A sense of identity is often acquired and developed by everyone as they mature, but it is always changing as the culture changes. The novel, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, follows the development of several characters in response to a cultural shock caused by the Westernization of the Ibo tribe in Nigeria. The protagonist of the book, Okonkwo, is a strong, diligent leader and supercilious warrior of the tribe who obsessed over his masculine image. However, Okonkwo’s eldest son, Nwoye, tries to shadow and please his father, but ultimately fails for he has a soft side. Especially when it comes to religion, Nwoye’s believes, morals, and interests often diverse from his fathers. The introduction of Christianity to the Ibo tribe results in the changing of Nwoye’s sense of identity, in a positive way, which contributes to the theme of change in Things Fall Apart.
Before the Ibo tribe experiences a cultural collision, Nwoye’s personal identity is incoherent since it was masked by Okonkwo’s expectations. Since he is the eldest son of Okonkwo, Nwoye was expected by
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Nwoye’s development throughout Things Fall Apart in response to the cultural collision and the introduction of a new religion contribute to the profound theme of change. The Westernization and introduction of Christianity changes the Ibo tribe greatly presenting the tribe dilemma of accepting or rejecting new cultural norms. As culture changes, things fall apart for some individuals who are not willing to accept change. However, sometimes a change in culture can provide new options with positive outcomes for people, exemplified by Nwoye’s story. In conclusion, life leads us in different directs and sometimes takes unexpected turns. With these unexpected turns, we learn more about ourselves and what we want