Things Fall Apart
Essay
By: Jasmine T.
Outline
I.
Introduction
A. Clincher
B. Author
C. Title
D. General Information
E. Thesis Statement
II.
Achebe’s Life
A. Transition
B. Topic Sentence
C. Supporting Details (4)
D. Transition
III.
Ibo
A.
B.
C.
D.
IV.
Music and Arts
A. Transition
B. Topic Sentence
C. Supporting Details (4)
D. Transition
V.
Religion
A. Transition
B. Topic Sentence
C. Supporting Details (4)
D. Transition
VI.
Colonization
A. Transition
B. Topic Sentence
C. Supporting Details (4)
D. Transition
VII.
Conclusion
A. Reworded Thesis
B. Main point
C. Concluding thoughts
Culture
Transition
Topic Sentence
Supporting Details (4)
Transition
Essay
Sometimes cultures are effected by other cultures trying to colonize
them. In the book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the Ibo culture in
Nigeria is effected by the Europeans trying to colonize them and inflict on their
culture. The main ideas that will be discussed in this essay are Chinua
Achebe’s life, Ibo culture, music and arts, religion, and colonization. The
research of these five topics will prove that the book Things Fall Apart relates
to the Nigerian culture.
Since Chinua Achebe is the writer of this book, then his life certainly
relates to Things Fall Apart. Chinua Achebe was born as Albert Chinualumogu
Achebe. His parents taught him the morals of their original Ibo descent, but
they were actually Protestant missionaries in Ogidi, Nigeria. He was educated
in the University of Ibadan, like many other popular Nigerian writers. At this
university he dropped the name Albert and changed it to Chinua. He joined the
Nigerian Broadcasting Company in Lagos in 1954 and later on became the
director of External Services in charge of the Voice of Nigeria. In 1958, he
wrote Things Fall Apart. His life relates to Things Fall Apart because in a sense
the book is part of him since he wrote it. Without a doubt, Chinua Achebe’s
life is very important to the book Things Fall Apart.
Like Chinua Achebe’s life, Ibo culture is just as important to the book
Things Fall Apart. In the Ibo culture, the naming system is very important to
them. The name of a child could effect what that person will be for the rest of
their life. In the book, if twins were born, they were thought of to be a curse
and in turn, they were brought to the “evil forest” and were left there to die.
In the Ibo culture, women were thought as to be as “gentle, weak, and
obedient to their men”. Their jobs were to take care of the house and the
children, prepare meals, and raise easy crops. The Ibo people are very
religious. They are polytheistic and worship many gods. They also often spoke
in proverbs like,” Proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten.” They
also have a so-called “chi” that deals with the things that happen to them in
their everyday life. All of this relates to the book Things Fall Apart because in
the book they talk about the women having to do lots of the simple little things
around the household. Also in the book, they talk about the many gods that a
man. The Ibo culture in many ways relates to the book Things Fall Apart.
Music and Arts of the Ibo people plays an important role in the book
Things Fall Apart. The Ibo people used masks and figures to portray certain
gods. They also used the mask and figures for initiation and for funerals. The
Ibo people also used the “uli” to paint wall in their huts. The Ibo people also
have a rich “rhythmic” music vibe in their culture. Their music involves many
overlapping “layers” of rhythms. They often used drums to create this type of
rhythm. The Ibo people also sculpted things. They carved wood to make
masks and figures so represent a certain god in their religion. The music and
arts relates to Things Fall Apart because when they often used drums for
ceremonies and big events and they used “uli” for the “ New Yam Festival” to
paint the inside of their houses. Music plays an important part in the book
Things Fall Apart.
Religion plays a very important role in the book Things Fall Apart. As
stated above, the Ibo people were polytheistic. They believed in many gods
and they also believed that every man had their own personal god. There is no
kind of evidence of their faith though. The Ibo culture also believe that there
are spirits in everything in the world. These spirits in a sense watch over the
Ibo people. Religion relates to the book Things Fall Apart because in a way,
Religion is kind of their government. Everything that the Ibo people did in the
book had something to do with religion. As you can see, religion was very
important in the book Things Fall Apart.
As religion is important, so is the colonization of Nigeria. The Europeans
originally came to evangelize to the Ibo people, but they actually were
colonizing the culture without knowing it. The Christian missionaries built
churches and preached to the Ibo people about Jesus and God. Some of the Ibo
people believed, but few stayed faithful to their own roots and original
religion. Colonization relates to the book Things Fall Apart , because in the
book, when Okonkwo returned from exile he could barely notice his village due
to all the changes. Colonization was very important in the book Things Fall
Apart.
In conclusion, Chinua Achebe’s life, Ibo culture, music and arts, religion
and colonization all related to the book Things Fall Apart. These five topics
proved and gave examples of how they related to the book. These five topics
showed that the book Things Fall Apart was truly an insightful and inspirational
book.
Works Cited Page
“Chinua Achebe” 4 December 2002 <http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/achebe.htm>
Bleakley, Richard “Postcolonial Responses To The Missionaries: Things Fall
Apart” 26 Nov. 2002 <http://www.qub.ac.uk/en/imperial/nigeria/respmiss.htm>
Shaw, Mark “Great White Father” 2 December 2002
<http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/56h/56h042.html>
Landow ,George P. “Colonialism And The Culture Of Non-European Cultures” 2
December 2002
<http://www.scholars.nus.edu.sg/landow/post/nigeria/yourbavic.html>