Mental Health In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

Everyone experiences different types of pain and react differently. Mental health is a person’s condition in regards to their psychological and emotional well being. Mental breakdowns can ”disrupt your emotional health” creating a variety of emotions such as “sadness or anxiety” (familydoctor). Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe was written to express the painful lives of the people of Umuofia as they are forced to assimilate to a whole new religion brought by the ‘white men”. The language used throughout the story is centered, orderly and gets right to the point without romanticizing anything and reels the reader into the lives of Okonkwo and his clan as they fight for religious freedom. The purity of each village is destroyed as the missionaries came to spread their religion. When the members of Okonkwo’s clan result to giving into the new society, a feeling of disbelief and dissatisfaction wash …show more content…
Okonkwo feels like he needs to save Umuofia which starts his own downfall “own destruction is for a greater cause or principle” (Donovan). Although, he was a large figure in his village he did not inherit his fame from his father, a bad influence “Okonkwo was well known through the nine villages and even beyond, his fame rested on solid personal achievements” (Achebe 7). His economic stance and social achievements brought him his fame. When Okonkwo decided to take his own life, he wanted to make a statement of struggle, sorrow and disappointment. He felt if he accepted the new religion he would lose his manliness and be defeated. Okonkwo’s suicide is a clear implication of how Things Fall Apart is a tragedy. His mental health declined causing great sadness that led him to taking his own life. It was a form of protest to show that he would rather control his own fate,then be controlled and have to adapt to a new