The downfall of the Igbo society was represented in Things Fall Apart. The Igbo is a society that lives mainly in Southern Nigeria. The Igbo are the second largest group of people living in Southern Nigeria. There were many things that lead to both the historical downfall, and the downfall of the Igbo society portrayed in Things Fall Apart. Both downfalls of the Igbo have similarities and differences. How accurate was the depiction of the Igbo downfall in reality portrayed in Things Fall Apart,and what is the significance?
The downfall of the Igbo society in recent times was caused by faults in the community. One major problem that led to the downfall of the Igbo was the government. Igbo societies have been “seriously affected by national …show more content…
The intention of the downfall in the book centered more around specific characters and not the general troubles of the Igbo society. The Igbo culture itself caused the society’s collapse. Many things Achebe mentioned that greatly impacted the downfall were about men and the superiority that the society gave men. Achebe stated that, "no matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and his children (and especially his women) he was not really a man” (Achebe 45). This just shows how the men were allowed much more leeway and freedom than the women.Women were treated as property, and that sparked conflicts. One man in the story treated a woman “like an animal to be sold, making sure she was worth the price paid” (Achebe 70). Women were also considered much weaker than men. In the story, Okonkwo even wished his daughter, Ezinma, was a boy. (Achebe 173). Many people often were discriminated because of their age. In the Igbo community, “age was respected among his people, but achievement was revered” (Achebe 8). Many younger citizens could not due the jobs that older people were given. The young people would have done some of the jobs faster and better, but since they were younger and the respect was given to the older generations, may young people could not get the jobs that would support their families. These led to the downfall because the groups like the young people and the women would do things that the society did not support and cause the collapse. The aggressiveness of the Igbo people also added to things. Many people were very violent. Things happened in the society due to an unneeded amount of violence. Even though violence is never needed, there were situations that took it to the extreme. One example is the killing of Ikemefuna. Ikemefuna was an innocent boy. Actions like this could have caused people to get angry. Another major
The downfall of the Igbo society in recent times was caused by faults in the community. One major problem that led to the downfall of the Igbo was the government. Igbo societies have been “seriously affected by national …show more content…
The intention of the downfall in the book centered more around specific characters and not the general troubles of the Igbo society. The Igbo culture itself caused the society’s collapse. Many things Achebe mentioned that greatly impacted the downfall were about men and the superiority that the society gave men. Achebe stated that, "no matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and his children (and especially his women) he was not really a man” (Achebe 45). This just shows how the men were allowed much more leeway and freedom than the women.Women were treated as property, and that sparked conflicts. One man in the story treated a woman “like an animal to be sold, making sure she was worth the price paid” (Achebe 70). Women were also considered much weaker than men. In the story, Okonkwo even wished his daughter, Ezinma, was a boy. (Achebe 173). Many people often were discriminated because of their age. In the Igbo community, “age was respected among his people, but achievement was revered” (Achebe 8). Many younger citizens could not due the jobs that older people were given. The young people would have done some of the jobs faster and better, but since they were younger and the respect was given to the older generations, may young people could not get the jobs that would support their families. These led to the downfall because the groups like the young people and the women would do things that the society did not support and cause the collapse. The aggressiveness of the Igbo people also added to things. Many people were very violent. Things happened in the society due to an unneeded amount of violence. Even though violence is never needed, there were situations that took it to the extreme. One example is the killing of Ikemefuna. Ikemefuna was an innocent boy. Actions like this could have caused people to get angry. Another major