The way information is transmitted can completely change the way it is perceived. Chinua Achebe, the author of the African novel, Things Fall Apart, uses an interesting style to paint and image of detrimental change. He focuses on the Ibo culture and its quick transformation when western missionaries invade this concrete culture. Slowly, the intricate culture of the Ibo crumbles. Achebe has an interesting background because of family connections. His grandfather was an Ibo, who left with the missionaries, like one of the book characters, Nwoye. This allows the reader to observe the culture in detail, and it connects them to it. If it weren 't for this background, Achebe 's style and unique plot structure may not be quite as effective. Each
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Achebe structures part one in a way that the reader sees every small detail of the culture. The plot is slow moving and long in part one, but this was not without reason. An example of how the slow yet detailed structure enhanced the novel was through the many Ibo stories Achebe interweaved. One of these was the story of the tortoise, in chapter eleven. Ekwefi, mother to Ezinma and wife to Okonkwo, tells the story explaining why the tortoise’s shell was imperfect. Achebe takes many pages to tell the story to the reader, and eventually the reader begins to wish that Ekwefi would just cut to the chase with the story. Interestingly enough, about halfway through the story, Ekwefi says, “‘Be patient’” (96). This really exposes both the importance of storytelling in the culture and reminds the reader to be patient as well with the copious detail, like the ones included in the very descriptive story, are important to pay attention to. Therefore, it makes sense for Achebe to “drag out” part one. It allows the reader to soak up the culture, just as Ezinma soaked up the story. …show more content…
The author chooses to include three of the most powerful events within pages of each other, not leaving any time for the reader to digest what is happening before the next shocking event hits. When Okonkwo returns to Umuofia, things are not as he left them. He lost much of his power, and the culture had been altered so much that the Ibo people began to lose their passion for tradition, and to fight back. Okonkwo puts a vast amount of energy into trying to turn things around, but one of meetings is interrupted by a white messenger that was with the missionaries, who demanded they stop the meeting. Okonkwo reacted quickly and impulsively. "Okonkwo 's machete descended twice and the man 's head lay beside his uniform body" (204). There was no way the reader could see this coming. Achebe gave no access to the thoughts or feelings of Okonkwo or the messenger. Out of nowhere, the machete dropped and everything changed. The event fell as fast as the machete fell on the messenger, and with little to no emotion. As far as the reader can tell, Okonkwo feels no remorse. The high value of life the ibo regarded vanished before the audiences eyes and the only feeling left to have was pure shock. The last murder Okonkwo committed was his son 's, Ikemefuna. Achebe contrasts that with this vivid picture of a death that came with no foreshadowing nor aftermath. Now, if Things
Achebe structures part one in a way that the reader sees every small detail of the culture. The plot is slow moving and long in part one, but this was not without reason. An example of how the slow yet detailed structure enhanced the novel was through the many Ibo stories Achebe interweaved. One of these was the story of the tortoise, in chapter eleven. Ekwefi, mother to Ezinma and wife to Okonkwo, tells the story explaining why the tortoise’s shell was imperfect. Achebe takes many pages to tell the story to the reader, and eventually the reader begins to wish that Ekwefi would just cut to the chase with the story. Interestingly enough, about halfway through the story, Ekwefi says, “‘Be patient’” (96). This really exposes both the importance of storytelling in the culture and reminds the reader to be patient as well with the copious detail, like the ones included in the very descriptive story, are important to pay attention to. Therefore, it makes sense for Achebe to “drag out” part one. It allows the reader to soak up the culture, just as Ezinma soaked up the story. …show more content…
The author chooses to include three of the most powerful events within pages of each other, not leaving any time for the reader to digest what is happening before the next shocking event hits. When Okonkwo returns to Umuofia, things are not as he left them. He lost much of his power, and the culture had been altered so much that the Ibo people began to lose their passion for tradition, and to fight back. Okonkwo puts a vast amount of energy into trying to turn things around, but one of meetings is interrupted by a white messenger that was with the missionaries, who demanded they stop the meeting. Okonkwo reacted quickly and impulsively. "Okonkwo 's machete descended twice and the man 's head lay beside his uniform body" (204). There was no way the reader could see this coming. Achebe gave no access to the thoughts or feelings of Okonkwo or the messenger. Out of nowhere, the machete dropped and everything changed. The event fell as fast as the machete fell on the messenger, and with little to no emotion. As far as the reader can tell, Okonkwo feels no remorse. The high value of life the ibo regarded vanished before the audiences eyes and the only feeling left to have was pure shock. The last murder Okonkwo committed was his son 's, Ikemefuna. Achebe contrasts that with this vivid picture of a death that came with no foreshadowing nor aftermath. Now, if Things