Things Fall Apart
The main and immediate theme that one gets from the novel, Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, is that of the tragic consequences caused by the encounter of the Western World with that of traditional African civilization. It gives an interesting account of the social and psychological changes and the conflicts brought by the white man in their attempt to push their traditions onto that of the tribesmen. It also depicts the con
He is so upset with what is being inflicted onto his fellow clansmen and with the fear of the tribe falling apart that he is willing to forsake his own beliefs and end his life. fusion this causes in the African consciousness. The hero, Okankwo, is headstrong, and rash in his decisions and actions. Things Fall Apart is not a just glossed-over rendition of British Imperialism's influence on African civilization; rather a detailed examination of the results of this. Perhaps the true magnitude of this mental disturbance caused by the invasion can be represented by Okankwo's suicide. It gives insight particularly on the affect that the white man had on the Ibo tribe. He is portrayed as being heroic, receiving much respect from the tribe. It is his rash nature that compels him to kill a white man, and consequently pushes him to end his own life. Okankwo, too, has weaknesses; and it is these weaknesses that will eventually lead to his demise. This story explores the consciousness of the native African before the introduction of Western ideals, and briefly after. In this novel, the invasion of the white man into that of the African culture is displayed in a negative light, providing great insight to the mental disturbance it causes within the tribes.
Common topics in this essay:
Western World,
British Imperialism's,
Chinua Achebe,
Fall Apart,
,
fall apart,
african civilization,
mental disturbance,
|
Acceptance Essays
