Things Fall Apart Essays

Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart and Flannery O’Connor’s short stories may seem to be worlds apart, but they were written in the same era and they both portray racism through the characters that are unwilling to change their ways. Each book is set in a different culture; Achebe’s is set in Nigeria in 1890’s and O’Connor’s stories are placed in the South during the 1950’s. Each culture has very different aspects, but when religion or Christianity was mixed into the culture they have…

future, although it could also have a negative effect towards them. The connection between the two will have a serious impact on each other’s lives in a way that would either turn into a good or bad relationship throughout their lives. The novel, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, expresses the influential connection between father and son relationships that may alter the bonds within the characters as the story goes on. Not everyone has a perfect relationship with their parents due to…

In Achebe’s work, Things Fall Apart, the reader learns about the effects of 2 cultures mixing through a third person narration mainly focusing on Okonkwo, a former reputable member within Umuofia. Okonkwo is shown as a character with a tragic flaw within this novel from his poor decisions which eventually lead to his end. Controlled by his fear of showing weakness, Okonkwo earns a reputation as a successful and wealthy man within his tribe. Within Umuofia, most of the tribes people were…

“When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.” (Ralph Ellison) Many people struggle to find their way in their lives. In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe writes about how Nwoye finds his way in life by converting to Christianity. On his journey to finding his way, he goes through some identity changes. Achebe writes about Nwoye’s identity shift when he converts religions. Because of this, he becomes an independent and strong man. Due to the introduction of Western ideas, Nwoye relinquishes his…

In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and Peter Weir’s Dead Poets Society each work of literature display conflicts where fathers are controlling and predetermining their son’s future, which leads to a poor father-son relationship in each story. Okonkwo and Tom Perry have their own visions of Nwoye and Neil’s future. Okonkwo and Tom become too carried away from living vigorously through their son’s life, therefore it forces them to make decisions for their sons. The fathers and sons have…

story of life and death in one culture known as the Igbo culture. Chinua Achebe has been able to rope in his readers through symbolism and from the plot of on of the most popular stories of this kind. In Things Fall Apart you are really able to see why he has given this story the title Things Fall Apart. The story includes many people throughout different parts of the story. In the beginning we focus mainly on Okonkwo and his actions, along with some of the other characters such as his wives and…

reconcile different beliefs through just negotiation, and in some cases, armed conflict. The relationship between the two, the European missionaries and the native Umuofia’s, is one-sided and they struggle to coexist peacefully. In the novel “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe, the clash of values between the colonizers and the Igbo drives the Igbo culture to deconstruct. When the Europeans…

fictional stories, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, and Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, both authors attempt to make a statement about the indigenous people of Africa and their culture customs to sway the reader and their thoughts on the African culture through powerful stories. In the fictional novel Things Fall Apart, Achebe says a lot about the African culture, and their customs. Achebe follows a specific African…

of intriguing, and investigating its progression can be fascinating. While not presented in the romantic yet macabre fashion of works such as Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet, Things Fall Apart proves to be a very interesting instance of this theme. In fact, one of the most prominent and underlying themes in the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is the theme of the tragic hero:…

The wild things immediately become subjective to Max as soon as he enters their home. I related that to a representation of the human-animal relationship. When humans show up unannounced into an animal’s habitat, the animals are instinctively “frightened” of the abnormality. I also found it interesting that the wild things were so quick to immediately obey Max’s rule because in the book it says he uses a magic trick, but for our analysis, could that be the animals responding out of pure fear or…