things fall apart
The novel Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe creates a powerful story that paints an intricate portrait of the Ibo culture in Africa. The author analyzes the destruction of African culture in Nigeria after the appearance of the "white man." Achebe tells the story of a Nigerian man, Okonkwo, who confronts English colonial powers and struggles to save his culture and identity from the colonization of the Europeans. Although the novel is "unique and richly African, at the same time it reveals Achebe's keen awareness of the human qualities common to men of all time and places" (back cover). The author chooses to convey this story in a novel form, as opposed to simply spewing the story in impersonal paragraphs, in order to provide a detailed and thorough understanding of the Ibo culture. This decision allows him to use effective narrative devices, such as symbolism, narrative irony and foreshadowing, which projects an elaborate and meaningful presentation of the story by adding interest and contributing to the many themes of the novel. Achebe uses symbolism, with the sharing of the kola nut amongst clansman. This symbol represents peace and goodwill between the tribe. The practice diffuses tension felt between clansmen that may
a vague chill had descended on him and his head had seemed to swell" (62). The major themes shown here are kinship relations, particularly between husband and wife, as well as traditional practices in the Ibo culture. The murder of Ikemefuna hits Nwoye particularly hard since the two boys had become deeply attached. The reader can see that this frightens and saddens Okonkwo when Achebe says, "Nwoye was twelve years old but was already causing his father great anxiety for his incipient laziness. He does not favor the Africans, nor the Europeans. In one instance, Achebe narrates, "He [Okonkwo] beat her [Ojiugo] heavily. After the white man occupies the region, a large percentage of Nigerians also accept the Christian faith while they reject their own. These themes broaden our understanding of the Ibo people and their lifestyles. "Nwoye had heard that twins were pit in earthenware pots and thrown away in the forest. This last touch of irony adds a degree of comic relief to the novel, by ridiculing the minister. He can curse the God's of his fathers and his ancestors, like a hunter's dog that suddenly goes mad and turns on his master. A concern for this language barrier amongst the Ibo and the "white man" is evident when Obierike, a companion of Okonkwo says, "Does the white man understand our custom.
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Acceptance Essays
