Things Fall Apart Research Paper
Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe contains a great deal of information about Igbo society. From this novel we can learn much about how people in Igbo society lived. It details customs, traditions, religion, and the class structure of the society. Achebe strives to give people a look into Igbo society, especially for those who have never been introduced to this culture before. Achebe’s novel also gives us insight into the arrival of colonialism in Africa, as Achebe himself was born in Nigeria and experienced colonialism. Specifically, we will see that colonialism represents a major shift in the way of life of the Igbo people. The way of life of the Igbo people comes into conflict with the views of colonial rule. In addition to literature be Chinua Achebe, many other sources can be useful in understanding the effects of colonialism in Africa.
The novel …show more content…
Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe gives great insight into Igbo society. The main character Okonkwo lives in the village of Umuofia. As we soon find out, Igbo society is male dominated. When a woman from Umuofia is murdered by a member of a neighboring village, all the men are gathered in the market to decided the village’s course of action (Achebe 11). The men debate the best course of action, showing that Umuofia contains a form of direct democracy. Justice in Umuofia is explored through the trial between Mgbafo and Uzowulu. Uzowulu is accused of beating his wife repeatedly. The nine egwugwu, or impersonators of the nine founders of the villages of Umuofia reside over the case. The egwugwu listen to the case and ultimately determine the outcome. This not only shows the justice system of Umuofia, but also the importance placed on ancestral worship. Later, we see the rigidness of the laws and punishment in Umuofia as Okonkwo is exiled for seven years after he accidentally kills a clan member. In Umuofia, we learn that respect is gained by personal achievements. Okonkwo gains much respect because of his triumph over Amalinze in a wrestling match that was “one of the fiercest since the founder of their town engaged a spirit of the wild for seven days and seven nights” (Achebe 3). This shows how the Igbo society values strength and bravery. Men in Igbo society are viewed as successful if they are wealthy, take titles, and marry many wives. A man is viewed as a failure if he is poor and idle. Yams are the primary crop grown in Umuofia, and wealth is assessed by the amount of yams a man has harvested. Unoka, Okonkwo’s father, could barely feed his family and was heavily in debt so people in his village looked down on him (Achebe 5). Okonkwo resented his father because of his laziness, and worked very hard to build his wealth and distance himself from his father in every way. Through Okonkwo’s family, Achebe describes the structure and importance of family in Igbo society.
Families, like society, are patriarchal. Families live in compounds surrounded by red earth walls. Each compound contained an obi or hut for the head of the family and one for each of his wives. The compound also held a barn for yams, a shed for animals, and a shrine which held symbols of the gods and spirits (Achebe 13-14). Women were obedient to their husbands. Women did all the cooking, and it was expected that meals be brought to the head of the family in his obi. Okonkwo’s wives seem to live together peacefully, and their children live together as brothers and sisters. During the planting season, families would go to their farms and work for most of the day. When the harvest approached, a large celebration would be held. The Feast of the New Yam marks the beginning of harvest season. Old yams are disposed of, and new yams are eaten during the feast. Okonkwo, like all wealthy men, are expected to invite a large number of guests for the feast. This reinforces the importance of
family. Religious beliefs were also very important in Igbo society. The laws and customs of the society are closely aligned with their religious beliefs. The Igbo people worship their ancestors along with many different gods. Sacrifices are also made to appease the gods. Chielo, the priestess of Agbala was an important religious figure. Chielo, when inhabited by a god, becomes an oracle. She advises the village on many different matters, and is regarded as the highest authority in Igbo society.
The arrival of colonialism in Africa would eventually mean an end to the lifestyle that the Igbo people had enjoyed for many generations. When the missionaries first arrived in Mbanta, all of the villagers came to see them. Their leader was a white man who spoke through interpreters. He informed the people that their gods were false and only the Christian god was real (Achebe 144). Soon after, the Christians asked Mbanta leaders for a plot of land to build their church on. They were given a piece of land in the evil forest. Many believed the evil spirits in the forest would quickly wipe out the Christians. After the church was completed, and the Christians were still alive, some of the Igbo began to convert. The church wins many converts from the efulefu, or title less, worthless men and also several outcasts. The new faith also divides father from son, as Nwoye leaves his family to enroll in the Christian school in Umoufia. The church is viewed as a nuisance above all, and is allowed to remain. When Okonkwo returns to Umuofia after his exile, he realizes that it is a very different place than it when he left it. The church has grown strong in Umuofia and introduced the British judicial system and rules of government. In many ways this effectively killed the old Igbo way of life, in which their rules and government were strongly related to the Igbo religion. People are no longer allowed to carry out Igbo customs without fear of punishment by the district commissioner and his new laws. Even so many still did not feel strongly about removing the Christians because they brought prosperous trade and other benefits such as schools and hospitals. When the men of Umuofia finally decide to act against the Christians, they destroy the church. All hope of driving out the Christians is lost when the leaders of Umuofia are captured by the district commissioner and thrown in jail. Colonialism forces the Igbo people to deny the only customs and traditions that they know, and to conform to the laws of a foreign culture. As Christianity grew in strength, Igbo society slowly deteriorated. Literature can give a great deal of information on Igbo society and conflict with colonialism, as Achebe’s book shows. In many ways though, there is still much that can be learned from other sources. An autobiography or a memoir for instance could give a personal account of the situation. This is valuable because it could be from a person in the midst of the event and reporting back what they experienced. It could give that person’s reactions and responses as well. Reports by government officials of both Nigeria and Britain could also add perspective to the situation. Each side has their own goals and agendas, and a lot could be learned through their goals and even the tactics they use to complete their goals. Photographs could tell us what people, places, and events really looked like. Literature can help us imagine what things look like, but it is certainly up to our mind to interpret things. Photographs therefore could remove such uncertainties. Court records could show crimes charged against the native Africans. From this we could learn of contradictions between Igbo traditions and colonial rules.
I believe that books, memoirs, and autobiographies written by people of the Igbo society would be the most useful in trying to understand how the Igbo confronted colonialism. If authors of these sources were members of Igbo society, then they would know firsthand about the arrival of colonialism and its effects. Other sources could help support the evidence, but it would not be as substantial as an account from somebody who has lived through the event. It could describe in great detail the society before and during the arrival of colonialism. No other sources could share as much insight into the situation. Certainly books, autobiographies, and memoirs like all other sources introduce a certain bias, but I believe it is particularly important to get information from those who have personally experienced the event.
While the events in the novel Things Fall Apart may be fictional, the book still gives a great deal of information about Igbo society. We learn that Igbo society is very much dependent upon its religious views. Much of its culture is connected directly to its religion, and makes up much of its identity. As colonialism and Christianity spread to Umuofia and other villages, Igbo society begins to lose its identity as it adapts to the new rules set down by colonial oppressors. Many sources can be useful in understanding the effects of colonialism in Africa, but Achebe’s novel is particularly important because of his exposure to colonialism first hand.
The novel …show more content…
Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe gives great insight into Igbo society. The main character Okonkwo lives in the village of Umuofia. As we soon find out, Igbo society is male dominated. When a woman from Umuofia is murdered by a member of a neighboring village, all the men are gathered in the market to decided the village’s course of action (Achebe 11). The men debate the best course of action, showing that Umuofia contains a form of direct democracy. Justice in Umuofia is explored through the trial between Mgbafo and Uzowulu. Uzowulu is accused of beating his wife repeatedly. The nine egwugwu, or impersonators of the nine founders of the villages of Umuofia reside over the case. The egwugwu listen to the case and ultimately determine the outcome. This not only shows the justice system of Umuofia, but also the importance placed on ancestral worship. Later, we see the rigidness of the laws and punishment in Umuofia as Okonkwo is exiled for seven years after he accidentally kills a clan member. In Umuofia, we learn that respect is gained by personal achievements. Okonkwo gains much respect because of his triumph over Amalinze in a wrestling match that was “one of the fiercest since the founder of their town engaged a spirit of the wild for seven days and seven nights” (Achebe 3). This shows how the Igbo society values strength and bravery. Men in Igbo society are viewed as successful if they are wealthy, take titles, and marry many wives. A man is viewed as a failure if he is poor and idle. Yams are the primary crop grown in Umuofia, and wealth is assessed by the amount of yams a man has harvested. Unoka, Okonkwo’s father, could barely feed his family and was heavily in debt so people in his village looked down on him (Achebe 5). Okonkwo resented his father because of his laziness, and worked very hard to build his wealth and distance himself from his father in every way. Through Okonkwo’s family, Achebe describes the structure and importance of family in Igbo society.
Families, like society, are patriarchal. Families live in compounds surrounded by red earth walls. Each compound contained an obi or hut for the head of the family and one for each of his wives. The compound also held a barn for yams, a shed for animals, and a shrine which held symbols of the gods and spirits (Achebe 13-14). Women were obedient to their husbands. Women did all the cooking, and it was expected that meals be brought to the head of the family in his obi. Okonkwo’s wives seem to live together peacefully, and their children live together as brothers and sisters. During the planting season, families would go to their farms and work for most of the day. When the harvest approached, a large celebration would be held. The Feast of the New Yam marks the beginning of harvest season. Old yams are disposed of, and new yams are eaten during the feast. Okonkwo, like all wealthy men, are expected to invite a large number of guests for the feast. This reinforces the importance of
family. Religious beliefs were also very important in Igbo society. The laws and customs of the society are closely aligned with their religious beliefs. The Igbo people worship their ancestors along with many different gods. Sacrifices are also made to appease the gods. Chielo, the priestess of Agbala was an important religious figure. Chielo, when inhabited by a god, becomes an oracle. She advises the village on many different matters, and is regarded as the highest authority in Igbo society.
The arrival of colonialism in Africa would eventually mean an end to the lifestyle that the Igbo people had enjoyed for many generations. When the missionaries first arrived in Mbanta, all of the villagers came to see them. Their leader was a white man who spoke through interpreters. He informed the people that their gods were false and only the Christian god was real (Achebe 144). Soon after, the Christians asked Mbanta leaders for a plot of land to build their church on. They were given a piece of land in the evil forest. Many believed the evil spirits in the forest would quickly wipe out the Christians. After the church was completed, and the Christians were still alive, some of the Igbo began to convert. The church wins many converts from the efulefu, or title less, worthless men and also several outcasts. The new faith also divides father from son, as Nwoye leaves his family to enroll in the Christian school in Umoufia. The church is viewed as a nuisance above all, and is allowed to remain. When Okonkwo returns to Umuofia after his exile, he realizes that it is a very different place than it when he left it. The church has grown strong in Umuofia and introduced the British judicial system and rules of government. In many ways this effectively killed the old Igbo way of life, in which their rules and government were strongly related to the Igbo religion. People are no longer allowed to carry out Igbo customs without fear of punishment by the district commissioner and his new laws. Even so many still did not feel strongly about removing the Christians because they brought prosperous trade and other benefits such as schools and hospitals. When the men of Umuofia finally decide to act against the Christians, they destroy the church. All hope of driving out the Christians is lost when the leaders of Umuofia are captured by the district commissioner and thrown in jail. Colonialism forces the Igbo people to deny the only customs and traditions that they know, and to conform to the laws of a foreign culture. As Christianity grew in strength, Igbo society slowly deteriorated. Literature can give a great deal of information on Igbo society and conflict with colonialism, as Achebe’s book shows. In many ways though, there is still much that can be learned from other sources. An autobiography or a memoir for instance could give a personal account of the situation. This is valuable because it could be from a person in the midst of the event and reporting back what they experienced. It could give that person’s reactions and responses as well. Reports by government officials of both Nigeria and Britain could also add perspective to the situation. Each side has their own goals and agendas, and a lot could be learned through their goals and even the tactics they use to complete their goals. Photographs could tell us what people, places, and events really looked like. Literature can help us imagine what things look like, but it is certainly up to our mind to interpret things. Photographs therefore could remove such uncertainties. Court records could show crimes charged against the native Africans. From this we could learn of contradictions between Igbo traditions and colonial rules.
I believe that books, memoirs, and autobiographies written by people of the Igbo society would be the most useful in trying to understand how the Igbo confronted colonialism. If authors of these sources were members of Igbo society, then they would know firsthand about the arrival of colonialism and its effects. Other sources could help support the evidence, but it would not be as substantial as an account from somebody who has lived through the event. It could describe in great detail the society before and during the arrival of colonialism. No other sources could share as much insight into the situation. Certainly books, autobiographies, and memoirs like all other sources introduce a certain bias, but I believe it is particularly important to get information from those who have personally experienced the event.
While the events in the novel Things Fall Apart may be fictional, the book still gives a great deal of information about Igbo society. We learn that Igbo society is very much dependent upon its religious views. Much of its culture is connected directly to its religion, and makes up much of its identity. As colonialism and Christianity spread to Umuofia and other villages, Igbo society begins to lose its identity as it adapts to the new rules set down by colonial oppressors. Many sources can be useful in understanding the effects of colonialism in Africa, but Achebe’s novel is particularly important because of his exposure to colonialism first hand.