Religion In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

During the final parts of book we see how the presence of the new religion,christianity, as well as the influence of the white men is affecting the different villages and tribes. This religion seems to go against all of Okonkwo’s ideals as a man and a warrior. The preachings of the new religion and the people that practice it are pacifistic and gentle whereas Okonkwo’s ideals are rather violent and self destructive. The contrast of the two demonstrates the affront Okonkwo feels towards the rapid transition to western ideologies. The westernisation of Okonkwo’s society emphasises Achebe’s main message of change and how it isn’t always good as evidenced through Okonkwo’s reactions and consequent decline, and the fading of the Igbo culture into a new one. …show more content…
This statement is not always true though, as exemplified in Okonkwo’s case. Okonkwo grew up to be an ambitious and aggressive man, the opposite of his gentle and indolent father. He carried out the Igbo cultures warrior ideals of masculinity and strength with great pride. Then the ideals he has cultivated as a young boy are challenged with the introduction of a new culture and religion. He thinks of the religion as effeminate as shown here, “To abandon the gods of one's father and go about with a lot of effeminate men clucking like old hens was the very depth of abomination.” The femininity that the the new religion Okonkwo claims emanates is a direct challenge to his own masculinity. Okonkwo’s constant striving to prove that he is indeed a man lead to his demise later in the