Things Fall Apart
Colonization Effects in Things Fall Apart Colonization is the process of settling among and developing political control over indigenous people in a region. The novel Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe is a Greek tragedy, meaning it begins in a state of order and ends in a state of chaos. With the arrival of colonists in the novel, the lifestyles of the people in the village of Umuofia face an extensive amount of adjustments. The story follows the life of Okonkwo, a wealthy and highly respected man who is known for his strength. Achebe illustrates the negative implications of colonization by using conventions such as diction, point-of-view, characterization, and narrative voice throughout the novel.
First and foremost, Achebe utilizes …show more content…
For example, the first missionary in the village named Mr. Brown is intrigued by the ways of the people in Umuofia. He is respected throughout the village due to his “policy of compromise and accommodation”(Achebe 184). On the other hand, Mr. Smith, the missionary who took over for Mr. Brown when he left due to his poor health, is “a different kind of man. He [sees] things as black and white. And black [is] evil”(Achebe 184). The villagers accept Mr. Brown despite his different beliefs for his willingness to compromise, while Mr. Smith is highly disliked due to his strong and open opinion on his own faith to be superior. One day, with the villagers demand that Mr. Smith destroy his shrine because it has only brought abominations for their society(Achebe 190). Once Mr. Smith leaves, telling them to “‘go away’”, the villagers burn the church down themselves: “[The] red-earth church which Mr. Brown had built was a pile of earth and ashes”(Achebe 190-191). The more time passed, the more the villagers’ relationship with the colonizers deteriorated. With the dispute over the church, resulting in it being burned to the ground, it is clear that the villagers now have little to no tolerance for the colonizers disrupting their way of life. The colonizers only brought “abominations” to them, and so they begin to take matters into their own hands using a more forceful method as an attempt to rid themselves from the
First and foremost, Achebe utilizes …show more content…
For example, the first missionary in the village named Mr. Brown is intrigued by the ways of the people in Umuofia. He is respected throughout the village due to his “policy of compromise and accommodation”(Achebe 184). On the other hand, Mr. Smith, the missionary who took over for Mr. Brown when he left due to his poor health, is “a different kind of man. He [sees] things as black and white. And black [is] evil”(Achebe 184). The villagers accept Mr. Brown despite his different beliefs for his willingness to compromise, while Mr. Smith is highly disliked due to his strong and open opinion on his own faith to be superior. One day, with the villagers demand that Mr. Smith destroy his shrine because it has only brought abominations for their society(Achebe 190). Once Mr. Smith leaves, telling them to “‘go away’”, the villagers burn the church down themselves: “[The] red-earth church which Mr. Brown had built was a pile of earth and ashes”(Achebe 190-191). The more time passed, the more the villagers’ relationship with the colonizers deteriorated. With the dispute over the church, resulting in it being burned to the ground, it is clear that the villagers now have little to no tolerance for the colonizers disrupting their way of life. The colonizers only brought “abominations” to them, and so they begin to take matters into their own hands using a more forceful method as an attempt to rid themselves from the