Nwoye In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart
When introduced to a different culture, a community will have two vastly different responses. On one hand, members may feel uncomfortable, separate themselves, and grow stronger to their own set of beliefs. However, with the introduction of another perspective, others will feel enlightened and truly captivated by the unique ideas. This concept is apparent in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, where Nwoye, the oldest son of Okonkwo, a greatly respected leader within his village, is introduced to an entirely different set of beliefs via European missionaries. While Nwoye notably struggles to agree with and find a place in the culture he was born into, he finds comfort in Christianity. The Westerners’ set of beliefs challenges the principles of Nwoye’s Igbo culture and any remaining ties to his family,
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particularly Okonkwo.
From the beginning of the novel, Nwoye repeatedly questions snippets of the Igbo culture. This most likely stems from his father’s radical take on the beliefs, as Nwoye lacks a strong work-ethic and does not share the same ideas on masculinity as Okonkwo. This discrepancy creates a lot of tension and results in frequent beatings. Furthermore, Nwoye admits to not understanding some of the most sacred practices of the village, including obeying the oracle and disposing of twins and their evil spirits. Nwoye explained after both occurrences “a vague chill had descended on him” before “something had given way inside him” (Achebe 66). This making it clear that Nwoye greatly disagreed with such acts and felt the doing of them broke him and ruined his innocence. All of this ultimately created a very negative cultural experience for Nwoye. However, when the European missionaries finally came to Nwoye’s village, any hesitancy he had about his faith was put to rest. One day, the white man and his interpreter spoke to a crowd about the basics of Christianity. The speech included how there was only one true God, and the Igbo faith worshipped false gods. While the majority of the crowd was either reluctant to listen or found it comical, Nwoye was mesmerized. He felt the poetry of Christianity “in the marrow” and believed this new religion could answer questions that have been haunting him since he was young, including that of the "twins crying in the bush and the question of Ikemefuna" (Achebe 141). Although Nwoye’s mind was still undeveloped, something deep inside of him was awakened. The difficulty he had to fit into the Igbo society was no longer a problem. Christianity was much less violent and less dependent on gender roles and masculinity than his current religion. As a result, he found himself more at ease and, before long, Nwoye associated with the Christians, attended church, and became a convert. Not only was Nwoye’s faith challenged with the introduction of Western belief, but his familial ties were.
While Nwoye and Okonkwo never shared a healthy relationship, the strain on it was only heightened when it was discovered that Nwoye was correlating with the Christians. After Okonkwo’s cousin, Amikwu, explained to Okonkwo that he saw Nwoye hanging around the new church, a great fury overcame Okonkwo. Upon his son’s return, Okonkwo grabbed Nwoye with a choking grip. Okonkwo went on to interrogate Nwoye over where he had been and suggested that he would “kill him” before hitting Nwoye with “two or three savage blows” (Achebe 145). This was the last straw for both the father and son and caused Nwoye to leave and never return. Though Nwoye was saddened that he couldn’t be with his mother and siblings anymore, he was happy to finally depart from his father. Furthermore, Nwoye was delighted that his new faith agreed with and validated his actions, as “’blessed is he who forsakes his father and his mother for my sake’” (Achebe 145). This highlighted Christianity and the church as an outlet for Nwoye. Without his family, it was now the only thing he could rely
on.
In the end, Nwoye finds comfort and justification in the Westerners’, and now his own, beliefs. The once strange set of values has become a part of Nwoye and drastically changed his character. He no longer surrenders to his father nor suffers to find his place in society.
particularly Okonkwo.
From the beginning of the novel, Nwoye repeatedly questions snippets of the Igbo culture. This most likely stems from his father’s radical take on the beliefs, as Nwoye lacks a strong work-ethic and does not share the same ideas on masculinity as Okonkwo. This discrepancy creates a lot of tension and results in frequent beatings. Furthermore, Nwoye admits to not understanding some of the most sacred practices of the village, including obeying the oracle and disposing of twins and their evil spirits. Nwoye explained after both occurrences “a vague chill had descended on him” before “something had given way inside him” (Achebe 66). This making it clear that Nwoye greatly disagreed with such acts and felt the doing of them broke him and ruined his innocence. All of this ultimately created a very negative cultural experience for Nwoye. However, when the European missionaries finally came to Nwoye’s village, any hesitancy he had about his faith was put to rest. One day, the white man and his interpreter spoke to a crowd about the basics of Christianity. The speech included how there was only one true God, and the Igbo faith worshipped false gods. While the majority of the crowd was either reluctant to listen or found it comical, Nwoye was mesmerized. He felt the poetry of Christianity “in the marrow” and believed this new religion could answer questions that have been haunting him since he was young, including that of the "twins crying in the bush and the question of Ikemefuna" (Achebe 141). Although Nwoye’s mind was still undeveloped, something deep inside of him was awakened. The difficulty he had to fit into the Igbo society was no longer a problem. Christianity was much less violent and less dependent on gender roles and masculinity than his current religion. As a result, he found himself more at ease and, before long, Nwoye associated with the Christians, attended church, and became a convert. Not only was Nwoye’s faith challenged with the introduction of Western belief, but his familial ties were.
While Nwoye and Okonkwo never shared a healthy relationship, the strain on it was only heightened when it was discovered that Nwoye was correlating with the Christians. After Okonkwo’s cousin, Amikwu, explained to Okonkwo that he saw Nwoye hanging around the new church, a great fury overcame Okonkwo. Upon his son’s return, Okonkwo grabbed Nwoye with a choking grip. Okonkwo went on to interrogate Nwoye over where he had been and suggested that he would “kill him” before hitting Nwoye with “two or three savage blows” (Achebe 145). This was the last straw for both the father and son and caused Nwoye to leave and never return. Though Nwoye was saddened that he couldn’t be with his mother and siblings anymore, he was happy to finally depart from his father. Furthermore, Nwoye was delighted that his new faith agreed with and validated his actions, as “’blessed is he who forsakes his father and his mother for my sake’” (Achebe 145). This highlighted Christianity and the church as an outlet for Nwoye. Without his family, it was now the only thing he could rely
on.
In the end, Nwoye finds comfort and justification in the Westerners’, and now his own, beliefs. The once strange set of values has become a part of Nwoye and drastically changed his character. He no longer surrenders to his father nor suffers to find his place in society.