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Stereotypes In Things Fall Apart Research Paper

1313 Words6 Pages

“The Rebuttal of Imperilast Stereotypes in Things Fall Apart” Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart clashes with traditional Imperialism and counters misinterpreted African stereotypes used during the European colonization of Africa. The 1958 publication directly disputes popular clichés of the time period by presenting signs of erudite civilization and society in eastern Nigeria. Achebe’s novel narrates the internal struggle an egotistical man named Okonkwo faces against pride and fear, while the community battles a potential destruction of culture caused by European colonialism and evangelism. He authored this story in hopes to disprove labels, such as “primordial” and “backwards”, associated with Africans by European writers including Joyce …show more content…

In the 1900s, the actual lifestyle of Africans was intensely distorted by novels such as Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and Mister Johnson by Joyce Cary by not only illustrating Africans as inhumane, but describing the entire continent as mystical and enigmatic. Chinua Achebe hoped to abolish this racism with a novel that symbolizes the true picture of Africa, Things Fall Apart. The novel educates the ignorant who misrepresent or misbelieve African society, while simultaneously announcing the negativity associated with any stereotype. Although Achebe provides confirmation of a civilized society to contradict Imperialist views, the fulfillment of these perceptions occurs with Okonkwo’s refusal to adapt. The relentless acts of aggravation shown by the Christian missionaries and Europeans compel Okonkwo to emancipate his etiquette and murder a court messenger. His wrath is attested after the new religion and government eliminate the traditions and customs of the clan. This action only provokes more fallacies amongst the Europeans. Yet, a majority of these beliefs are disproved through analysis of the Ibo culture and society. Conclusively, Imperialist views in Things Fall Apart are presented and swiftly discredited by the sophisticated aspects of Ibo

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Chinua Achebe’s 1958 literary classic, Things Fall Apart (Achebe, 1958), is renowned for its authentic account of the black African experience. Set in post-colonial Nigeria, the fictional novel discusses the cultural roots of the Igbos and follows the life of the tragic hero, Okonkwo. This acclaimed novel deals with strong patriarchal ideals of masculinity within the Igbo culture and how Okonkwo is a direct manifestation of this. Achebe depicts the relationship between masculinity and both male and female characters, and how this, in turn, has an effect on Okonkwo’s relationships. The strongest relationship in the novel is between father (Okonkwo) and daughter (Ezinma); their bond is strong because Ezinma is everything Okonkwo would want in a son.

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1715 Words | 7 Pages

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1837 Words | 8 Pages

S. Naipaul and J. M. Coetzee these Post-colonial writers have all dealt with Africa in their own individual and unique ways. Achebe does not treat the African culture and ways of life as something hybrid, complex, dependant for its significance on the Western style of perceiving things or neither has he shown Africa to be existing only in relation to its difference from or consonance with the Western form of religion, culture, identity, and discourse. The major theme of the novel ‘Things Fall Apart’ centers around the destruction of Africa’s intricate, almost incomprehensible but unique way of life and culture in the wake of British colonization and forced or maneuvered conversion to Christianity. The administrative as well as religious changes that the British tries to impose upon the native Africans has the disastrous effects of uprooting the indigenous people from their original root and tradition and can be seen as some instruments of subjugation, subordination and subservience which starts with creating distrust, doubts and insecurity in the minds of people for their Igbo tradition, and its cultural and religious practices and ends with making them internalize the Christian way of life and British administrative apparatuses. Another theme that is explored in this novel is the inherent fault of the central character Okonkwo, who is ambitious, industrious, honest, masculine but is rash, and unthinking and his sense of self and identity is wholly dependent on the approval of others in his community and he thinks of anything that intrudes into it as a threat and he tries hard to be a man though in a flawed manner.

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