I feel like there is three overall themes in this novel. Language as a sign of cultural difference, the struggle between change and traditions, and interpretations of masculinity.
This novel deals with how the prospect and reality of change affects various characters. The pressure about whether change should be privileged over tradition often involves questions of personal status. Okonkwo, for example, resists the new political and religious orders mainly because he feels that they are not manly and that he himself will not be manly if he agrees to follow them. To some extent, Okonkwo’s refusal of the cultural change is also due to his fear of losing his societal status. His sense of self-worth is dependent upon the traditional standards by which his society judges him. The villagers, however, are caught between refusing and embracing the change and they face the problem of trying to determine the best way to adapt to the idea of change. Most of the villagers are excited to experience the new opportunities and techniques that the missionaries have brought to their land.
Language is an important theme in this novel on so many different levels. In demonstrating the imaginative, often formal language of the Igbo, Achebe emphasizes that Africa is not the silent or incomprehensible continent that many other books have made it out to be. Instead, by using Igbo words in the novel, Achebe shows that the Igbo language is too complex for direct translation into English. Similarly, Igbo culture cannot be understood within the framework of European colonialist values. Achebe also points out that Africa has the variety of many different languages: the villagers of Umuofia, for example, make fun of Mr. Brown’s translator because his language is slightly different from theirs. On another note, the fact that Achebe chose to write Things Fall Apart in English, is extremely significant;he clearly wanted this novel to be read by the Western Hemisphere, rather than by his fellow Nigerians. His goal was to analyze and correct the idea of Africa that was made by so many writers of the colonial period. Doing so
The changing world of the Ibo has caused things to ‘fall apart’. How does the Achebe demonstrate the impact of the changing world on Okonkwo? Use evidence from the text to support your answer. - Marian Ung For the novel “Things Fall Apart” – Chinua Achebe, a lot of events has been trigger that revolve around the Ibo to cause a changing world in the customs for things to “fall apart”. The world around Okonkwo who is the main protagonist of the novel is he was one of the greatest living warrior alive…
out the reason for writing them. However in one of his books titled “Things Fall Apart,” Chinua explains the reasons to his audience. Chinua Achebe wrote this book because he wanted to describe and share Nigerian culture with others. He used this book to explain the effects of European colonization, and respond to western misconceptions about Africans being very barbaric and uncivilized. First, Mr. Achebe wrote “Things Fall Apart,” for a couple of reasons, and one of those reasons was to describe…
Part IV: Essay D. How does fear dominate Okonkwo in his interactions with his family, tribe, and the white man? How do the decisions he makes in these interactions culminate his eventual fate? In the book Things Fall Apart written by Chinua Achebe, portrays a young man, Okonkwo through his manhood. Despite how intimidating he might be to most people around him, aside from his friends, throughout his whole life he has been shadowed by fear. The initial push that most likely triggered his…
Chinua Achebe's first novel Things Fall Apart is a story about an Igbo village in the late 1800's. In the story, Achebe illustrates that women in Igbo society as sadly Women in the Igbo culture are portrayed as meaningless human beings and they aren't as important than a man. The womans role is that she gets married at a young, she is one of the many wives a man will have, and is the mother of two or more kids. Being a woman in the Igbo society is basically a nasty insult as ability to “kill a mans…
between Okonkwo and Nwoye falls apart. A relationship between a father and son can have a decidedly profound impact on each other’s lives. Whether this relationship is bifurcated, the psychological effects of having an intimate or inadequate parenting skills can have a nurturing or depriving effect on a child's personality from birth all throughout adulthood. This relationship although sustained has the potential to be either beneficial or untenable. In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, we see…
Things Fall Apart: Okonkwo’s Image v.s Innerself Okonkwo is a symbol of strength in his village. However, his image of strength isn’t always accurate with his inner strength more his physical strength. Throughout Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo goes through several different conflicts which begin to take a toll on his life. These conflicts affect his image, and reputation in his village, but most of all they affect his mindset. Okonkwo gets torn between how he feels and how he believes he should feel…
Things Fall Apart Essay Many years ago, and even in more recent days, leaders of towns and countries have been called weak and not in control. But, leaders of these places have to put up with unruly citizens, uncontrollable weather, and the unpredictable food supply, and still keep a handle on the civilization. Leaders are stronger than what most people believe and they are strong for many different reasons. In the novel, Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo is a man in charge of a tribe…
Culture sets every nation apart from one another. In some cultures, the customs and beliefs are easy to follow. In Okonkwo’s culture, that is not the case. They have a strict religion where they demand for certain customs to be followed by the whole clan. Their religion consists of the worship of many gods and rituals that are performed to honor the gods. The gods play a crucial role in their traditions and can either lead people in the right or wrong direction. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe shows…
gain their natural resources. Europeans believed that all European races were superior to other races and that dominating “weaker” races was just evolution taking place. Many Europeans also viewed Africans as children or savages. The book Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, shows the complex culture of Africa. The main character Okonkwo is a respected leader and great farmer in his village, Ibo. The purpose of the book is to show how wrong the European views of Africa were. The Ibo people had…
“Things Fall Apart” In the novel “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achhebe, the main character Okonkwo faces many obstacles throughout his life. Unfortunately, he did not have the start in life which many other young children had. His father did inherit him with neither a barn nor a title. His father was drunk and underachiever. That so, he did not receive a proper burial. Okonkwo biggest fear was to become like his father. Although he had these disadvantages, he was determined to avoid his father…
