Things Fall Apart Quote Analysis
In the book, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the theme of fear is displayed all throughout the book. Achebe shows fear through Okonkwo, Igbo tradition, society, and the clash of cultures. In the Igbo tradition, men are judged based on their strength and masculinity; the fear of losing their social status, do to this, plays a major role in the story. The clan outcasts that cannot live up to the Igbo social status end up converting to Christianity because they would live a more prominent status. Okonkwo repels the new religious orders because he thinks that they are not manly and that he will not be manly if he agrees to join them. Achebe shows us Okonkwo’s resistance of cultural change is partially due to his fear of losing his social status when he states, “‘Let us not reason like cowards,’ said Okonkwo.
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‘These people are daily pouring filth over us, and Okeke says we should pretend not to see.’ Okonkwo made a sound of disgust” (158-159).
In this quote, Okonkwo demonstrates his fear of losing his social status do to looking as a coward. He is comparing filth to Christian beliefs, and is proving his strength to his clan that he would not act like a coward and just watch the missionaries take over their land, like Okeke would. Not only do the Igbo people fear losing their social status, they fear the change that the new culture the missionaries are bringing upon their clan will disrupt their own culture. The clash of the Igbo culture and the European culture demonstrate how both of the cultures fear their traditions changing because of a different ethnic group. Achebe shows us this when Okonkwo says, “Does the white man understand our custom about land?” “How can he when he does not even speak our tongue? But he says that our customs are
bad. This shows that the Europeans are trying to change the Igbo culture without even knowing anything about it. The Europeans automatically think that no other culture besides theirs is correct, so they try to make everyone join their culture. This is a colossal issue not only in the book, but in real life as well. The fear of losing their culture drives both the Europeans and Igbo clan to act in violence and become enemies. In conclusion, fear compels the actions of all the characters in the book, but also in many parts of the world.
‘These people are daily pouring filth over us, and Okeke says we should pretend not to see.’ Okonkwo made a sound of disgust” (158-159).
In this quote, Okonkwo demonstrates his fear of losing his social status do to looking as a coward. He is comparing filth to Christian beliefs, and is proving his strength to his clan that he would not act like a coward and just watch the missionaries take over their land, like Okeke would. Not only do the Igbo people fear losing their social status, they fear the change that the new culture the missionaries are bringing upon their clan will disrupt their own culture. The clash of the Igbo culture and the European culture demonstrate how both of the cultures fear their traditions changing because of a different ethnic group. Achebe shows us this when Okonkwo says, “Does the white man understand our custom about land?” “How can he when he does not even speak our tongue? But he says that our customs are
bad. This shows that the Europeans are trying to change the Igbo culture without even knowing anything about it. The Europeans automatically think that no other culture besides theirs is correct, so they try to make everyone join their culture. This is a colossal issue not only in the book, but in real life as well. The fear of losing their culture drives both the Europeans and Igbo clan to act in violence and become enemies. In conclusion, fear compels the actions of all the characters in the book, but also in many parts of the world.