines each speck of this Eastern Nigerian culture, from the breaking of the “kola –a caffeine-containing nut of evergreen trees to the unmasking of the egwuegwu and spiritual sacrifices to the gods and ancestors. Kola, a very essential part of the Igbo culture is represented in so many ways; it signifies peace, blessing, wealth, abundance, and respect most especially. In this society, the contest for wealth, titles and success was very important, it was a great legacy to be left by any man. Okonkwo being the strongest and most powerful man in the village had more than set a standard in that village by conquering the greatest warrior of all time. He had a symbiotic relationship with his community, as much has he benefited from the community’s societal and cultural values, so did they benefit from his strength and will power to succeed.
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Things Fall Apart
1974 Words | 4 Pages
Chinua Achebe?s Things Fall Apart is a narrative story that follows the life of an African man called Okonkwo. The setting of the book is in eastern Nigeria, on the eve of British colonialism in Africa. The novel illustrates Okonkwo?s struggles, triumphs, and his eventual downfall, all of which basically coincide with the Igbo?s society?s struggle with the Christian religion and British government. In this essay I will give a biographical account of Okonwo, which will serve to help understand that social, political, and economic institutions of the Igbos.
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Cultural Change Explored in Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe
1874 Words | 4 Pages
Okonkwo, the main character in Achebe’s novel, begins as an individual who holds great power in the Umuofi...
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Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
966 Words | 2 Pages
The story starts out saying how all the birds in the sky were invited to a feast that would be held in the sky. The birds painted themselves and got ready for the event. The tortoise notices what was happening with be birds because he was very wise and deceitful, or as the book says, “he was full of cunning.” (Achebe 96) The tortoise was hungry and had not eaten in a long time, so the tortoise in his deceitful ways, went to ask the birds if he could join them in the sky. The birds answered, “We know you too well…you are full of cunning and you are ungrateful. If we allow you to come with us you will soon begin your mischief.” (97)
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Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart
865 Words | 2 Pages
Okonkwo’s desire for respect motivates his quest to preserve the practices of Ibo culture, while Obierika preserves the practices of the Ibo culture with a more humanistic perspective. Achebe uses the differing approaches of Okonkwo and Obierika in maintaining the cultural doctrines of the Ibo people to reveal his sympathy for Obierika over Okonkwo. Okonkwo’s motives for maintaining the customs of the Ibo originate with fear. Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna while “dazed with fear,” drawing “his machete [to] cut him down” because, “he was afraid of being thought weak” (Achebe 61). Though Okonkwo attempts to appear strong to the people of Umuofia, his fearful motivation speaks to a hidden internal weakness. Okonkwo’s focus on eradicating the taint of “his father’s weakness and failure” and his yearning for respect drive him to kill Ikemefuna instead of the more proper motive of simply effectuating what the Ibo conside...
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Okonkwo’s Resistance to Change in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart
1470 Words | 3 Pages
The character of Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart was driven by fear, a fear of change and losing his self-worth. He needed the village of Umuofia, his home, to remain untouched by time and progress because its system and structure were the measures by which he assigned worth and meaning in his own life. Okonkwo required this external order because of his childhood and a strained relationship with his father, which was also the root of his fears and subsequent drive for success. When the structure of Umuofia changed, as happens in society, Okonkwo was unable to adapt his methods of self-evaluation and ways of functioning in the world; the life he was determined to live could not survive a new environment and collapsed around him.
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Tradition And Modernity In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart
1093 Words | 3 Pages
]k Adegbite O. came to a similar conclusion about Okonkwo’s views on masculinity and femininity when he makes the remark in his essay that, “Okonkwo is of the opinion that traditional men have lost their place in society and cannot be termed ‘worthy’ anymore as Western culture has softened their resolve; men have been turned to weaklings by colonisation and the white man’s religion” (Tobalase, “Masculinity and Cultural Conflict in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart”).
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Things Fall Apart Theme Essay
1621 Words | 4 Pages
Before the arrival of the Europeans, Achebe did a excellent job portraying how the life of Igbo was before they were forced to oppose their own culture. To support this theme, Achebe included detailed descriptions of social rituals within each family, the justice system, religious practices and consequences, preparation and indulgence of food, the marriage process and the distributing of power within the men. Achebe shows how every man has an opportunity to prove himself worthy to achieve a title on the highest level, based merely on his own efforts. One may argue that the novel was written with the main focus on the study of Okonkwo’s character and how he deteriorates, but without the theme that define the Igbo culture itself, we would never know the universe qualities of the society that shaped Okonkwo’s life. The lives of the Igbo people was no different to the actual lives of the Ibos people back in the early days of Africa. Just like in Things Fall Apart, in actual African tribes there was never a ruler. “Very interesting thing about these villages is that there is no single ruler or king that controls the population. Decisions are made by including almost everyone in the village” (AfricaGuide). Using the theme, Achebe educated readers on by mirroring real African life in her
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People Fall Apart in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
1669 Words | 4 Pages
... middle of paper ... ... With Achebe?s words, we?re inclined to appreciate the Igbo culture in spite of it being different from our own. Achebe?s intention is not to justify western dominance over Africa, but to present Africa in such a way that we can respect it for its strengths and despite its weaknesses.
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Gender Roles in Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe
2265 Words | 5 Pages
Upon an initial reading of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, it is easy to blame the demise of Okonkwo’s life and of the Umofia community on the imperialistic invasions of the white men. After all, Okonkwo seemed to be enjoying relative peace and happiness before then. He did have a few mishaps; one of them resulted in him being exiled for eight years. Nonetheless, he returned to his home town with high spirits and with prospects of increased success. However, everything has changed. The white men have brought with them a new religion and a new government. Okonkwo’s family falls apart. The men in his village lose their courage and valor; they do not offer any resistance to the white men. Consequently, Okonkwo kills himself in disgrace and Umofia succumbs to the white men. However, the white men are not the only people responsible for demise of Umofia. The Igbo culture, particularly their views on gender roles, sows the seed of their own destruction. By glorifying aggressive, manly traits and ignoring the gentle, womanly traits, Umofia brings about its own falling apart.
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979 Words | 2 Pages
With an impressive command over the English language, Achebe employs a pleasant style to his narrative through his use of imagery throughout the novel. Education for years now has been the prime key to success for many around the world and this was no different for Umuofia native, Obi Okonkwo. The pleasures associated with gaining an international education proved to be enticing for many Africans. Elders of Umuofia moved heaven and earth to be able to put Okonkwo through school. It seemed, however, that, his education in England was meant to secure him a good pos...
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Things Fall Apart: Questions and Answers
2705 Words | 6 Pages
Okonkwo is a self-made man. He achieves greatness through his own hard work and determination. Okonkwo started his life without the benefits that other young men had. His father, Unoka, was a lazy man. He had acquired no honorary titles. When Unoka died, Okonkwo did not inherit any barn, title, or young wife. He merely acquired his father’s debts. Therefore, Okonkwo sets about to make a name for himself and to achieve greatness in his community. He diligently plants and harvests his yams, building a farm from scratch. He builds a large commune for his family. He marries three wives; one of them was the village beauty. He acquires two titles. Okonkwo is not a failure, like is father was. In Umuofia, “achievement was revered”, and Okonkwo’s achievement was immense (8). He was “clearly cut out for great things” (8). To the Igbo people, Okonkwo epitomizes greatness and success.
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Critical Analysis Of Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe
930 Words | 2 Pages
According to David Whittaker, Achebe’s work “proved to be an immensely influential work for African writers, becoming the progenitor of a whole movement of fiction, drama, and poetry, which focused on the revaluation of Africa’s history and cultures, and on representations of the culture conflicts that has their genesis in the colonial era.” This novel became a pivotal point of realization not only for Africa, but also for the world. All at once the world, afraid of what change may bring, pushed the same question to the back their mind: “What if we have it all wrong?” Suddenly, the culture of Africa was influencing the culture of America, Asia, Europe, Australia, etc. Achebe’s novel was a catalyst in the process of nationalist renewal and decolonization of African culture as a whole (Whittaker). A principle in this novel’s thematic course is the inter-generation conflict faced by not only the village as a whole, but also, on a microscopic level, in Okonkwo’s household. As the culture in Umuofia begins to shift, the predecessors of the current generation heavily rely on the cultural norms initiated by their father’s fathers. While tradition should be honored in a society, it should also be modified; this concept is not fully grasped by the older generations of
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Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe