Things Fall Apart is a novel that took the world by
storm. The novel was the first published work of the world acclaimed writer,
Chinualumogu Achebe, who is regarded as the founding father of modern African Literature
in English. Achebe won several awards during his lifetime, the most popular
being the Man Booker International Prize which he won in (2007).
storm. The novel was the first published work of the world acclaimed writer,
Chinualumogu Achebe, who is regarded as the founding father of modern African Literature
in English. Achebe won several awards during his lifetime, the most popular
being the Man Booker International Prize which he won in (2007).
My favourite review approach is what I
like to call the three-question approach. I will therefore be answering three major
questions: What kind of book is it? What is its content? What is its value?
like to call the three-question approach. I will therefore be answering three major
questions: What kind of book is it? What is its content? What is its value?
What kind
of book is it?
of book is it?
Things Fall Apart is a “historical”
novel published in the year (1958) and set in Eastern Nigeria in the
pre-colonial and early colonial eras. It can be seen as a writing of commitment
since it is committed to a creative interpretation of history. To those who do
not truly comprehend the African culture, the novel is merely a story of the
pre-colonial and early colonial eras in Eastern Nigeria. To those who truly
understand, it is more than a mere tale. It is a trilogy that tells the story
of the tragedy that befalls a society that refuses to accommodate change. Like
W.B. Yeats’ “The Second Coming”, the
poem from which the novel takes its title, Things Fall Apart presents an
ironic and apocalyptic vision of the failure to maintain order and balance. It
also presents the order of the first contacts between the European and African
cultures at the turn of the century.
novel published in the year (1958) and set in Eastern Nigeria in the
pre-colonial and early colonial eras. It can be seen as a writing of commitment
since it is committed to a creative interpretation of history. To those who do
not truly comprehend the African culture, the novel is merely a story of the
pre-colonial and early colonial eras in Eastern Nigeria. To those who truly
understand, it is more than a mere tale. It is a trilogy that tells the story
of the tragedy that befalls a society that refuses to accommodate change. Like
W.B. Yeats’ “The Second Coming”, the
poem from which the novel takes its title, Things Fall Apart presents an
ironic and apocalyptic vision of the failure to maintain order and balance. It
also presents the order of the first contacts between the European and African
cultures at the turn of the century.
Okonkwo was a courageous young man who
was determined to be the complete opposite of his father, Unoka, because he was
a ‘fulfilled failure’. He built up his own farm as a boy and threw Amalinze,
the cat, when he was only eighteen years old. He not only obtained titles and a
space among the elders at a young age, but also became the second of the
‘Egwugwu’- the spirits of the clan- as a young man. He could pass as a judge in
our modern legal system. Okonkwo represents the Igbo culture. His life, that
is, the story of the Igbo culture is a trilogy. Achebe was able to capture
these three stories with the same characters in a single book. The first part,
where Okonkwo’s life was peaceful and normal signifies the time when the Igbo
culture still had its strength. The second part, where Okonkwo was sent on
exile and things began to fall apart with the coming of the white man signifies
the gradual desecration of the Igbo culture. The third part, where everything
finally shattered, one of the Egwugwu was unmasked, and the great Okonkwo
hanged himself signifies the death of the Igbo culture.
was determined to be the complete opposite of his father, Unoka, because he was
a ‘fulfilled failure’. He built up his own farm as a boy and threw Amalinze,
the cat, when he was only eighteen years old. He not only obtained titles and a
space among the elders at a young age, but also became the second of the
‘Egwugwu’- the spirits of the clan- as a young man. He could pass as a judge in
our modern legal system. Okonkwo represents the Igbo culture. His life, that
is, the story of the Igbo culture is a trilogy. Achebe was able to capture
these three stories with the same characters in a single book. The first part,
where Okonkwo’s life was peaceful and normal signifies the time when the Igbo
culture still had its strength. The second part, where Okonkwo was sent on
exile and things began to fall apart with the coming of the white man signifies
the gradual desecration of the Igbo culture. The third part, where everything
finally shattered, one of the Egwugwu was unmasked, and the great Okonkwo
hanged himself signifies the death of the Igbo culture.
What is
its content?
its content?
The content or the flavour of the novel
lies in the ability of the late Achebe to capture the entire Africa through the
Igbo society- a society which was a part of him and which he truly understood.
The happenings in the Igbo society represents in microcosm, the happenings in
the African society as a whole. He employs the synecdoche technique, a part
serving as a reflection of a whole or a whole representing a part. In Things
Fall Apart, the former is the case. Achebe said once, “I would be quite
satisfied if my novels… teach my readers that their past with all its
imperfections… was not one long night of savagery from which the first
Europeans acting on God’s behalf delivered them.” Using Things Fall Apart
to oppose the idea that the white man brought a much more peaceful environment
to Africa, Achebe highlighted several Igbo customs that ensured there was peace
in their environment, for example, the political, legal and religious
structures.
lies in the ability of the late Achebe to capture the entire Africa through the
Igbo society- a society which was a part of him and which he truly understood.
The happenings in the Igbo society represents in microcosm, the happenings in
the African society as a whole. He employs the synecdoche technique, a part
serving as a reflection of a whole or a whole representing a part. In Things
Fall Apart, the former is the case. Achebe said once, “I would be quite
satisfied if my novels… teach my readers that their past with all its
imperfections… was not one long night of savagery from which the first
Europeans acting on God’s behalf delivered them.” Using Things Fall Apart
to oppose the idea that the white man brought a much more peaceful environment
to Africa, Achebe highlighted several Igbo customs that ensured there was peace
in their environment, for example, the political, legal and religious
structures.
Before the white man stepped on African
soil, there was an organized political structure as well as social values in
the African society. First, though there was no centralised government in
Igboland, there was a council of elders in each village consisting of wise men
who knew the traditions inside out. There was a judicial system where the
‘Egwugwu’- the spirits of the clan- settled disputes (Page 72). Their
masqueraded apparel prevented them from being known to the people, hence the absence
of perverted justice. Also, there were laid down laws and the people knew
better than to break them. It is necessary to note that when Okonkwo
accidentally murdered Ogbuefi Ezeudu’s son (Page 99), he gathered his
belongings and left Umuofia with his family. He did not need to be told the
implication of his mistake. He knew the punishment, indicating that Africans
knew the laws and the punishments that followed disobedience. In the case of
religion, it was inflexible; hence the people were cautious of their actions.
Achebe presents other sub-plots along the major plot (Okonkwo’s story). It is
also important to note that Achebe was not biased when writing the novel.
Rather, he highlighted the pleasant aspects of African culture, as well as the
negative sides.
soil, there was an organized political structure as well as social values in
the African society. First, though there was no centralised government in
Igboland, there was a council of elders in each village consisting of wise men
who knew the traditions inside out. There was a judicial system where the
‘Egwugwu’- the spirits of the clan- settled disputes (Page 72). Their
masqueraded apparel prevented them from being known to the people, hence the absence
of perverted justice. Also, there were laid down laws and the people knew
better than to break them. It is necessary to note that when Okonkwo
accidentally murdered Ogbuefi Ezeudu’s son (Page 99), he gathered his
belongings and left Umuofia with his family. He did not need to be told the
implication of his mistake. He knew the punishment, indicating that Africans
knew the laws and the punishments that followed disobedience. In the case of
religion, it was inflexible; hence the people were cautious of their actions.
Achebe presents other sub-plots along the major plot (Okonkwo’s story). It is
also important to note that Achebe was not biased when writing the novel.
Rather, he highlighted the pleasant aspects of African culture, as well as the
negative sides.
What is
its value?
its value?
The value of the text is that it proves
that Africa was never a people without mores, and neither was it ever a dark
continent, as portrayed by the Westerners in their single story. In Joseph
Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness”, one of the single stories on Africa, the blacks
were described as ‘savages’, pre-historic men’, and even an ‘imbecile crowd’. The
black man’s land was called a ‘greatly demoralized land’, a ‘chaotic place’, a
‘mad house’. Our earth was called ‘unearthly’, our language was referred to as
“strings of amazing words that resembled no sounds of human language.” Achebe
however countered this opinion by giving a vivid detail of the African culture
through his book.
that Africa was never a people without mores, and neither was it ever a dark
continent, as portrayed by the Westerners in their single story. In Joseph
Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness”, one of the single stories on Africa, the blacks
were described as ‘savages’, pre-historic men’, and even an ‘imbecile crowd’. The
black man’s land was called a ‘greatly demoralized land’, a ‘chaotic place’, a
‘mad house’. Our earth was called ‘unearthly’, our language was referred to as
“strings of amazing words that resembled no sounds of human language.” Achebe
however countered this opinion by giving a vivid detail of the African culture
through his book.
Conclusion.
A balanced story is presented in Things
Fall Apart as regards the African continent. We see a picture showcasing a
people of humane living, hospitality and warm heartedness. Africans had a set
of moral norms or customs derived from generally accepted practices rather than
written laws, but with the advent of the colonial masters, things started to
fall apart. An indication of this is seen in the unmasking of the Egwugwu (Page
149) which denotes the altering of a defined culture, and the death of Okonkwo
(Page 165) at the end which signifies the killing and death of our indigenous
tradition and culture.
Fall Apart as regards the African continent. We see a picture showcasing a
people of humane living, hospitality and warm heartedness. Africans had a set
of moral norms or customs derived from generally accepted practices rather than
written laws, but with the advent of the colonial masters, things started to
fall apart. An indication of this is seen in the unmasking of the Egwugwu (Page
149) which denotes the altering of a defined culture, and the death of Okonkwo
(Page 165) at the end which signifies the killing and death of our indigenous
tradition and culture.
Achebe’s legacy lives on in Things Fall Apart.
The novel is a must-read for the present generation and even the unborn
generations, in order to avert the danger of a single story.
By Vivian Nwajiaku
Thanks for this. I also think you might want to know more about education in Nepal.
Great Article
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