Things Fall Apart
Bennett Brookmon
Western Culture 103
Professor De Luca
November 14, 2012
The Overcoming of Culture In the novel Things Fall Apart, written by Chinua Achebe, the fight to secure one’s culture literally falls apart as strong cultural influences come into African tribes of the lower Nigeria, one being the Umuofia clan. Before jumping ahead to the aggressive Western Civilization influence into the Ibo land, I will also be depicting the cultural traditions of Okonkwo’s tribe. The robust differences of one’s traditional way of life differing from another’s leads to major conflict, thus being one of many strong points throughout Things Fall Apart; I see this as one of the most interesting subjects that are brought up in the novel in because it shows how the ways of living are influenced by others that see their culture as better. Also in being because this particular breakdown shows sides of societies in history that are seem to be advanced pushing their beliefs and way of life upon others that to them seem primitive. Throughout my analysis of Things Fall Apart, I will be fallowing Kant’s philosophical rationing and defending the Ibo culture of life to the confrontation of foreign relations and customs that the white man brings along. The life of Okonkwo is a story of its own; his whole life has been affected by different types of cultures and the inevitable result leads to his death. Towards the beginning of the novel, the Ibo people don’t know of white man; they see the white man as a rare thing to see. On the other hand, African tribes do have contact and relations with neighboring clansmen. One of the major events that occurred between clans is when Okonkwo and his fellow tribesmen nearly go to war over the death of Ogbuefi Udo’s wife against the Mbaino people. Going through this process to decide if there will be war or not is not what many would see for African tribes. The Umuofia people don’t just bear up arms and go to war; they contemplate on the actions
Western Culture 103
Professor De Luca
November 14, 2012
The Overcoming of Culture In the novel Things Fall Apart, written by Chinua Achebe, the fight to secure one’s culture literally falls apart as strong cultural influences come into African tribes of the lower Nigeria, one being the Umuofia clan. Before jumping ahead to the aggressive Western Civilization influence into the Ibo land, I will also be depicting the cultural traditions of Okonkwo’s tribe. The robust differences of one’s traditional way of life differing from another’s leads to major conflict, thus being one of many strong points throughout Things Fall Apart; I see this as one of the most interesting subjects that are brought up in the novel in because it shows how the ways of living are influenced by others that see their culture as better. Also in being because this particular breakdown shows sides of societies in history that are seem to be advanced pushing their beliefs and way of life upon others that to them seem primitive. Throughout my analysis of Things Fall Apart, I will be fallowing Kant’s philosophical rationing and defending the Ibo culture of life to the confrontation of foreign relations and customs that the white man brings along. The life of Okonkwo is a story of its own; his whole life has been affected by different types of cultures and the inevitable result leads to his death. Towards the beginning of the novel, the Ibo people don’t know of white man; they see the white man as a rare thing to see. On the other hand, African tribes do have contact and relations with neighboring clansmen. One of the major events that occurred between clans is when Okonkwo and his fellow tribesmen nearly go to war over the death of Ogbuefi Udo’s wife against the Mbaino people. Going through this process to decide if there will be war or not is not what many would see for African tribes. The Umuofia people don’t just bear up arms and go to war; they contemplate on the actions