Things Fall Apart 2

             Achebe makes an important point throughout the novel that the Ibo culture believes in lending a hand when someone is in need. Sometimes helping a person in need becomes deadly and even fatal in Things Fall Apart. The white missionaries who come to Africa, honeslty believe that they are "helping" the Ibo village by converting them to Christianity. However, their presence in Africa is harmful to the lives and culture of the Ibo people. The men that come to Umuofia basically destroy the balance of faith and religion that the Ibo have centered their lives around for years. These men introduce a new religion and government that is extremely different from their own. Lacking the solid foundation of the old religion and tradition, the Ibo tribe is helpless.
             People in Umuofia strongly depend on gods and ancestors in their culture. It is a belief and tradition that these two figures govern every aspect of their lives. Even Chielo, the priestess dedicated to the Oracle of the goddess Agbala, "Was full of the power of her god, and she was greatly feared" (16). The Ibo believed that their customs and traditions kept chaos and violence from evolving. Trust, peace and cultural beliefs are interrupted and torn apart when the new religion of Christianity is introduced. One of the missionaries explains that:
             "All the gods you have named are not gods at all. They are gods of deceit who tell you to kill your fellows and destroy innocent children. There is only one true God and He has the earth, the sky, you and me and all of us" (121).
             Uncertainty and doubtfulness of opinions and decisions begin to appear among the Ibo tribe. Cultural values that have existed for many generations are pulled apart and laughed at by the missionary's sermons. Although the missionaries come to Africa with an intention to help the underdeveloped Ibo village reach their full potential, the effect
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