Why do things fall apart
What is a man to do when he is up against all odds, he should be humble and have reverence for things smaller than him- Astrid LingridThings Fall Apart is set in the 1890s and portrays the clash between Nigeria's white colonial government and the traditional culture of the indigenous Igbo people. Achebe's novel shatters the stereotypical European portraits of native Africans. He is careful to portray the complex, advanced social institutions and artistic traditions of Igbo culture prior to its contact with Europeans. Yet he is just as careful not to stereotype the Europeans; he offers varying depictions of the white man, such as the mostly benevolent Mr. Brown, the zealous Reverend Smith, and the ruthlessly calculating District Commissioner.The protagonist of Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo is also considered a tragic hero. A tragic hero holds a position of power and prestige, chooses his course of action, possesses a tragic flaw, and gains awareness of circumstances that lead to his fall. Okonkwo's tragic flaw is his fear of weakness.Throughout his life, he wages a never ending battle for status; his life is dominated by the fear of weakness and failure. He is quick to anger, especially when dealing with men who are weak, lazy
" He was devastated; surely his life began to fall apart. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. More of the over zealous converts are relieved to be free of Mr. During the second year of Okonkwo's exile, a movement began. The family moves to Okonkwo's mother's native village, Mbanta. During the course of the book, he does things that will dishearten him like during the Week of Peace, Okonkwo accuses his youngest wife, Ojiugo, of negligence. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart. When Ogbuefi Ezeudu dies, Okonkwo worries because the last time that Ezeudu visited him was when he warned Okonkwo against participating in the killing of Ikemefuna. Obierika stores Okonkwo's yams in his barn and wonders about the old traditions of the Igbo culture. Consequently, Okonkwo offends the Igbo people and their traditions as well as the gods of his clan. The arrival of a new culture only hastens Okonkwo's tragic fate. Instead, he isolates himself by exhibiting anger through violent, stubborn, irrational behavior. Because of Okonkwo's inflexible nature, he seems destined for self-destruction, even before the arrival of the European colonizers. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. He dares to unmask an egwugwu during the annual ceremony to honor the earth deity, an act equivalent to killing an ancestral spirit.
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Acceptance Essays
