Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

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Envision someone telling you the false accusations about your culture. Saying that you're unequipped for intuition and need assistance from those who are “superior”. In the novel Things Fall Apart the general population of the Ibo clan felt as if their culture was being stripped from them when the missionaries came over. However, Chinua Achebe ensures that the people of the Igbo restores their dignity through the customs and special events such as the importance of the kola nut and traditional ceremonies. The Ibo individuals take their customs seriously and they are imperative to them. During a reunion it is mentioned that, “as night fell burning torches were sat on wooden tripods and the young men raised a song. The elders sat in a big circle and the singers went round singing each man’s praise as they came before him”(Achebe 118). Each reunion expresses how unique the Ibo culture is; however the missionaries depict the culture and the people as unrefined, inadequate, and wild like, in this manner its …show more content…

When people come together it is traditional to bring a kola nut. Okoye specified how, “He who brings the kola brings life… as he broke the kola, Unoka prayed to their ancestors to life and health, and for protection against their enemies”(Achebe 6). The kola nut represents hospitality and how the people have morals. This indication of hospitality is similar to other cultures for example in an American culture a sign of hospitality is when people bring food to family gatherings. The main character of the novel Okonkwo is comparable yet one of a kind. Okonkwo is portrayed as “well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievements”(Achebe 1). This quote demonstrates how just like many people Okonkwo's fundamental objectives was to be well respected and successful. Additionally it represents the objectives of the culture one of which is to be