Arrow of God is a tragedy that encompasses war, violation of religion, revenge, and people dying. Achebe narrates the story through the third person omniscient point of view, as he jumps from one person to the other to tell the story. The theme revolves around conflict; conflict between the communities of Umuaro and Okperi to have control of land, religious conflict between the villages of Ezeulu 's and Ezidemilli 's and their priests Ezeulu and Ezidemilli. With the biggest conflict being between the gods, Ulu and the white man 's Christian God. As the African communities and villages fight for power amongst themselves, Christianity slowly comes in and takes over the god Ulu. One of the first conflicts in the story is the fight over land
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He is still our protector, even though we no longer fear Abame warriors at night. But I will not see with these eyes of mine his priest making himself lord over us. My father told me many things, but he did not tell me that Ezeulu was king in Umuaro (Achebe 101).
Even though Nwaka is claiming to support Ulu the higher god, by speaking against the Chief Priest Ezeulu’s he is in turn trying to weaken Ulu’s power in Umuaro. Once again by the villages of Umuaro fighting amongst themselves over religion and going to war, they are making it easy for the white man to intervene and their Christian god to slowly take over. The bigger religious conflict in the story is between Ulu and the Christian god. Throughout the white man is stirring up conflict amongst communities and villages, and promoting their Christian god. The first sign of this is when Mr. Goodcountry, a white man, urges local Christians to kill the python which symbolizes the old gods in Umuaro’s religion ( ?page number of this happening). One of Ezeulu’s sons Oduche takes the challenge and tries to kill the sacred python, but at the last minute does not do it. All of the villagers know what Oduche has done, however Ezeulu does not punish his son, furthering the divide between the people of Umuaro and …show more content…
Yams were a symbol of masculinity and being a good provider. The yams could not be harvested until Ezeulu begans the Feast of the Yams. Ezeulu knew he was losing power and tried to get revenge on his people by delaying the harvest of the yams. In doing this Umuaro falls into famine and people die. The white man then makes the promise that if the people of Umuaro sacrifice to the Christian God they will be saved from the famine. As Ezeulu states, “…the house which the stranger has been seeking to pull down has caught fire of its own free will (Achebe 106). Ezeulu’s stubborn ways and lack of listening to his people ultimately brought down the Ulu religion and the outside religion was brought in, and the white man had conquered Umaro
He is still our protector, even though we no longer fear Abame warriors at night. But I will not see with these eyes of mine his priest making himself lord over us. My father told me many things, but he did not tell me that Ezeulu was king in Umuaro (Achebe 101).
Even though Nwaka is claiming to support Ulu the higher god, by speaking against the Chief Priest Ezeulu’s he is in turn trying to weaken Ulu’s power in Umuaro. Once again by the villages of Umuaro fighting amongst themselves over religion and going to war, they are making it easy for the white man to intervene and their Christian god to slowly take over. The bigger religious conflict in the story is between Ulu and the Christian god. Throughout the white man is stirring up conflict amongst communities and villages, and promoting their Christian god. The first sign of this is when Mr. Goodcountry, a white man, urges local Christians to kill the python which symbolizes the old gods in Umuaro’s religion ( ?page number of this happening). One of Ezeulu’s sons Oduche takes the challenge and tries to kill the sacred python, but at the last minute does not do it. All of the villagers know what Oduche has done, however Ezeulu does not punish his son, furthering the divide between the people of Umuaro and …show more content…
Yams were a symbol of masculinity and being a good provider. The yams could not be harvested until Ezeulu begans the Feast of the Yams. Ezeulu knew he was losing power and tried to get revenge on his people by delaying the harvest of the yams. In doing this Umuaro falls into famine and people die. The white man then makes the promise that if the people of Umuaro sacrifice to the Christian God they will be saved from the famine. As Ezeulu states, “…the house which the stranger has been seeking to pull down has caught fire of its own free will (Achebe 106). Ezeulu’s stubborn ways and lack of listening to his people ultimately brought down the Ulu religion and the outside religion was brought in, and the white man had conquered Umaro