Thins Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Things Fall Apart is Chinua Achebe’s first novel and was published in 1958, a time often called the Nigerian Renaissance because in that period a large number of very strong Nigerian writers began to create a powerful new literature that drew on the traditional oral literature, European literature, and the changing times in Nigeria and in Africa at large. Writers as varied as Ben Okri and Wole Soyinka developed in the context of the ideas and energy of the Nigerian Renaissance, but Achebe is considered one of the earliest and best novelists to have come out of modern Nigeria, in fact one of the top English-speaking novelists of his time anywhere.In 1958 much of Africa was still under the colonialist yoke, although a few countries (most notably Ghana) had already achieved independence. Set in a time of great change for Africans, Achebe’s novels illuminate two painful features of modern African life: the humiliations visited on Africans by colonialism, and the corruption and inefficiency of what replaced colonial rule. Things Fall Apart in particular focuses on the early experience of colonialism as it occurred in Nigeria in the late 1800’s, from the first days of contact with the British to widespread British administration. . . .
In his essay Hopes and Impediments, he writes: “The writer cannot be excused from the task of re-education and regeneration that must be done…I for one would not wish to be excused. When Ikemefuna has lived with Okonkwo’s family for three years, the elders finally reach their decision and say that Ikemefuna must be killed. He feels vaguely impressed by the incident and decides that it would be worth including in his memoirs—perhaps a full page, perhaps only a paragraph, since there was already so much to include. The senior priest conducts a sort of exorcism of Ezinma when she is older, and Ekwefi watches over her like a hawk, often has her sleep in her bed, and allows her treats that other children are not allowed. Achebe is interested in showing Ibo society in the period of transition when rooted, traditional values are put in conflict with an alien and more powerful culture that will tear them apart. She has a priest perform a sort of exorcism of the evil spirit on Ezinma. NWOYE is Okonkwo’s eldest son: twelve at the beginning of the novel, and a young man by the end. I would be quite satisfied if my novels (especially the ones I set in the past) did more than just teach my readers [Africans] that their past—with all its imperfections—was not one long night of savagery from which the Europeans acting on God’s behalf delivered them. Okonkwo is finally happy because they seem to be considering war. Smith encourages the most provocative of his new converts, including a man named Enoch who commits an act of sacrilege against the traditional religion: he unmasks one of the dancing spirits representing the clan’s ancestors. BROWN is the first missionary to settle in the area—he sets up his main school and church in Umuofia and sends a trusted Igbo convert, Mr. He does well enough that by the beginning of the novel he has three wives, a large compound with huts for each of them as well as a separate one for himself, and a large and growing family. Okonkwo does well in these years, and when it is time for him to leave he throws a huge feast of thanks for his mother’s clan. One day Okonkwo’s village sends a challenge to a neighboring village because they caused the death of an Umuofia woman who had gone to market there. They have established a school there and a trading post.
Common topics in this essay:
Ekwefi Okonkwos, Characters OKONKWO, Reverend Smith, Fall Apart, Nwoye Okonkwos, Hopes Impediments, Achebe Ibo, British Commissioner, Week Peace, Mbanta Brown, fall apart, earth goddess, eldest son, ekwefi okonkwos, british administrator, british administration, set past teach, readers africans, past—with imperfections—was, africans past—with, teach readers africans, teach readers, past teach readers, especially ones set, ones set past, |
Acceptance Essays
