“I would say colonialism is a wonderful thing. It spread civilization to Africa. Before it they had no written language, no wheel as we know it, no schools, no hospitals, not even normal clothing” (Ian Smith). The words of Ian Smith show how the British thought they were helping Africa in colonialism but in reality were actually damaging its image. The novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe highlights the colonization of African peoples through the perspective of the Igbo people. The British implement their justice system to colonize the Igbo people. Within that British system of justice, a strong tie to Christianity is found as it serves as a justification for the British’s actions taken on the Igbo people. The religious influence on the
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Even if the Igbo people go to war with the Europeans they will have to fight their own brothers. Okonkwo highlights this when he says, “How do you think we can fight when our own brothers have turned against us” (176)? The only action that the Igbo have left towards the British is to obey their laws; there will be tension, but the in the end the Igbo fall under British justice. During Okonkwo 's discussion with Obierika, he talks about the British and how the white man has taken over the Igbo, “He has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart” (176). Achebe suggests that the knife to Okonkwo is Christianity and how Igbo culture has been destroyed by it. Achebe writes, “ [The white men] had built a place of judgment in Umuofia to protect the followers of their religion” (155). Achebe explains here that when the British impose their justice system they find that all who oppose their laws and customs to be guilty and uncivilized. Another way the British use Christianity in justice to colonize the Igbo is that they praise the people who convert and call them the “civilized” and the other Igbo who do not convert are …show more content…
Killing and mutilation of a body like the ogbanje are very gruesome to the British and British officials declare it an act of crime to perform. When Mr. Smith hears about an ogbanje, he is “filled with wrath … [and] he replies that such [acts] are spread by the Devil” (185). Mr. Smith declares that anyone who does this act is spawned by the devil. Due to the progressive culture of the British, Igbo citizens might agree that it is immoral to commit ogbanje and join the British justice system. In addition to this ritual, Igbo people disagree on other issues such as how Okonkwo was sentenced for seven years of exile for accidentally killing an Umuofia clansman. The Igbo people feel like the clan judges Okonkwo unjustly and is wrongly given such harsh of a penalty. Obierika highlights this aspect of unfair punishment when he cries out “why should a man suffer so grievously for an offense he had committed inadvertently?” (106). The British system of justice appeals more to Igbo members of society -like Obierika- due to its use of a human judge and jury to make accurate and correct decisions of justice. When the village leaders offer the missionaries a plot of land in the evil forest and they do not die the next day everyone questions why. The survival of the British does not coincide
Even if the Igbo people go to war with the Europeans they will have to fight their own brothers. Okonkwo highlights this when he says, “How do you think we can fight when our own brothers have turned against us” (176)? The only action that the Igbo have left towards the British is to obey their laws; there will be tension, but the in the end the Igbo fall under British justice. During Okonkwo 's discussion with Obierika, he talks about the British and how the white man has taken over the Igbo, “He has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart” (176). Achebe suggests that the knife to Okonkwo is Christianity and how Igbo culture has been destroyed by it. Achebe writes, “ [The white men] had built a place of judgment in Umuofia to protect the followers of their religion” (155). Achebe explains here that when the British impose their justice system they find that all who oppose their laws and customs to be guilty and uncivilized. Another way the British use Christianity in justice to colonize the Igbo is that they praise the people who convert and call them the “civilized” and the other Igbo who do not convert are …show more content…
Killing and mutilation of a body like the ogbanje are very gruesome to the British and British officials declare it an act of crime to perform. When Mr. Smith hears about an ogbanje, he is “filled with wrath … [and] he replies that such [acts] are spread by the Devil” (185). Mr. Smith declares that anyone who does this act is spawned by the devil. Due to the progressive culture of the British, Igbo citizens might agree that it is immoral to commit ogbanje and join the British justice system. In addition to this ritual, Igbo people disagree on other issues such as how Okonkwo was sentenced for seven years of exile for accidentally killing an Umuofia clansman. The Igbo people feel like the clan judges Okonkwo unjustly and is wrongly given such harsh of a penalty. Obierika highlights this aspect of unfair punishment when he cries out “why should a man suffer so grievously for an offense he had committed inadvertently?” (106). The British system of justice appeals more to Igbo members of society -like Obierika- due to its use of a human judge and jury to make accurate and correct decisions of justice. When the village leaders offer the missionaries a plot of land in the evil forest and they do not die the next day everyone questions why. The survival of the British does not coincide