literature essays on things fall apart

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Things Fall Apart

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Chinua Achebe

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Mini Essays

Why does Things Fall Apart end with the District Commissioner musing about the book that he is writing on Africa?

The novel’s ending is Achebe’s most potent satirical stab at the tradition of Western ethnography. At the end of Okonkwo’s story, Achebe alludes to the lack of depth and sensitivity with which the Europeans will inevitably treat Okonkwo’s life. Achebe shows that a book such as The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger , which the commissioner plans to write, reveals much more about the writers—the colonialists—than about the subjects supposedly being studied. The title of the book is also ironic, as it reflects the utter lack of communication between the Europeans and the Africans. Although the Commissioner thinks he has achieved the “[p]acification” of these tribes, he has only contributed to their unrest and increasing lack of peace.

Additionally, the artifice of wrapping up the narrative as fodder for an ethnographic study hearkens back to the close of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness . As Marlow, the teller of the main story in Heart of Darkness , concludes his tale about colonization in Africa, the initial narrator, waiting with Marlow to sail out to sea, returns and ponders the water, leaving the reader to wonder what atrocities beyond those in Marlow’s story the British Empire will commit. The conclusion of Things Fall Apart gives the impression of a similar story-within-a-story structure. When the account of how the colonizers have imposed themselves upon Umuofia concludes, the commissioner contemplates the account, leaving little doubt that he will now proceed to impose European values on his version of the account.

What is the nature of Okonkwo’s relationship with Ezinma?

Although Okonkwo is generally misogynistic, his favorite child is his daughter Ezinma. Of all Okonkwo’s children, Ezinma best understands how to handle her father’s anger. One example of her sensitivity to his needs is her comforting of him after he has killed Ikemefuna. Ezinma can tell that Okonkwo is depressed but, not wanting to upset him, she doesn’t address his sorrow directly. Instead, she brings him food and urges him to eat. His frequent remarks that he wishes Ezinma were his son because she has the “right spirit” suggest that he desires an affectionate attachment with his sons, so long as it is not openly shown or acknowledged. He values Ezinma not because she exhibits desirable masculine traits but because of their tacit bond of sympathy and understanding.

What does the repetition of the number seven suggest about the novel?

In several places (Mr. Brown’s conversations with Akunna, for example), the novel explicitly focuses on the theological and moral similarities between Christianity and Igbo religion. The repetition of the number seven—symbolically important to both religions—is another way of highlighting the similarities between the two cultures. The text seems to draw a parallel between the apparent randomness of the symbolic number often chosen by the Igbo and the determinism of Christianity’s reliance on the number seven in the Bible and in the myth of creation. Indeed, the text explicitly refers to resting on the seventh day; this return to the number seven marks a similarity between the two cultures’ belief systems.

Things Fall Apart SparkNotes Literature Guide

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Things Fall Apart

Chinua achebe, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

Things Fall Apart: Introduction

Things fall apart: plot summary, things fall apart: detailed summary & analysis, things fall apart: themes, things fall apart: quotes, things fall apart: characters, things fall apart: symbols, things fall apart: theme wheel, brief biography of chinua achebe.

Historical Context of Things Fall Apart

Other books related to things fall apart.

• Full Title: Things Fall Apart
• When Written: 1957
• Where Written: Nigeria
• When Published: 1958
• Literary Period: Post-colonialism
• Genre: Novel / Tragedy
• Setting: Pre-colonial Nigeria, 1890s
• Climax: Okonkwo's murder of a court messenger
• Antagonist: Missionaries and White Government Officials (Reverend Smith and the District Commissioner)
• Point of View: Third person omniscient

Extra Credit for Things Fall Apart

Joseph Conrad: “A Bloody Racist”. Chinua Achebe delivered a lecture and critique on Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness , calling Conrad “a bloody racist” and provoking controversy among critics and readers. However, Achebe's criticism of Conrad has become a mainstream perspective on Conrad's work and was even included in the 1988 Norton critical edition of Heart of Darkness .

Achebe as Politician. Achebe expressed his political views often in writing, but he also involved himself actively in Nigerian politics when he became the People's Redemption Party's deputy national vice-president in the early 1980's. However, he soon resigned himself in frustration with the corruption he witnessed during the elections.

Themes and Symbolism in Things Fall Apart: Symbols & Examples of Imagery

Introduction, symbolism in things fall apart: analysis of the main themes.

Symbolism in Things Fall Apart is one of the most discussed topics regarding the novel. If you want to learn more about themes and symbols in Things Fall Apart, you’re in the right place. Read the example below to find out more about the topic and get some inspiration for your own essay.

The novel Things Fall Apart takes a central role in the changing system of contemporary literature in Africa. The author refutes a widespread stereotype claiming that before colonization, Africa did not have a culture. It represents political and social background in a detailed realistic method. The foundations of African oral tradition, which include proverbs, tales, and symbols are frequently used in this novel. The essay shall provide the analysis of symbolism in Things Fall Apart .

It is an exhilarating novel that uses vast literature styles, such as symbolism and motifs, to illustrate the principles of African cultural erosion as a result of embracing western culture. By the use of symbols, the author shows how the African culture was shattered by the European style of life when Christianity was adopted in the African society. In this book, numerous symbols are used, as discussed below.

Yam is a crop that is commonly grown by men. Raising of this crop requires intensive labor, and the work ethics of a man can be measured by the portion of the field and harvest obtained. In the African setup, the sole objective of growing yams is to acquire wealth and feed the family.

They symbolize a man’s ability to provide. In this novel, a man who had bulk yams was portrayed as not a failure like Unoka-he had a large barn full of yams (Chinua, 1958, p. 4). Nwakibie refuses to give the young men yams citing that they would dump them on earth rather than taking care of them as a man would do for his family to flourish. Yams are very precious and would only belong to hardworking individuals.

The central positioning of the yam highlights the defining traits of the tribe. The symbolic meaning is illustrated by its use as a source of satisfaction. Due to the intensive efforts needed in cultivating it, bulk harvest represents yearly achievement gained from nature. A yam’s image is brought out as a necessity of the culture.

According to Okonkwo, most of the folktales in the novel featuring small animals symbolize women’s behavior, for example, the Ekwefl’s tale that talks about the birds and the tortoise who were invited for a feast in the sky. This blocked out the tortoise since he had no wings to fly, and the birds were aware of his ungratefulness and cunning behavior, thus could not help him out.

The tortoise was starving and had to sweet talk the birds to nurture his hunger. In their journey, the tortoise claims of a custom that demands them to take new names though the idea was to acquire the most respectable position. Since the women were all inferior, they gave in, and the cunning tortoise ended up feasting on the best food leaving leftovers for the birds. Though the animal imagery in Things Fall Apart , the author depicts the indecisive character of women and also provides useful morals in society.

Okonkwo is compared to fire by other characters and the narrator; he is branded “Roaming Flame in the town” (Chinua, 1958, p. 122). According to him, fire is a symbol of strength. While seated in his hut after a quarrel with his son Nwoye, Okonkwo stared on a log fire and felt a strong feeling to rise, take up a machete and clear the Christians who Nwoye was associating with. Whenever Okonkwo would gaze at flame, a wild feeling of strength would fill his body.

Mother of the Spirits

The Mother of the spirits can be viewed as personification by the clan of Umofia and the Mother of Egwugwu. At this juncture, the style of life of Umuofia is deeply disregarded, and the damage committed is irreparable. The Mother of spirits mourns her son’s death loudly after the unmasking night.

A comparison between the clan and Mother of spirits is drawn, “…it seemed as if the very soul of the clan wept for the great evil that was coming its own death” (Chinua, 1958, p. 145). It is imperative that the Mother of spirits does not revenge her son’s death but rather mourns and weeps. People of Umuofia would not avenge for crimes committed against them.

When analyzing Things Fall Apart symbols, Okonkwo should be mentioned as well. He symbolizes masculinity, a character deeply opposed to the Christian belief of love. The spirit of African people is represented collectively by his personality. Just like the Igbos, he is a very independent and strong person. Weinstock and Ramadan (1978) pointed out the following regarding Okonkwo:

Okonkwo is consistently associated with masculinity, and he virtually always mistrusts, opposes, and attacks anything feminine or linked with femininity. Christianity embodies and stresses the qualities Okonkwo considers to be womanish, such as love affection, and mercy, and he characteristically valuates the missionaries as a ‘lot of effeminate men clucking like old hens (p.128).

The story’s summary evidences Okonkwo fighting courageously against ideologies opposing what he valued, and his downfall is the result of his opposition to colonization.Okonkwo’s death symbolizes the death of African culture. Achebe decided to illustrate the hands of Africans’ giving in to Christianity to take charge by the act of Okonkwo committing suicide rather than being killed and subsequently wiping out the culture of Africa. It is a conspiracy to have written a whole book about the negativity of colonization that the last statement in his piece of writing could belong to the Britain District commissioner.

He remarks the suicide act by saying it was possible to dedicate Okonkwo a paragraph in his book. This fact slightly contradicted the theme meant by Achebe since portraying Africans as primitive differed from what Achebe wanted to demonstrate. By using the symbol of Okonkwo’s death through suicide, Achebe points out that Africans should also be blamed for letting in foreign ideologies to develop in their land.

Nwoye’s Personality

Nwoye’s personality was a symbol of Christianity. His father always fought against feminine behavior. His conversion to Christianity was to strengthen the symbol created by Achebe. Okonkwo’s family was his joy and pride, while Nwoye’s conversion to Christianity was the last pain he would endure. Due to his son’s rejection of his lifestyle, the only option left was to cease living.

Nweoye’s Adoption of a New Name

His decision to take up a new name, Isaac, with the importance it carried, confirms his loyalty to Christianity religion. Though the exact name that he picks implies significance beyond the immediate sense of personal salvation, it brings out memories of the Biblical story of Abraham, where an animal was substituted for his son, Isaac. The adoption of this name by Nwoye portrays the complete meaning of his conversion, which was the critical sign of liberation from the limitation of the family creation.

Weather takes up a crucial role in the lives of Nigerians, especially the Igbos. The availability of rain or its unavailability illustrates that the tribe was dependent on weather for survival. Weather limits the extent to which their crops grow and the flow of the rivers, which in turn influence their water and food supply. On sunny days, the sun is utilized by the plants and in warming up things. Nevertheless, excess rain or sun is likely to cause damage (Rand, 1966).

Locust Invasion

Invasion by locusts symbolizes a grand attack with devastating destruction. Two important events are considered to establish the locust link. In the text, “…At first, a fairly small swarm came…” implying that “…they were the harbingers sent to survey the land…” (Chinua, 1958, p. 43). He pointed out the first arrival of whites and others on the way. This link of events was done deliberately.

The cognition gulf is linked up by the myth of locust through the establishment of the unknown and known. People were not aware of insects though it was the myth behind them and the danger of economic failure. The author illustrates the locusts that invaded the village using allegorical phrases that foreshadowed the coming of white men in African land. They intended to exploit all the resources of the Igbo tribe. Because Igbo consumed locust, it shows that they are not offensive.

In the same way, individuals who were simulated to Christianity overlooked negative impacts; the white people’s culture would impact their lifestyle. The language used by Achebe in describing the locust invasion depicts their symbolic reputation.

The use of repetitive style draws emphasis on the pervasive presence of locusts and a hint in the manner in which the white settlers would occupy Igbos’ land by surprise. It is noted that the insects were too heavy, and that was the reason they broke the branches of a tree. This was a symbol of how the traditions and culture of the Igbo would fracture on the attack by colonialism as well as white settlement (Oyekan, 1993).

What Does Okonkwo Death Symbolize?

The death of Okonkwo is a heroic death that is analogous to a warrior who is attached to his people. This symbolizes the catastrophic demise that great people face. This is because committing suicide is regarded abomination contrary to the earth and thus should not be buried by clansmen.

But in the right of African style, Okonokwo’s death could not be considered as a heroic death; rather, it can only be seen as a shameful death. Unable to deal with his failure, he acts in the way that leads to his death, and he is the one who should be blamed for this.The irritating final words Obierika cast to the District Commissioner hold certain ambiguity within Igbos point of view, in memory of heroism and shameful act of killing himself (Okonkwo). From the novel, he was portrayed as the greatest man in Umuofia and was forced to commit suicide and buried in a disrespectful manner (David, 1998).

Things Fall Apart symbolism essay shows that this is a thrilling novel that uses a symbolic literature style to demonstrate the credo of Africa’s cultural erosion by embracing the western culture. Most of the Africans were not ready to give in to the white man’s way of life, and as such, Okonkwo would rather cease living than adopt the white man’s way of life. Colonization plays a more prominent role in society, and the culture takes up a central role. Symbolic events and characters are used to help the reader have a deeper understanding of society.

Chinua, A. (1958). Things Fall Apart. New York: Heinemann Education Books.

David, K. (1998). The African Novel and the Modernist Tradition. New York: Peter Lanng publishers.

Oyekan, O. (1993). A History of Twentieth-century African Literatures. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska.

Rand, B. (1966). Contributions in Afro- American studies. Greenwood: Greenwood press.

Weinstock, D., & Ramadan, C. (1978). Critical Perspectives on Chinua Achebe. Washington D.C: Three Continents Press.

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IvyPanda. (2022, June 19). Themes and Symbolism in Things Fall Apart: Symbols & Examples of Imagery. https://ivypanda.com/essays/things-fall-apart-symbolism/

"Themes and Symbolism in Things Fall Apart: Symbols & Examples of Imagery." IvyPanda , 19 June 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/things-fall-apart-symbolism/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Themes and Symbolism in Things Fall Apart: Symbols & Examples of Imagery'. 19 June.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Themes and Symbolism in Things Fall Apart: Symbols & Examples of Imagery." June 19, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/things-fall-apart-symbolism/.

1. IvyPanda . "Themes and Symbolism in Things Fall Apart: Symbols & Examples of Imagery." June 19, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/things-fall-apart-symbolism/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Themes and Symbolism in Things Fall Apart: Symbols & Examples of Imagery." June 19, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/things-fall-apart-symbolism/.

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Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe

Things Fall Apart essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe.

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Things Fall Apart Essays

Both friend and foil: how the characterization of obierika conveys human truths and social concerns anonymous 10th grade, things fall apart.

In his novel, Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe masterfully uses his characters to convey larger human truths as well as to drive his plot. Things Fall Apart is about the colonialization of a Nigerian tribe called the Igbo, following the characters...

The portrayal of Umuofia as a contact zone Salindri Dulara Rajakaruna College

Chinua Achebe’s autoethnographic novel “Things Fall Apart “written in 1958 can be viewed as an attempt to destroy the misleading conceptions about Igbo culture that were given to the world by European writers. The way novel presents the arrival of...

Theme Of Superstition Expressed In Things Fall Apart Praket Venkatasai Akshantala 10th Grade

“What the mind doesn't understand, it worships or fears” (Alice Walker). This quote by Alice Walker, a prominent writer, delineates how ideologies and beliefs are often created with a lack of evidence - commonly referred to by the term...

Chinua Achebe's Portrayal of Pre-Colonial Africa: Anonymous

The concept of balance in Achebe's novel, Things Fall Apart, is an important theme throughout the book. Achebe introduces this idea with an excerpt from William Butler Yeats's poem, "The Second Coming." The notion of balance is stressed here as...

The Destructive Clash of Cultures Jennifer Chiu

In their respective works Things Fall Apart and The Joys of Motherhood, both Chinua Achebe and Buchi Emecheta depict the effects of colonialism on Igbo society.

While Achebe demonstrates the gradual process of colonial imposition, Buchi Emecheta...

The Role of Women Annie White

Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart explores the struggle between old traditions within the Igbo community as well as Christianity and "the second coming" it brings forth. While on the surface, it appears the novel narrows its focus to a single...

The Comparison of One Hundred Years of Solitude with Things Fall Apart Justin J.R.K. Kirkey

By Justin J.R.K. Kirkey

An Involved Essay: The Comparison of

One Hundred Years of Solitude with Things Fall Apart

Things - and societies - fall apart. Societies are born; they grow, thrive, decline, and finally perish. Their procession through...

The Release of African Culture on the World Michael Alexander MacGill

In the novel Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe uses Okonkwo's story to elaborate a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of the cultural values of African tribes. Achebe wrote Things Fall Apart as a rebuttal to Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness....

Heart of Darkness and Things Fall Apart: Complements, or Contrasts? Audrey Fisher

When the Europeans arrived in Nigeria to harvest ivory and spread their religious ideals, many Africans were exploited and their cultures were irreversibly changed. Two novels, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and Things Fall Apart by Chinua...

Portraits of Nigeria in Two Novels Timothy Sexton

The novels Things Fall Apart and The Joys of Motherhood both present Nigeria as a competitive, consumption-crazed country. Each novel, therefore, also creates a parallel between Nigeria and capitalist, Western societies--yet each one shows that...

Why Things Fall Apart Anonymous

“The white man is very clever…He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.”

Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart is a prime example of African literature that demonstrates the clash between cultures and...

The Story of Okonkwo: A Fine Balance of Hope and Tragedy Joshua Nobleman

The South African Igbo tribe of Umuofia, as depicted in Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart,” (1958) encompasses layer upon complex layer of social order. From birth to death, every aspect of Umuofian culture is defined by an intricate balance of...

Family Relationships in White Teeth, Disgrace and Things Fall Apart Anonymous

By comparing White Teeth with at least one other appropriate text, explore the presentation of family and family relationships in postcolonial literature.

The ‘metanarrative’ of Zadie Smith’s White Teeth differs from the direct linear narrative of...

Sexism In Things Fall Apart Stephen Harris

The presence of sexism, both individual and institutional, runs rampant in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. It is the most constant theme in the story, more intrinsic in the plotline than even racism, and certainly more deep-rooted. The...

The Culmination of Tragedy: Tradition and Change in Things Fall Apart Anonymous College

Tradition and change are as much at war as the people are in Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart. The events that define this war are centered on and around the main character, Okonkwo, who finds himself unable to adapt to the changes taking...

Proverb Symbolism for the Clan Anonymous 12th Grade

In the novel Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe introduces the ideas of maturity/reputation, respect, and communication as Umuofian cultural values. The success of its citizens when it comes to their social standing is dependent on their abilities...

Fathers and Sons in Purple Hibiscus and Things Fall Apart Anonymous 11th Grade

Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus and Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart both emphasize the complexities of father-son relationships. The major theme of parental conflict is developed throughout the course of both texts and serves to illustrate...

The European and African Narrative Techniques used in 'Things Fall Apart' and 'Petals of Blood' Diana Grech College

The structure of the African novel is seen to be made up from two different frameworks, the external, or international, and the indigenous “mode of discourse and artistic expression.” 1 Therefore, the typical African novel contains elements in its...

Murder and Repression in Things Fall Apart Leah Kristine Smith College

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a novel full of individuals, within a tribe, as they deal with the frequently tragic and disappointing events of their lives. Okonkwo, the protagonist, and his son, Nwoye, are two of these individuals who must...

Misconception of the Generation Gap Anonymous College

Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart , is set in Nigeria; the novel examines the clash between traditional African culture, and western ideals by the Igbo tribe, through the protagonist, Okonkwo. Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s...

Setting in Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart" Anonymous 11th Grade

Perhaps one of the most influential elements of literature, a setting may potentially dictate the plotline of a story, establishing culture, tradition, and a backstory. Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart sees an African world that largely revolves...

Globalization in Things Fall Apart and Gods Without Men: A Challenge to Spirituality? Anonymous College

After conducting extensive research studying cultures around the world, theorist and social anthropologist Peter Van Der Veer remarked that "the critical elements, like those to be found in the spiritual ideas at the beginning of the 20th century,...

The Process of Colonialism: Narratives from Achebe and Boyden Anonymous 12th Grade

The process of colonialism is the ongoing eradication of old practices and the exploitation of new practices, and often entails settlement into a foreign land, the introduction of new cultural practices, and the enforcement of religious practices....

The Importance of Setting in Ethan Frome and Things Fall Apart Anonymous College

Ethan Frome and Things Fall Apart are found in two dramatically different settings, with each plot relying heavily on the setting of the novel to tell its story. The setting of a story is a broad term and can contain many layers. While each story...

Things Fall Apart

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Chapters 1-3

Chapters 4-6

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Chapters 14-16

Chapters 17-19

Chapters 20-22

Chapters 23-25

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

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Further Reading & Resources

Discussion Questions

Revisit the epigraph of novel, which is an excerpt from William Butler Yeats’ poem, “The Second Coming.” Why did Achebe select this epigraph to introduce his novel? What elements of the novel’s plot and language draw upon the content and emotion of Yeats’ poem?

Manhood and womanhood are emphasized throughout the novel, and not only in Okonkwo’s mind. How do the gendered elements of Ibo society empower and erode the community? Is masculinity a positive force in Okonkwo’s life?

What is the relationship between spiritual and physical life in Things Fall Apart ?

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Essay prompts for Things Fall Apart  ( source)

Essential Questons

These prompts should point you in interesting directions, leaving you to chart your course, not lead you by the nose, determining your every step. Don’t feel obligated or expected to address each question or to address them in the order in which they’re posed. You’re to craft your own thesis and to make your own argument.

• What’s the novel’s view of women and their importance for the novel’s larger themes?
• Igbo proverb: “The thought that led a man to truncate his own existence was not conceived in a day.” What are the thoughts that led Okonkwo to his suicide? How were they formed over many days? Do you see his act as a cowardly one or a courageous one? (You choice needn’t be either/or.)
• Achebe has said “that African peoples did not hear of culture for the first time from Europeans; that their societies were not mindless but frequently had a philosophy of great depth and value and beauty, that they had poetry and, above all, they had dignity.” Write an essay that defines and explores that culture and reflects on its importance to the novel’s larger themes.
• Define the point of view from which the story is told and the role the narrator plays in the story. Explore the art of Achebe’s choice.
• Explain Achebe’s choice to end the novel as he does.
• How does Achebe create characters? Define his methods and means and explore their art.
• It is said of Okonkwo at one point that “Clearly his personal god or chi was not made for great things. A man could not rise beyond the destiny of his chi. The saying of the elders was not true—that if a man said yea his chi also affirmed. Here was a man whose chi said nay despite his own affirmation” (76). How should we understand the roles of fate and individual responsibility in the novel
• Okonkwo’s self-understanding is deeply bound up with his need to affirm and protect what he thinks of as his “manliness.” What are the main features of Okonkwo’s view of masculinity, and how does his view relate to that of other important characters in the novel? Do you see problems with Okonkwo’s view?
• Achebe’s style seems very simple. Is it really as simple as it seems? Define and explore the artfulness of the novel’s style. How does that style contribute to the novel’s larger meanings?
• After Okonkwo’s female killing of the boy, Obierika, the novel’s philosopher, wonders, “Why should a man suffer so grievously for an offense he had committed inadvertently?” The narrator tells us that “although he thought for a long time he found no answer. He was merely led into greater complexities” (74). Does the novel answer what Obierika can’t?
• Igbo culture believes “there is a fundamental justice in the universe and nothing so terrible can happen to a person for which he is not somehow responsible” (“Chi in Igbo Cosmology” 163). Explore the justice of Okonkwo’s actions and his responsibility for them. What view of justice emerges?
• How does the novel depict and treat the Christian missionaries? Do you see bias or objectivity? What role does the treatment of the missionaries play in the novel’s larger themes?

Objectives: Students will become familiar with colonial history as well as the background and context for the novel and author.

Aim: What’s the role of fiction in understanding colonial history?

Resources: About the author

Activities:

Respond to the quote,

“The last four or five hundred years of European contact with Africa produced a body of literature that presented Africa in a very bad light and Africans in very lurid terms. The reason for this had to do with the need to justify the slave trade and slavery.… This continued until the Africans themselves, in the middle of the twentieth century, took into their own hands the telling of their story.” (Chinua Achebe, “An African Voice”, The Atlantic)

Discuss Preparatory Reading:

• “The Novelist as Teacher” by Chinua Achebe
• “Teaching Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe
• “An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness” by Chinua Achebe

http://kirbyk.net/hod/image.of.africa.htm l

Teaching Points:

• A brief history of precolonial Nigeria and the colonization of Africa • 1958, first publication of Things Fall Apart • Nigeria: British colony from end of 19th c. until 1960 • 1967‐70 Biafran War (Igbo secession) • Major ethnic groups (70% of population): Hausa‐Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo • Est. 2005 pop of Nigeria: 128 million • Tumultuous political history since independence; many of Achebe’s other books confront corruption in politics, social issues • Identify Nigeria on the map of Africa, and the approximate setting for the fictional village of Umuofia in the novel • Discuss the people, languages and religions of Nigeria today, as well as any political or popular news you feel is relevant to your course • Discuss why context is important to understanding the novel • Provide background information on Achebe and his life, other works, career, etc • Be sure to remind your students to make use of the glossary in the back of the book. • Let them know they will be responsible for the terms and concepts Achebe presents. • Discussion of the colonialist, Eurocentric representations of African history and how the novel directly confronts these. Discuss how “history” is an imperfect record of  events and is subject to the biases and perspectives of those who record it. Discuss the role of objectivity and integrity in contemporary historiography.

• This is the perfect opportunity to also set some ground rules as a class for what kind of language is and is not appropriate/respectful when talking about Africa. Using “How To Write About Africa” by Binyavanga Wainaina could be a good way to bring up the issue of stereotypes and misconceptions about Africa • Introduce the concept of understanding and analyzing fiction and using close reading to create meaning in the Wisconsin classroom • Discuss the author’s contention that his work has (at least partly) a didactic role in terms of “re‐teaching” the history of Africa in a more positive light. o Use this idea to discuss: ƒ What this means to American readers? Are we “outsiders?”The role of fiction/literature in understanding history.Whether or not fiction can “revise” history. What does this really mean?

Discussion Questions: ( Practice):

Discussion Questions: • What is fiction? • What is history? • Find Nigeria on the map of Africa. Discuss its features. • Compare contemporary, colonial and pre‐colonial maps of Africa. Discuss their features. • What does “diversity” mean in Nigeria as compared to the US? • What are stereotypes? How do certain words promote a negative impression of Africa or Africans? o What is problematic about the following terms: tribe, hut, savage, primitive, backward, timeless, primordial, (etc)? Why are these terms problematic? Why might some people find them offensive or disparaging? • Who is Chinua Achebe? • Who lives in Nigeria? • What are the official languages of Nigeria? How many languages are spoken throughout the country? How many cultural or ethnic groups can you find on the map (see supplementary materials for linguistic and ethnic maps of Nigeria)?

Homework: Do research and write an essay in which you reflect on (mis)representations of Africa in the media and popular culture. Find a movie, tv show, advertisement or song that reproduces a negative stereotype and then relate that to Achebe’s project of combating misrepresentation of African history. Think of what stereotypes or generalizations are applied to their own [ethnic, cultural, religious, family, social] group and reflect on how/why those generalizations are problematic or misleading.

Objectives: Students will be able to better understand and engage with key Igbo cultural concepts developed in the text so that they can better relate to the story and appreciate the complexity of the novel.

Aim: Some novels and plays seem to advocate changes in social or political attitudes or in traditions.What particular attitudes or traditions does the author apparently wishes to modify as revealed in Things Fall Apart?

Resources: KWHL Chart

Lecture Points:

• Proverbs (“the palm‐oil with which words are eaten” 5) • Define cosmology and religion and use the Igbo Cosmology  chart to teach the Ibgo system of gods, intermediaries and humans • Chi – personal god; can be controlled by humans • Social structure and hierarchy of Igbo society o Titled and untitled citizens o Egwugwu (masquerades) – men and titled men; masks as primary visual art of   Ibo o Osu (outcasts) • Polygamy  and family structure (compound living within village system) • System of villages, shared governance, laws. Communication methods (drum, messengers, envoys) • Matriarchal or patriarchal?  Gender roles don’t necessarily correspond to Western categories. Eg: “Mother is Supreme” (133) [see gender unit for more on this]

. Drums and ogene as metaphors for the “heart” of the people – “The drums were still beating,  persistent and unchanging. Their sound was no longer a separate thing from the living village. It was like the pulsation of its heart” (44).

Do Now: Share the information you  have gathered from the following reading –

• “Talking About ‘Tribe’” Africa Action http://www.africaaction.org/bp/ethall.htm • University of Iowa’s Ibgo information page: http://www.uiowa.edu/~africart/toc/people/Igbo.html 

Discussion Questions:

1. Who are the Igbo people? Where do they live? What is their life like? How have their  customs and traditions changed since the 1880s? Since the 1950s?

2. What do they believe? Describe their religious system and the hierarchy of Igbo cosmology.

3. What is the concept of ogbanje (77) and how is it important to the novel?

4. What other cultural concepts in the book are unique to Igbo people? Why do you think Achebe includes these? What do they tell us about Igbo people and their beliefs in the novel?

5. What are “kola nuts” and how are they used in the novel? What do they represent or symbolize?

6. Discuss the idea of “cultural tourism.” Do you feel like an outsider or voyeur when you read some of these passages? Explain.

7. What elements of Igbo culture and society are similar to your own? What elements differ?

Read the passages and write a response on how these passages reveal that Achebe tries to advocates changes in social or political attitudes or in traditions- • The ogbanje scene with Ezinma • P. 124‐125, which describe the legal ramifications for Okonkwo’s crime, and Obierika reflects on the justice of such laws. • Any of the passages that deal with the throwing out of twins into the Evil Forest

Open-Ended Essay Topics

1987.  Some novels and plays seem to advocate changes in social or political attitudes or in traditions. Choose such a novel or play and note briefly the particular attitudes or traditions that the author apparently wishes to modify. Then analyze the techniques the author uses to influence the reader’s or audience’s views. Avoid plot summary.

1991.  Many plays and novels use contrasting places (for example, two countries, two cities or towns, two houses, or the land and the sea) to represent opposed forces or ideas that are central to the meaning of the work. Choose a novel or play that contrasts two such places. Write an essay explaining how the places differ, what each place represents, and how their contrast contributes to the meaning of the work.

1995.  Writers often highlight the values of a culture or a society by using characters who are alienated from that culture or society because of gender, race, class, or creed. Choose a novel or a play in which such a character plays a significant role and show how that character’s alienation reveals the surrounding society’s assumptions or moral values.

1997.  Novels and plays often include scenes of weddings, funerals, parties, and other social occasions. Such scenes may reveal the values of the characters and the society in which they live. Select a novel or play that includes such a scene and, in a focused essay, discuss the contribution the scene makes to the meaning of the work as a whole. You may choose a work from the list below or another novel or play of literary merit.

Descriptions: American students often have a knee jerk reaction to the way women are depicted in this novel, and see the text as sexist, and Okonkwo as the ultimate chauvinist. And it’s true: Achebe goes to great pains to demonstrate how Okonkwo’s skewed view of gender roles has an impact on both his thinking and his actions.  However, this theme is much more complex and sophisticated than being simply a matter of “male” and “female” tensions; it provokes serious discussion of how these interact, where they overlap, how both Igbo and European societies may have problematic assessments of gender roles, and so on.  One important thing to keep in mind when teaching gender in the novel is that Okonkwo’s view does not represent the “norm” of Igbo thought in this text; there are many illustrations of how his distorted interpretation of gendered roles is what leads to trouble in his life. To find and identify these moments in the text would help us understand deeply the hero’s downfall. Themes of gender and engendered meaning play an enormous role in the novel, and you could approach this theme from several perspectives: • By character, with a focus on the relationship between Okonkwo and Nwoye and Okonkwo and Ezinma • By looking at language and how so many everyday things and concepts have gendered meaning for the Igbo people in the novel. You could look at traditional roles for men and women within Igbo society, and discuss what it means to be “a man” (or a woman) in the novel. Think, too, about how individual concepts and ideas are associated with gender, and what this means to the novel as a whole. • By analyzing the role of kinship, family and the role of the extended family that is central to Okonkwo’s story – as well as the disctinction between “motherland” and “fatherland” and “matriarchal” vs “patriarchal” perspectives in the text. • By analyzing Okonkwo and his deepest fear: becoming like his father, who he feels is feminine and weak. Contrast Okonkwo’s view with that of other, more moderate, characters in the novel.

Objective: To discuss and explore what gender means in the novel, and help students see how complex this theme really is, even though Okonkwo’s view seems very narrow and clear‐ cut. Students will relate this discussion to gender roles in their own cultures, and explore why/how things are not always as they seem when it comes to gender relations and assumptions.

Preparatory Reading :

• “Women in Achebe’s World: A Womanist Critique” by Rose Ure Mezu (in Chinua Achebe: The Man and His Works 2006) • “Problems of Gender and History in the Teaching of Things Fall Apart” by Rhonda Cobham (Modern Critical Interpretations: Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, ed. Harold Bloom 2002

• “Okonkwo and His Mother: Things Fall Apart and Issues of Gender in the Constitution of African Postcolonial Discourse” by Biodun Jeyifo (in Chinua Achebe’s

• Things Fall Apart: A Casebook, ed. Isidore Okpewho 2003) • “Igbo Women from 1929‐1960” by John N. Oriji (West Africa Review) http://westafricareview.com/vol2.1/oriji.html • Ngambika (excerpt)

Lecture points : In addition to addressing the ideas listed above, a lecture on gender in the text might include the following: • Explanation of the difference between sex and gender • Discussion of what gender means to culture, how language can be “gendered,” and   gendered meaning affects the way we see the world • A reminder that gender roles vary by society and what is “sexist” or inappropriate in one place might be perfectly normal somewhere else. Gender roles are not the same in all places, and based on only the fictional world of Things Fall Apart, we can’t really make blanket assessments about “all of Igbo culture” or people • Provide some background and context for gender roles in Igbo societies (then and now might be nice, but at a minimum at the time of the novel’s setting). • Masculinity/femininity, the role of a “man” in society – compare and contrast Okonkwo with his father – use this to discuss how (if at all) students have a different view of what it means to be “a real man”

• Gendered meanings (motherland, fatherland; masc/fem words) • Kinship and extended family. Define matriarchy and patriarchy and what they mean to cultural rules and norms. Ask the class to think of examples of both positive and negative effects of both matriarchal and patriarchal systems. Point out ways in which our own society is structured patriarchally. Ask students to think of other examples. • Provide some history and context for what it means to be “feminist” in Africa and how/why terms like “womanism” are preferred. You may consider discussing the debate over feminism as a Western concept, and whether or not there is a universal standard that should apply to all women when it comes to women’s rights and roles in society. • Discuss the nuances of gender in the text and how gender issues are not just male vs. female in the text. Achebe develops lots of grey area – characters with different views, male characters who “act” female or female characters who “act” male, etc.

Discussion Questions: • How does Okonkwo’s relationship with male and female characters differ? Why? • What role to women play in this novel? What is life like for Okonkwo’s wives? • Some female characters in the book don’t seem to fit the mold according to Okonkwo’s view? Who are they and why are they important to the text? • What material things can you find in the book that have a specific gender? Does their gender effect their meaning or how they are used? How or how not? • When Okonkwo is sent into exile, he is sent to Mbanta, his “motherland,” where things seem very different than life in Umuofia. How are they different? What do these differences tell us about gender? What do you make of the expression “Mother is Supreme” that is mentioned in the book? • What do the terms “patriarchy” and “matriarchy” mean? Give one example of each from the text. • How is Okonkwo’s view of gender different from other characters’ view of gender roles in the novel? Give examples. • Think about the character Ezinma. Of Ezinma, Okonkwo thinks: “She should have been a boy” (p. 64). Why is it necessary to the story that Okonkwo’s most favored child be a girl? What does it mean that she has all of the characteristics that her father finds more valuable in a son? • In the novel, there are two kinds of murder – male and female (124). What are these and what do they mean to the novel? Does it matter that Okonkwo committed the “female” kind of murder?

Suggested passages for close reading • The first paragraph on page 13 that begins “Okonkwo rules his household with a heavy hand…” In this paragraph, we learn about his fear of weakness and how he learns that agbala means both “woman” and a man who has no title. Discuss how this effect his attitude and views about gender. • “Nwoye knew that it was right to be masculine and to be violent, but somehow he still preferred the stories that his mother used to tell, and which she no doubt still told to her younger children… […] That was the kind of story Nwoye loved. But he now knew that they were for foolish women and children, and he knew that his father wanted him to be a man. And so he feigned that he no longer cared for women’s stories…” (53‐54) What does this passage tell us about the conflict between father and son? What does it tell us about what gender means in the novel? How does it foreshadow Nwoye’s later conversion? • Women “never saw the inside of the [egwugwu house]. No woman ever did. They scrubbed and painted he outside walls under the supervision of men. If they imagined what was inside, they kept their imagination to themselves. No woman ever asked questions about the most powerful and the most secret cult in the clan” (89). This is a good example of how women and men have different social roles in Igbo society. Discuss this passage and what it means to the novel. • The discussion of motherland and “mother is supreme” on p. 133‐135

• The very important passage in which Okonkwo’s friend Ofoedu discusses the relationship of a well‐known couple, Ndulue and Ozoemena, who have both died at the same time. Obierika says “It was always said that Ndulue and Ozoemena had one mind. ..He could not do anything without telling her.” To which Okonkwo replied, “I did not know that. I thought he was a strong man in his youth.” And Ofoedu says, “He was indeed.” (68) This is a key passage as it shows that other esteemed elders in the village do not share Okonkwo’s view that warriors cannot be loving or gentle or close to others; it demonstrates that his rigid position on what constitutes strong masculine behavior is not shared by all Igbo men.

Assignment Ideas( Select one assignment to do) • Okonkwo’s view does not represent the “norm” of Igbo thought in this text; there are many illustrations of how his distorted interpretation of gendered roles is what leads to trouble in his life.  Find at least three passages in the text where Okonkwo’s view is challenged or contradicted in the novel.  Use the list to discuss the larger role gender plays in the novel, and what it means to the story. What is the message that these contradictions reveal? • Compare and contrast the relationships Okonkwo has with his son Nwoye and his daughter, Ezinma. • Choose one character an write an essay on why gender matters to this person. • Compare/contrast two characters in a two‐page essay which evaluates how gender meaning differs for each of them. Suggested pairs (Okonkwo/Nwoye, Okonkwo/Obierka, Nwoye/Ezinma, Ezinma/Okonkwo).

Lesson 4: Character Study-: Psychology, Relationships and Meaning

• Okonkwo: Villain, Victim or Tragic Hero?
• Okonkwo and his family: the role of his wives and children
• Ezinma ‐ Fathers, sons and daughters: key relationships in the novel
•  Obierika, Voice of Reason
• Outsiders: The role of missionaries and colonial administrators

Character development is central to the development of a wide range of issues in the novel, such as  family, friendships and identity.  Okonkwo himself is such a complex character, and most of the other themes in the novel are developed by exploring the relationships between Okonkwo and other characters.

Objective: To perform close readings of specific characters, assess their relationships, anddetermine how characterization relates to other major themes in the novel to create meaning.

Preparatory Reading:  • “For Chinua Achebe: The Resilience and the Predicament of Obierika” from  Chinua Achebe: A Celebration by Biodun Jeyifo

Character List-

• Okonkwo protagonist
• Unoka    his shiftless, title‐less father
• Okonkwo’s wives: (1) Nwoye’s mother, the senior wife
• Children: Nwoye [Isaac] (m), Obiageli (f), Nneka, Nwofia    (“begotten in the wilderness” 45, should’ve been a boy), and the  “adopted son” Ikemefuna (m) who is killed by Okonkwo

(2) Ekwefi Child: Ezinma (f) (3) Ojiugo  Children: Nkechi (f), Obiageli (f) * Note: # of children here incomplete.  Text says he has 11 children before  the exile; 2 (?) born in exile; 5 sons Ikemefuna young boy captured in revenge for death of a daughter of Umuofia

• Obierka friend of Okonkwo
• Ndulue and Ozoemena couple known for their close relationship (68)
• Ofoedu Friend of Okonkwo and Obierika
• Agbala    Oracle of the Hills & the Caves
• Chika    Priestess of Agbala
• Chielo    Priestess of Agbala
• Ani    Earth godess
• Ezeani    Priest of Ani
• Uchendu Okonkwo’s mother’s brother in Mbanta (exile)
• Mr. Kiaga missionary interpreter/teacher Mr. Brown white missionary – compromise and accommodation policy
• Mr. Smith white missionary (Brown’s replacement); no compromise policy
• Nneka     first convert; mother of twins
• Okoli    man “accused”/presumed/rumored to have killed sacred python (dies 114)
• Enoch    priest of the snake cult District Commissioner Unnamed British colonial administrator who famously appears to pronounce Okonkwo’s story “interesting reading” for a paragraph in his memoir: The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the
• Lower Niger

Lecture points: • Begin with a discussion of character analysis – what is is, how to do it, how characters work together to create meaning, etc. • Discuss the role of the PROTAGONIST and minor or supporting characters. • Discuss Okonkwo’s role as protagonist. Is he a hero? A victim? A villain? • Use passages from the text to explorerelationships between characters o Okonkwo and Unoka o Okonkwo and Obierika o Okonkwo and his children o Okonkwo’s wives and their children etc • Show how most of the themes in the novel depend on character development to make sense. Use this to demonstrate how novels/fiction work – show how Okonkwo (and the other characters) act out the drama to produce meaning and allow us different points of view to consider as we interpret the novel • Remind the class that Okonkwo, though esteemed and in a position of authority in his village, is a bit of an anomaly. Others do not share his views on many things. • You might also consider spending entire days on individual characters to explore how they relate to specific themes/issues • Nwoye and religion/conversion • The missionaries vs. the rest of the characters; how do they differ? • Ezinma and gender roles, Ezinma and Igbo customs/belief • Ikemefuna and his symbolic death; also what his presence in the novel teaches us about how this society works, its rules and norms

Discussion Questions: • What is “characterization?” How are characters created in a text? • What does the term “protagonist” mean? What happens when our protagonist is kind of antagonistic? Is Okonkwo a sympathetic character? How can we relate to him? Does he remind you of anyone you know? • Do a close reading of the descriptions of Okonkwo and Unoka in chapter one.  How do these two characters differ? What kind of language is used to describe each of  them? What proverbs are associated with each? What does this contrast foreshadow?

• Discuss specific characters/pairs of characters and what they mean to the rest of the text. • What is the significance of the child Ikemefuna to the novel? Why does Okonkwo kill him? What can be learned from this episode?

Assignment and Project Ideas: • Make a list of characters or character pairs for the students and write down the major theme or issue associated with that character/pair of characters. Find one example of this, with a quote, to present to the rest of the class. • Write a one‐page character analysis of the character of your choice. Be sure to include: a description of the character, his/her relationship to the protagonist and his/her main function in the novel. Support your response with quotes from the book. • Compare and contrast Unoka and Okonkwo. Make a chart or graph of all of their differences. • Do role play. Get in character and enact specific parts of the book, or answer questions “in character” • Think about the character of Nwoye. Why does he convert to Christianity? Write an essay in which you discuss the factors that led to his transformation, and how they relate to his relationship with his father. •  Is Okonkwo a tragic hero? Argue and support it with textual evidence.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Things Fall Apart — Okonkwo In Things Fall Apart

Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart

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• Things Fall Apart

Chinua Achebe

• Literature Notes
• Essay Questions
• Book Summary
• About Things Fall Apart
• Character List
• Summary and Analysis
• Part 1: Chapter 1
• Part 1: Chapter 2
• Part 1: Chapter 3
• Part 1: Chapter 4
• Part 1: Chapter 5
• Part 1: Chapter 6
• Part 1: Chapter 7
• Part 1: Chapter 8
• Part 1: Chapter 9
• Part 1: Chapter 10
• Part 1: Chapter 11
• Part 1: Chapter 12
• Part 1: Chapter 13
• Part 2: Chapter 14
• Part 2: Chapter 15
• Part 2: Chapter 16
• Part 2: Chapter 17
• Part 2: Chapter 18
• Part 2: Chapter 19
• Part 3: Chapter 20
• Part 3: Chapter 21
• Part 3: Chapter 22
• Part 3: Chapter 23
• Part 3: Chapter 24
• Part 3: Chapter 25
• Character Analysis
• Reverend James Smith
• Character Map
• Chinua Achebe Biography
• Critical Essays
• Major Themes in Things Fall Apart
• Use of Language in Things Fall Apart
• Full Glossary for Things Fall Apart
• Cite this Literature Note

Study Help Essay Questions

1. Why did Achebe choose to take the title of his novel, Things Fall Apart , from William Butler Yeats' poem "The Second Coming"?

2. What is the narrator's point of view and what values are important to the narrator?

3. Achebe presents details of daily village life in Umuofia, as well as details concerning the Igbo culture. Describe the setting of the novel.

4. What is chi ? Explain the importance of chi in shaping Okonkwo's destiny.

5. Obierika is a foil for Okonkwo. That is, when compared to Okonkwo, the contrast between the two characters emphasizes the distinctive characteristics of Okonkwo. Compare the two characters — Obierika and Okonkwo.

6. Achebe suggests that Igbo culture is dynamic (constantly changing). Find evidence in the novel to support this notion.

7. What is the significance of Nwoye's Christian name, Isaac?

8. In Things Fall Apart , Achebe includes stories from Igbo culture and tradition, proverbs, and parables. What is the significance of Achebe's integration of African literary forms with that of Western literary forms?

9. Achebe resents the stereotype of African cultures that is presented in literature, such as Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. Identify instances in Things Fall Apart that portray variations in African cultures.

10. What is the role of women in the novel?

11. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of the social structure portrayed in Things Fall Apart . For example, the culture is polygamous ; the husband, wives, and children live in their own compound; children are cared for communally.

12. Explain why you think Okonkwo kills himself.

13. In your opinion, what contributes most to things falling apart in Umuofia? Explain.

14. How are the womanly or feminine qualities of the Igbo culture important to its survival?

15. Compare Mr. Brown and Reverend Smith. How does the black and white thinking of Reverend Smith contribute to Umuofia's downfall? What would have prevented Umuofia's downfall?

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