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Things Fall Apart Essay

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Things Fall Apart written by Chinua Achebe is a novel about a tribe called Umuofia, this tribe along with ours had intruded by strangers. These strangers were later called white missionaries, these missionaries were there to colonize the Ibo people and make them believe in their God and their religious practices, they were successful. The novel ' Things Fall Apart' had made the colonization seem as though it was a dramatic change for the Ibo people but there were similarities along with differences between Pre-Colonial and Postcolonial in the Umuofia tribe. Pre and PostColonial of the Umuofia tribe were similar due to their faith in a higher power at work. On page 63 a conversation took place between a missionary named, Mr. Brown, and the Ibo people discussing their God(s). “You say that there is one supreme God who made heaven and earth. We also believe in Him and call Him Chukwu.” said the Ibo people. Pre and Post-Colonial of the Umuofia tribe believe in …show more content…

The author stated on page 61 “ Not only the low-born and the outcast but sometimes a worthy man had joined it. Such a man was Ogbuefi Ugonna, who had taken two titles, and who like a madman had cut the anklet of his titles and cast it away to join the Christians. Another way the missionaries got more Ibo villagers to convert was by accident when they made them doubt their religion on page 61. “The next morning the crazy men actually began to clear a part of the forest and to build their house. The inhabitants of Mbanta expected them all to be dead within four days. The first day passed and the second and third and fourth, and none of them died. Everyone was puzzled. And then it became known that the white man's fetish had unbelievable power. It was said that he wore glasses on his eyes so that he could see and talk to evil spirits. Not long after, he won his first three

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Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a historical fiction novel set in the 1890s. The protagonist, Okonkwo, has to deal with the impact of trying to save his family while also protecting his tribe against British colonizers. Okonkwo goes through a lot of struggles and hardships trying to find himself in this new, colonized community. Although Okonkwo does not succeed, he displayed moral courage by fighting for his tribe, following his values, and protecting his family.

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Achebe wants to get his point across to Europeans and the western world; however, they would not read this if the white men were portrayed as evil and inaccurate. By using celebrations and sacraments that actually occur Achebe gains credibility of his work. Earlier in the book Achebe talked about how Umuofia was feared by the other clans, by letting the missionaries in and granting them the land to stay they have lost some of that respect. “If Umuofia decides on war, all would be well. But if they chose to be cowards, he [Okonkwo] would go out and avenge himself.”

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The author of Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe, demonstrates colonization in Africa as a positive impact in the Igbo culture. The colonization of these Igbo villages showed a great impact to the future of the clan. These villages were introduced to missionaries that advised a change in culture and law which inevitably allowed these clans to establish a society. The Christian missionaries were able to change the religion from being that of fear to one of positivity. In Things Fall Apart, a conversation between Mr. Brown, a missionary, and a clan’s member spoke of fear dominating the life of an Igbo villager.

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Europeans believed that converting indigenous people to Christianity would civilize them and make them more human (Walshaw, Lecture 12, Slide 3). However, doing so frequently required eliminating or marginalizing African culture and traditions and forcing European philosophical systems upon African nations. "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe also depicts how Christianity and European missionaries affected African civilizations. In the novel, the introduction of Christian missionaries causes a clash of civilizations as the new religion challenges traditional Igbo beliefs and practices. This reflects how Christianity has historically affected Africa, where religion has frequently been employed as a tool for colonization and cultural repression.

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These people are the leaders of their country. On the map there are eight men and each of them represent their country, which is written next to them. They are all from Europe. During this time thirty percent of Africa’s population was being controlled by numerous countries (the ones on the map; France, Britain, Germany, etc…) Each Country had their own percentage of how much of Africa they owned.

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In the nonfiction novel, Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, the author uses detail, figurative language to convey the tradition, religion and the ways of the Ibo people. The novel's protagonist Okonkwo is famous in the surrounding villages for being a wrestling champion, defeating a wrestler nicknamed "the cat". He is strong, hard-working, and strives to show no weakness. Okonkwo wants to dispel his father Unoka’s tainted legacy of being effeminate and cowardly. Okonkwo works to build his wealth entirely on his own, as Unoka died a shameful death and left many unpaid debts.

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They offered the local people material benefits, “encouraged them with gifts of singlets and towels” (Achebe, 160), and offered the indigenous people jobs such as teachers to arouse them to convert their religions. The novel Things Fall Apart, written by Chinua Achebe, showed the readers how their culture and unity had fallen apart after a new religion, Christianity, was introduced. After the missionaries built church on the “evil forest” (Achebe, 130), where evil spirits and people with wicked diseases were buried, and survived. People started to feel dubious about their own religions and converted into Christianity, thinking that it was more powerful than their own religion. “That man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia.

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In the book, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe the missionary's arrival affected the African traditions by changing, judging, and assimilating the tribes in the book as well as in Africa. Things Fall Apart is about an African man Okonkwo who is the leader of his village Igbo. We follow Okonkwo through his downfall and watch him make terrible mistakes. We watch his culture and community get torn apart. For a fact, Africa is still primarily a Christian continent.

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The tripartite novel “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe, published in 1958 focuses on the changes taking place in Nigeria, as a result of colonization during the 20th century. Chinua Achebe’s pragmatics when writing the novel focused on changing the perspective of Western readers with regard to African society. He mainly wanted to falsify the assertions in books such as “Heart of Darkness” which he claimed gave people of African descent a dull personality. Social status is one of the novels’ main themes. Chinua Achebe successfully incorporates the importance of social status, giving readers the impression that for the Ibo society, social structure consists mainly of a hierarchy of both skill and strength.

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Achebe’s story Things Fall Apart shows the clash of cultures between the British Settlers and the Ibo people of Nigeria through two overlapping stories, which center around a man named Okonkwo. Okonkwo is a respected member of the Umuofia clan, a Nigerian tribe that is part of nine villages. He is haunted by the actions of his cowardly father. Okonkwo became a clansman, warrior, farmer, and family provider. A protagonist has many characteristics including having a goal, certain personality traits and multiple life changing events.

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The Ibo Culture had many beliefs in which they lived by, also were well-respected and obeyed by the Umuofia Clan. Their determination to spread and continue their customs for the future generations was grand and did not want anyone to contradict it. A missionary is a person or group to travel and convert other communities to their own form of Christianity. The same dedication to endure their beliefs and traditions are similar to the Germans back in World War II.

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Things Fall Apart, another book by Chinua Achebe, can be seen as another response to Conrad’s Heart of darkness. In this book, we are introduced to the main protagonist Okonkwo and to the Igbo culture in Nigeria. His responds to Heart of Darkness by combating those stereotypes of Africans as savages, by introducing a culture that has an organizational structure, peaceful people and able of communicating in a sophisticated way. It also launches a direct attack to the colonizers who caused a great chao by using different symbols such as the use of locusts. Achebe’s book is against the stereotypes that white people have on the Africans.

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Upon Okonkwo’s arrival back to Umuofia from his exile, things changed for the worse. When the missionaries arrived with them they brought a new system of government, laws, and a court system. The Igbo people were getting sentenced to prison where they were tortured for breaking the white man’s laws with which they were not familiar. Achebe challenges the colonial narrative by demonstrating that the Igbo people had rules, laws, and a court system even before the missionaries

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Things Fall Apart, a book written by the author Chinua Achebe is a story filled with amazing culture. It is about the rise and downfall of the main character, Okonkwo. The book had many different aspects of the African culture and the different time period. For example, characters and their importance throughout the story, and how women were treated in this culture and time period. Topics from religion, family, and the social complexity were very much involved throughout the entire book and portrayed by many of the characters.

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Not only did Okonkwo face the new idea of Christianity, but so did Chinua Achebe. During Achebe’s interview with The Paris Review, Achebe says “My parents were early converts to Christianity in my part of Nigeria” (Brooks). He saw the effects of the Christian religion moving through his village, something that Okonkwo couldn’t bear to live through. Religion is a major topic in the novel. Chinua Achebe uses religion to show the reader the God in the Igbo culture, their belief in reincarnation, and the colonization of Christianity.

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