Things Fall Apart Research Paper

One Faith, Two Missionaries
THESIS: In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, missionaries Mr. Brown and Mr. Smith display similarity in their strong devotion to Christianity, yet differ in tact when facing Umuofia’s native Ibo religion. Mr. Brown and Mr. Smith are both steadfast in Christianity despite the alternate belief system Umuofians display. To illustrate, in conversation with the respected Umuofian Akunna, Mr. Brown expresses his belief that “‘there are no other gods…Chuckwu is the only God and all others are false’” (179). Clearly, this monotheistic belief system that Mr. Brown is propagating to an important Umuofian figure shows how he is not afraid to assert his Christian beliefs. While Akunna, who symbolizes Umuofian culture, believes …show more content…
Brown denounces most all of them. He only brings credit to Chuckwu, the Umuofian equivalent of his all-powerful, Christian God. Though Mr. Brown is in a completely new environment, he does not alter his faith to assimilate. Mr. Smith also remains dedicated to Christianity as demonstrated by his reaction to Umuofian ancestral spirits. In Umuofia, these egwgwu are regarded as divine entities who none dare to unmask or threaten. However, after a member of his church disrespects the egwugwu by unmasking one, Mr. Smith has no fear of the spirits’ wrath. He reassures his church members that their “‘strength lies in the Lord’” (188). While the majority of Umuofians attest to the legitimate power of the egwugwu, Mr. Smith is so ardent in Christianity that he never doubts the protection his Lord will provide. The egwugwu may hurt Mr. Smith or threaten his church, yet he knows his Lord will preserve him in the end. Ultimately, in both cases, Mr. Brown and Mr. Smith maintain a tenacious adherence to their original religion. Other residents in Umuofia such as Nwoye and Nneka convert from their native religion to a new belief system due to the …show more content…
Brown addresses the native belief system with respect and understanding, while Mr. Smith responds to Umuofian religion with immediate condemnation. Mr. Brown demonstrates this respect by trying to understand where Umuofians are coming from. He “spent long hours with Akunna in his obi… talking about religion. Neither of them succeeded in converting the other but they learned more about their different beliefs” (179). While Mr. Brown does not agree with what Akunna is saying, he makes strides in developing a relationship with Umuofians by talking to Akunna. These conversations help to bridge the gap religion often creates among people. Further, by understanding the finite details of an opposing religion, Mr. Brown learns how to communicate his perspective that the native religion is wrong. For instance, by knowing Umuofians worship wood figurines for their divine power, Mr. Brown can explain that such veneration of idols is wrong in the eyes of Christianity because the idol is merely a piece of wood (179). He can learn what sort of approach will draw people away from their native beliefs based off their native beliefs. Conversely, Mr. Smith has no interest in understanding why Umuofians carry out their traditional practices. Namely, when Mr. Smith encounters a recent convert who allows her husband to mutilate their dead child, he “[is] filled with wrath” (185). Though the community explains that the dead child was an ogbanje¸ or curse on the mother, “[h]e replie[s] that