Published in 1958, Things Fall Apart explored several different complex themes and conflicts, but overall, author Chinua Achebe examined change – and its effects on those it touches. Achebe’s work of fiction describes life among the Igbo people, both before and after the influx of Christian administrations and evangelists, paralleling the very real fall of the Nigerian tribal culture as British governance penetrated the African continent. By looking at these changes through four different lenses – gender, religion, and society – Achebe’s novel is a priceless tool, best used by students of literature and history, but appropriate for anyone who suddenly finds himself in a different world.
Pictures of Chinua Achebe, especially those from his younger years, …show more content…
It forces an appreciation for the indigenous African customs and rituals, and creates an uneasy realization that the European expansion in Africa was both inevitable and unwelcome. Chinua Achebe’s intent in writing this piece, the first of its kind on African culture, was to criticize and condemn the obliteration of tribal customs in Nigeria by white Christians. Okonkwo represents key components of the Igbo culture, like their regard for gender roles and religious rituals, but his general desire for wealth, power, and machismo detracts from the message Achebe should want to communicate with his readers. If all Igbo people were like Okonkwo, it would be easier to agree that British control of African settlements was defensible. Things Fall Apart still receives international attention in the academic community, and it is especially useful as a teaching aide for students in literature or history programs. However, readers should employ caution in assuming that the very flawed protagonist, Okonkwo, represents the Igbo as a
Pictures of Chinua Achebe, especially those from his younger years, …show more content…
It forces an appreciation for the indigenous African customs and rituals, and creates an uneasy realization that the European expansion in Africa was both inevitable and unwelcome. Chinua Achebe’s intent in writing this piece, the first of its kind on African culture, was to criticize and condemn the obliteration of tribal customs in Nigeria by white Christians. Okonkwo represents key components of the Igbo culture, like their regard for gender roles and religious rituals, but his general desire for wealth, power, and machismo detracts from the message Achebe should want to communicate with his readers. If all Igbo people were like Okonkwo, it would be easier to agree that British control of African settlements was defensible. Things Fall Apart still receives international attention in the academic community, and it is especially useful as a teaching aide for students in literature or history programs. However, readers should employ caution in assuming that the very flawed protagonist, Okonkwo, represents the Igbo as a