Things Fall Apart
Chinua Achebe
 “Until
the lions have
their own historians,
the history of the
hunt will always
glorify the hunter.”
--Chinua Achebe
The Novel

Achebe’s novel deals with the
changes in culture brought about in
what is now Nigeria, when the
“white man” began colonizing the
area in the late 19th and early 20th
centuries. The Novel focuses
primarily on the Igbo people.
Nigeria
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Nigeria
Largest country in Africa
(130,000,000)
50% Muslim, 40%
Christian, 10% Traditional
Comprised of various
tribal societies with
independent cultures and
histories.
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Yoruba
Igbo
Hausa
Colonialism
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What is Colonialism?
Political Domination
The Establishment of a Government
Large-Scale Religious Conversion
Forced Economic Dependence
Justifications for Colonialism

Economic
Colonialism provided a huge natural
resource base for small European
powers
 Colonies provided ready markets for
finished products
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Religious: The need to spread
Christianity
Cultural: “The White Man’s Burden”
The Igbo
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The majority of Igbo are farmers. Their
staple crop is yam, and its harvesting is a
time for great celebration.
They have no centralized chieftaincy,
hereditary aristocracy, or kingship
customs Instead, the responsibility of
leadership has traditionally been left to
the village councils.It is possible for an
Igbo man, through personal success, to
become the nominal leader of the
council.
The Igbo
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Before the influence of Europeans
and Christian missions, most Igbo
practiced some form of ancestor
worship, which held that in order to
gain success in this world, one must
appease of the spirits of the
deceased.
Igbo Vocabulary
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Agbala - woman, or man without
title
Bride-price - converse of dowry;
the bridegroom's family pays cash
or goods to the bride's family
Chi - personal spirit
Egwugwu - a masquerader who
represents the ancestral spirits of
the village at trials and ceremonies.
The egwugwu ceremony of the Ibo
(chapter 10)
Foo-foo - pounded yam, traditional
staple food of Igbo
Vocab
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Kola nut - seed pod of
evergreen trees common in
Western Africa, which contains
caffeine and is offered as a
gesture of friendship and
hospitality.
Obi - male living quarter
Important Ceremonies and
Traditions
Bride price
Dry Season
Egwugwu ceremony
Engagement ceremony
Funeral Ceremony
Ceremonies and traditions
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Feast of the New Year
Kola-nut ceremony
Palm-wine tapping
Polygamy
Week of Peace
Major Characters
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Okonkwo--The Tragic Hero, a hard working
leader of Umoufia, Okonkwo fears weakness
and laziness. His rage causes a great deal of
tragedy and sorrow in his life.
Nwoye--Okonkwo’s eldest son. Okonkwo fears
that he will be soft and lazy like his grandfather.
Nwoye tries to please Okonkwo, but rarely does
Characters
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Enzinma--Okwonkwo’s favorite child,
ironically a daughter. She Is the only
child of Ekwefi, Okonkwo’s second wife.
Ikemefuna--Okwonkwo’s adopted son.
He is given to Okonkwo to pacify a debt
with another tribe.
Unoka--Okonkwo’s father. Okonkwo is
ashamed of him because he was a lazy
man.
Characters
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The District Commisioner--An authority figure in
the white colonial government in Nigeria. He
thinks that he understands everything about
native African customs and cultures and he has
no respect for them
Mr. Brown --The first white missionary to travel
to Umuofia. Mr. Brown institutes a policy of
compromise, understanding, and nonaggression between his flock and the clan.
Characters
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Reverend James Smith--The
missionary who replaces Mr. Brown.
Unlike Mr. Brown, Reverend Smith
is uncompromising and strict. He
demands that his converts reject all
of their indigenous beliefs, and he
shows no respect for indigenous
customs or culture.