Things Fall Apart American Imperialism Analysis

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“Like a cyclone, imperialism spins across the globe; militarism crushes peoples and sucks their blood like a vampire” (Karl Liebknecht). Imperialism is a country taking over another with military force. Some conquers think that they are “civilizing” the people, which was the case in Heart of Darkness. Although they are actually “using” the people. Then, are Africans objects or humans? are Europeans savages or missionaries? Europeans were trying to take over Africa. However, Europeans are not suitable in Africa the same way an Europe puzzle piece is not suitable in Africas spot. Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness are two stories with different perspectives about the European imperialism. They both show the destruction of the natives ' lives because of the European imperialism. However, they have some things in contrast …show more content…

On the other hand, Achebe in Things Fall Apart was racist toward Europeans or “White men”. The Igbo people mocked their white skin and called them lepers and albinos “Those who knew Amadi (a White man) laughed. He was a leper”,””an Albino,” suggested Okonkwo”. These examples illustrate how Achebe was lowering the Europeans and was making the Igbos superior. Furthermore, Achebe was racist to Europeans by giving them commanding actions. Throughout the book, Achebe made the Europeans look brutal and bossy. He showed their brutality through writing about the attack on the mall. Likewise, they made their own government and army, and used them to control and judge the Igbos based on their own system of justice. “They had built a court where the District Commissioner judged cases in ignorance” This quote proves the racism of Achebe in the way he wrote about how their government judged in ignorance. Further, the way he wrote about “White men” trying to burn the other gods and telling the Igbos that their god is the only god, shows another way Achebe was racist to Europeans. He showed the Europeans forcing the Africans into their own faith and