Things Fall Apart
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Things Fall Apart
First paperback edition cover
Author
Chinua Achebe
Country
Nigeria
Language
English
Genre(s)
Novel
Publisher
William Heinemann Ltd.
Publication date
Media type
ISBN
1958
Print (Hardback & Paperback)
NA
Followed by
No Longer at Ease
For other uses, see Things Fall Apart (disambiguation).
Things Fall Apart is a 1958 English-language novel by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe.
(Nigeria's language was turned to English after British settlers arrived) It is a staple book in
schools throughout Africa and widely read and studied in English-speaking countries around
the world. It is seen as the archetypal modern African novel in English, and one of the first
African novels written in English to receive global critical acclaim. The title of the novel
comes from William Butler Yeats' poem "The Second Coming"[1].
The novel concerns the life of Okonkwo, a leader and local wrestling champion throughout
the nine, fictional, villages of the Igbo ethnic group of Umuofia in Nigeria, his three wives,
his children (mainly concerning his oldest son Nwoye and his favorite daughter Ezinma), and
the influences of British colonialism and Christian missionaries on his traditional Igbo
(archaically spelled "Ibo") community during an unspecified time in the late nineteenth or
early twentieth century.
Things Fall Apart was followed by a sequel, No Longer at Ease (1960), originally written as
the second part of a larger work together with Things Fall Apart, and Arrow of God (1964),
on a similar subject. Achebe states that his two later novels, A Man of the People (1966) and
Anthills of the Savannah (1987), while not featuring Okonkwo's descendants and indeed set in
completely fictional African countries, are spiritual successors to the previous novels in
chronicling African history.
Contents
[hide]













1 Plot summary
2 Culture
3 Characters
4 Themes and motifs
5 Literary significance and reception
6 Language
7 Gender roles
8 References to history
9 Political structures in the novel
10 Film, television, and theatrical adaptations
11 Footnotes
12 See also
13 External links
[edit] Plot summary
The bulk of the novel takes place in Umuofia, one of nine villages on the lower River Niger.
Umuofia is a powerful clan, skilled in war and with a great population, with proud traditions
and advanced social institutions.
Okonkwo has risen from nothing to a high position. His father, a lazy flute-player named
Unoka, was skilled in the art of conversation, but was an unsuccessful man with no regard for
material wealth. Through hard work, Okonkwo has risen to a highly regarded position in his
society, showing himself to be skilled in battle and earning several titles. He is also a
champion wrestler. He has taken three wives, has several children, and has built substantial
wealth through his farming of yams, the staple crop of his village. He rules his family with a
firm hand and an overbearing demeanor, struggling to demonstrate how he does not have the
laziness and weakness traits that characterized his father.One day, a neighboring clan commits
an offense against Umuofia. To avoid war, a bargain is struck that involves the offending clan
releasing to Umuofia a boy, whose name is Ikemefuna, to be sacrificed to the gods, but not
immediately. He lives in Umuofia for several years, and during that time he lives under
Okonkwo's roof. He almost becomes a part of Okonkwo's family. In particular, Nwoye,
Okonkwo's oldest son, loves Ikemefuna like a brother. But eventually the Oracle calls for the
boy's death, and a group of men take Ikemefuna away to complete the sacrifice. Okonkwo,
fearful of being perceived as soft-hearted and weak, participates in the boy's death, despite the
advice of the clan elders.
Okonkwo is shaken by this event, but he continues with his drive to become a lord of his clan.
He is constantly disappointed by Nwoye, but he has great love for his daughter Ezinma, his
child by his second wife Ekwefi. Ekwefi bore nine children, but only Ezinma has survived.
Ekwefi loves the girl fiercely. Ezinma is sickly, and sometimes Ekwefi fears that Ezinma, too,
will die. Late one night, the powerful Oracle of Umuofia brings Ezinma with her for a
spiritual encounter with the earth goddess. Terrified, Ekwefi follows the Oracle at a distance,
fearing harm might come to her child. Okonkwo follows, too. Later, during a funeral for one
of the great men of the clan, Okonkwo's gun explodes, killing a boy. In accordance with
Umuofia's law, Okonkwo and his family are exiled to Okonkwo's mother's home village of
Mbanta for seven years.
During Okonkwo's exile, the white man arrives in both Umuofia and Mbanta. Mr. Brown, a
missionary, begins winning converts to Christianity, though generally these are only outcasts
or men of low rank. However, with time, the new religion gains momentum. Nwoye becomes
a convert after realizing that the new religion will provide him a remedy for the death of
Ikemefuna and the twin born children (who are killed as part of tribe's culture). When
Okonkwo learns of Nwoye's conversion, he beats the boy. Nwoye leaves home.
Okonkwo returns to Umuofia to find the clan sadly changed. The church has won some
converts, some of whom are fanatical and disrespectful of clan custom. Worse, the white
man's government has come to Umuofia. The clan is no longer free to judge its own; a District
Commissioner, backed by armed power, judges cases in ignorance.
During a religious gathering, a convert unmasks one of the clan spirits. The offense is grave,
and in response the clan decides that the church will no longer be allowed in Umuofia. They
burn the building down. Soon afterward, the District Commissioner asks the leaders of the
clan, Okonkwo among them, to go and see him for a peaceful meeting. The leaders arrive, and
are quickly seized. In prison, they are humiliated and beaten, and they are held until the clan
pays a heavy fine.
After the release of the men, the clan calls a meeting to decide whether they will fight or try to
live peacefully with the white people. Okonkwo wants war. During the meeting, court
messengers come to order the men to break up their gathering. The clan meetings are the heart
of Umuofia's government; all decisions are reached democratically, and an interference with
this institution means the end of the last vestiges of Umuofia's independence. Enraged,
Okonkwo kills the court messenger. The other court messengers escape, and because the other
people of his clan did not seize them, Okonkwo knows that his people will not choose war.
Embittered and grieving for the destruction of his people's independence, and fearing the
humiliation of dying under white law, Okonkwo returns home and hangs himself, which is
seen as weak and as an attack against nature, so much so that others from Umuofia cannot
touch his body.
The District Commissioner and his messengers arrive at Umuofia to see Okonkwo dead, and
are asked to take down his body since Ibo mores forbid clan members to do this. The
Commissioner plans to write a book about his experiences dealing with undignified behavior
in the area, titled The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger, which might
include a small section about Okonkwo..
[edit] Culture
Culture in Umuofia is far different from culture in the western world, especially in terms of
religion. Previous to the arrival of Christianity in Part Two, much of the novel deals with the
characters' polytheistic religion, consisting of many gods under one commanding god.
Various gods control natural phenomena such as rain, harvest, and childbearing.
Religion consists of worshipping a combination of ancestors, spirits, and a god, Chukwu. The
religion contains animistic aspects that are common to other ancient religions such as those in
Mesopotamia. The people consult with Oracles which give them instructions for daily life.
The religion is very ritualistic, and not as concerned with morality as modern religions today.
In Umuofia, morality is largely decided through tribal traditions and verbal sayings.
The society of Umoufia is patriarchal (males are the dominant gender). In fact, to not have
power over ones wife is to be considered weak or effeminate. Self-sufficiency and hard work
are also highly praised as an attribute to the male dominance. Such can be seen in
Onkwonko’s growing of a yam farm from a young age with little materials to start with. His
father, being somewhat lazy did not keep up with a yam farm and was considered weak and
quite worthless even by his own son.
Strength and courage are also viewed as valuable traits; in that culture, a man who is weak is
not a man at all. When Ikemefuna cries out to Okonkwo as he is about to be murdered,
Okonkwo finishes the deed to show his masculinity. He also displays these traits in his
wrestling matches and tribal wars in which he is the leader.
[edit] Characters
Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be
found on the talk page. (September 2008)
Okonkwo is the main character in Things Fall Apart. He is the 'egwugwu' from his village;
the man representing his village. He later loses his title of 'egwugwu' after his exile. He is
physically strong and is well known throughout the land for having thrown Amalinze the Cat
in a wrestling match. The story follows him and his fall from greatness. He has three wives, a
mark of wealth and status in the Ibo culture. His father was a laze-about and it is Okonkwo's
goal in life to become opposite of what his father was. He fears being seen as weak, and this
fear drives him. He is quick to anger and is a man of extremes. Living in a society where men
rule, Okonkwo has a patriarchal attitude towards his family. Hence, his love and affection are
lacking, which directs Nwoye's later decision. He shows the manliness in him by giving his
family solid roofs to live under by working hard.
Amalinze the Cat is the great wrestler who Okonkwo throws in his youth, thereby
establishing himself as a strong man.
Unoka is Okonkwo’s deceased father who is referenced in flashback form. Unoka was
considered a failure to his society because he did not work or have money. Instead, he spent
much of his life playing the flute and “mooching” off of other people, whom he was unable to
pay back. Okonkwo sees his father as lazy and useless and therefore fears turning into his
equal. Unoka dies alone without a proper burial in the forest, playing his flute. But his name
remains circulating around the village, even if not in the best connotation.
Ekwefi is Okonkwo's second wife who has had trouble having children. She loves her only
child and daughter Ezinma. She was once the most beautiful woman in the village and was at
one time married to another man, but she left this man and came to Okonkwo's Obi. She did
so as she was in love with Okonkwo.
Ezinma is the sickly daughter of Okonkwo and Ekwefi. It is clear that she is Okonkwo’s
favorite child, even though she is a girl (Okonkwo frequently laments that Ezinma should
have been a boy). She is held in high priority with her mother, as Ezinma is her one and only
child surviving after many failed attempts and miscarriages. She is considered an ogbanje, a
child who dies and is reborn to the same mother many times, by many in the village early in
the novel, as evidenced by the premature deaths of her siblings and her own poor health as a
child. The bond between this mother and daughter is different than the typical one that was
found in these villages. Ezinma becomes sick with a fever that Okonkwo treats with herbal
medicine. Later, Ezinma is taken on a mysterious late night journey through the villages by
Chielo, the priestess of Agbala. Scared of the results, Ekwefi follows Chielo through the
night. Ezinma survives (becoming healthy) and eventually marries into another village.
Ikemefuna was a young man that was taken from another village to prevent war between the
two cities. Ikemefuma lived with Okonkwo and his family for three years, becoming very
much a part of the family and even referring to Okonkwo as father. Nwoye looked up to him
greatly. He was taken out and killed by the men of the village, including Okonkwo, in the
novel. He is a Christ figure in the novel and also a symbol of the story of Abraham and Isaac
in the novel. It is injustice for him to bear someone elses crime through out his life and even
when he got to accept his faith, the person who he admired the most was in charge on his
crime.
Nwoye is Okonkwo's eldest son. He is not very much like his father and is more interested in
the stories his mother tells than in the stories of war. Okonkwo thought that Nwoye was
following his father and that made Okonkwo acted more roughly towards the boy. In fact, it is
the way Okonkwo treated Nwoye that had created hatred in the young man's heart. He hates
and fears his father, finally leaving to join the church and taking the name "Isaac." He plans to
one day come back and save his mother and sisters.The death of Ikemefuna had impelled him
the most to leave his father.
Ogbuefi Ezeugo is among the oldest members in his clan and is therefore considered very
wise. He is described as, not only a strong figure of authority, but also a superb orator and
friend to Okonkwo. Ezeugo is the only person to tell Okonkwo not to take part in the killing
of the innocent Ikemefuma, which he considered his son. Okonkwo ignores his advice and
later regrets it, especially once this powerful individual perishes. It is at his funeral that
Okonkwo’s life takes a turn for the worst.
Obierika' is Okonkwo's closest friend. He, too, is a warrior, but he begins to question their
way of life.
Mr. Brown He is one of the first missionaries to come to Umuofia. He is more benevolent
than his predecessor, Mr. Smith. He is "very firm in restraining his flock" and is able to let the
clan be. He even discusses the differences of religion with Akunna, because he is interested in
understanding other cultures.
[edit] Themes and motifs
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this
article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and
removed. (January 2009)
Themes throughout the novel include change, loneliness, abandonment, fear, and importance
of social relationships. The latter is depicted by Okonkwo's uncle, Uchendu: "We are better
than animals because we have kinsmen. An animal rubs its itching flank against a tree, a man
asks his kinsman to scratch him."
The following are respected theme statements connected to Things Fall Apart.
1. Individuals derive strength from the societies they belong to, and societies derive
strength from the individuals who belong to them. In Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo
builds his fortune and strength with the help of his society's customs. Likewise,
Okonkwo's society benefits from his hard work and determination.
2. In contacts between other cultures, beliefs about superiority or inferiority are
invariably wrong-headed and destructive. When new cultures and religions meet, there
is likely to be a struggle for dominance.
3. Each culture’s world view is limited and partial, and each can benefit from
understanding the world views of other cultures. For example, the Christians and
Okonkwo's people have a limited view of each other, and have a very difficult time
understanding and accepting one another's customs and beliefs.
4. In spite of innumerable opportunities for understanding, people must strive to
communicate. For example, Okonkwo and his son, Nwoye, speak the same language,
but have a difficult time understanding one another because they are so different.
5. A social value—such as individual ambition—which is constructive when balanced by
other values, can become destructive when overemphasized at the expense of other
values. For example, Okonkwo values tradition so highly that he cannot accept
change. He eventually commits suicide because of this.
6. There is no such thing as a static culture; change is continual, and flexibility is
necessary for successful adaptation. Because Okonkwo cannot accept the change the
Christians bring, he cannot adapt.[2]
7. The struggle between change and tradition is constant.[2]
8. A rigid individual, unable to change with the times or to criticize his or her own
beliefs, is liable to be tragically swept aside by history.[2]
9. Definitions of masculinity vary throughout different societies. In this case, Okonkwo
views aggression and action as masculinity.
10. Violence and conflict in once peaceful communities were created by Christian
missionaries.
[edit] Literary significance and reception
Things Fall Apart is a milestone in African literature. It has achieved the status of the
archetypal modern African novel in English,[3] and is read in Nigeria and throughout Africa. It
is studied widely in Europe and North America, where it has spawned numerous tertiary
analytical works. It has achieved similar repute in India and Australia.[3] Considered Achebe's
magnum opus, it has sold more than 8 million copies worldwide.[4] Time Magazine included
the novel in its TIME 100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005.[5]
Achebe’s writing about African society is intended to extinguish the misconception that
African culture had been savage and primitive by telling the story of the colonization of the
Igbo from an African point of view. In Things Fall Apart, western culture is portrayed as
being “arrogant and ethnocentric," insisting that the African culture needed a leader. Because
it had no kings or chiefs, Umofian culture was vulnerable to invasion by western civilization.
It is felt that the repression of the Igbo language at the end of the novel contributes greatly to
the destruction of the culture. Although Achebe favors the African culture of the post-western
society, the author attributes its destruction to the “weaknesses within the native structure.”
Achebe portrays the culture as having “a religion, a government, a system of money, and an
artistic tradition, as well as a judicial system [6]. Achebe named Things Fall Apart from a line
in William Butler Yeats's "The Second Coming," thus tying in the meaning of the poem itself.
When the missionaries start affecting the Igbo culture, the innocence of the Igbo tribe is
effectively taken, which begins the downfall of the Igbo society. This downfall effectively
destroys the Igbo way of life, eventually leading to the death of Okonkwo, who was once a
hero of the tribe.
Things Fall Apart has been called a modern Greek tragedy. It has the same plot elements as a
Greek tragedy, including the use of a tragic hero, the following of the string model, etc.
Okonkwo is a classic tragic hero, even if the story is set in more modern times. He shows
multiple hamartia, including hubris (pride) and ate (rashness), and these character traits do
lead to his peripeteia, or reversal of fortune, and his downfall at the end of the novel.
Okonkwo truly has good intentions, but his need to feel in control and his fear that other men
will sense weakness in him drive him to make decisions, whether consciously or
subconsciously, that he regrets as he progresses through his life [7].
[edit] Language
"In order to gain a wider audience—and also to respond directly to those British colonial
writers who depicted Africans as ignorant and uncivilized—Achebe chose to write in English
rather than his native Igbo," [8] a decision which earned him much criticism from other
African authors. Achebe, in response, pointed out that English was his language as well and
that he was free to use it as he pleased, "even as a tool against the same British who brought
the language to Africa." [9]
Achebe succeeds in capturing the patterns of Igbo speech and the spirit of the language in the
dialogue of Things Fall Apart. The entire text is scattered with Igbo words and phrases, as
well as traditional folk tales and proverbs, which bring to life the oral culture of the Igbo
people. Proverbs play in irreplaceable role in Ibgo culture.
The art of story-telling is a dominant aspect of African culture. It ties together components
such as religion, social-class, explanation of the unexplainable, and family structure. Stories
that explain the unexplainable are often more whimsical than the stories of social class and
war. People bonded over stories. It was something for them to share.
Okonkwo, although he never shared emotions, shared stories with his son Nwoye and the
child he looked after, Ikemefuna. He told them stories of the land- "masculine stories of
violence and bloodshed." The stories that were shared with Nwoye by his mother were
whimsical stories that explained everyday occurrences such as why mosquitoes attack the ears
or stories of the conflict between the Earth and Sky. Although Nwoye enjoyed the stories of
his mother more than the violent ones of his father, he didn't dare admit it as the stories of
women were meant for "children and fools."
These stories, as well as the art of language are very important in the African culture.
Proverbs derived from stories indicate intelligence and knowledge. Through the
understanding of the underlying meanings of the stories one can demonstrate knowledge.
"Among the Ibo the art of conversation is regarded very highly, and proverbs are the palm oil
with which words are eaten". Through these proverbs and stories the Ibo have built a
foundation for their culture. Things such as the Evil Forest as well as customs such as getting
rid of twins or using sticks to demonstrate the bride's dowry have all stemmed from stories
told. [10]
[edit] Gender roles
As in commonly-recognized modern gender roles, men were supposed to be active and
aggressive, while women were expected to be subservient and passive. This is reflected even
in the Igbo ways of farming. Only men were allowed to grow yams, and a man's wealth was
determined based on his land for planting, his yams for feeding his family, and his stores of
seed yams for planting in the next season; therefore, the yam was seen as a symbol of power
and manhood.
Though the women in the Ibo culture are critical to the need for bearing sons to carry on the
family name, women have little to no value on their own. Despite the fact that a man must be
rich enough to purchase his wife, once married, the man has control of everything – property
and even the children. From the perspective of the Ibo tribe, the man has to prove his
worthiness to the bride’s family in order to receive the honor of caring for his bride.
Nevertheless, the Ibo men did not hesitate to reprimand their wives, even using corporal
punishment if deemed necessary.
Gender differentiation is also seen in Igbo classification of crimes. The narrator of Things Fall
Apart states that "The crime [of killing Ezeudu's son] was of two kinds, male and female.
Okonkwo had committed the female, because it had been inadvertant. He could return to the
clan after seven years." [11] Okonkwo fled to the land of his mother, Mbanta, because a man
finds refuge with his mother. Uchendu explains this to Okonkwo:
"It is true that a child belongs to his father. But when the father beats his child, it seeks sympathy in its
mother's hut. A man belongs to his fatherland when things are good and life is sweet. But when there
is sorrow and bitterness, he finds refuge in his motherland. Your mother is there to protect you. She is
buried there. And that is why we say that mother is supreme." [12]
[edit] References to history
The events of the novel unfold around the 1890s.[3] The majority of the story takes place in
the village of Umuofia, located west of the actual Onitsha, on the east bank of the Niger River
in Nigeria.[3] The culture depicted is similar to that of Achebe's birthplace of Ogidi, where
Ibo-speaking people lived together in groups of independent villages ruled by titled elders.
The customs described in the novel mirror those of the actual Onitsha people, who lived near
Ogidi, and with whom Achebe was familiar.
Within forty years of the British arrival, by the time Achebe was born in 1930, the
missionaries were well-established. Achebe's father was among the first to be converted in
Ogidi, around the turn of the century. Achebe himself was an orphan, so it can safely be said
the character of Nwoye, who joins the church because of a conflict with his father, is not
meant to represent the author.[3] Achebe was raised by his grandfather. His grandfather, far
from opposing Achebe's conversion to Christianity, allowed Achebe's Christian marriage to
be celebrated in his compound.[3]
[edit] Political structures in the novel
Prior to British colonization, the Igbo people as featured in Things Fall Apart, lived in a
patriarchal collective political system. Decisions were not made by a chief or by any
individual but were rather decided by a counsel of male elders. Religious leaders were also
called upon to settle debates reflecting the cultural focus of the Igbo people. The Portuguese
were the first Europeans to explore and colonize Nigeria. Though the Portuguese are not
mentioned by Achebe, the remaining influence of the Portuguese can be seen in many
Nigerian surnames. The British entered Nigeria first through trade and then established The
Royal Niger Colony in 1886. The success of the colony led to Nigeria becoming a British
protectorate in 1901. The arrival of the British slowly began to deteriorate the traditional
society. The British government would intervene in tribal disputes rather than allowing the
Igbo to settle issues in a traditional manner. The frustration caused by these shifts in power is
illustrated by the struggle of the protagonist Okonkwo in the second half of the novel Things
Fall Apart.
[edit] Film, television, and theatrical adaptations
A dramatic radio program called Okonkwo was made of the novel in April 1961 by the
Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation. It featured Wole Soyinka in a supporting role.[13]
In 1987, the book was made into a very successful mini series directed by David Orere and
broadcast on Nigerian television by the NTA (Nigerian Television Authority). It starred
movie veterans like Pete Edochie, Nkem Owoh and Sam Loco.
[edit] Footnotes
1. ^ Washington State University study guide
2. ^ a b c "Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe: Introduction." Contemporary Literary Criticism.
Ed. Jeffrey W. Hunter. Vol. 152. Gale Cengage, 2002. eNotes.com. 2006. 12 Jan, 2009 <[1]>
3. ^ a b c d e f Kwame Anthony Appiah (1992), "Introduction" to the Everyman's Library edition.
4. ^ Random House Teacher's Guide
5. ^ http://www.time.com/time/2005/100books/the_complete_list.html
6. ^ www.cliffnotes.com. Set in the 1880’s, in the Nigerian village of Umuofia, before
missionaries and other outsiders had arrived, Things Fall Apart tells the story of the struggles,
trials, and the eventual destruction of its main character, Okonkwo. His rise to prominence and
his eventual fall acts as a metaphor reflecting the plight of the Umuofia native people. Play the
story forward until the mid 1950’s, when it was written, and expand it to represent an African
culture entirely subordinate to Western influence, and the scope and reach of the book is
revealed.
7. ^ Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. EMC Corporation. 2003.
8. ^ Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. EMC Corporation. 2003.
9. ^ Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. EMC Corporation. 2003.
10. ^ Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: First Anchor Books, 1994.
11. ^ Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: First Anchor Books, 1994.
12. ^ Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. EMC Corporation. 2003.
13. ^ Ezenwa-Ohaeto (1997). Chinua Achebe: A Biography Bloomington: Indiana University
Press. ISBN 0-253-33342-3. P. 81.
[edit] See also



Heart of Darkness
Weep Not, Child
Death and the King's Horseman
[edit] External links









Chinua Achebe discusses Things Fall Apart on the BBC World Book Club
Teacher's Guide at Random House
Study Resource for writing about Things Fall Apart
Study guide
Resource connecting the novel to historical evidence. From MSN Encarta
Describes the criticism technique demonstrated in the novel. From virtuaLit
Words present in the novel used in past SATs Includes definitions, words in order
from the book, and three different tests.
Things Fall Apart Reviews
Things Fall Apart on Wiki Summaries
[hide]
v•d•e
Works by Chinua Achebe
Novels:
Things Fall Apart (1958) • No Longer at Ease (1960) • Arrow of
God (1964) • A Man of the People (1966) • Anthills of the Savannah
(1987)
Short stories:
The Sacrificial Egg and Other Stories (1962) • "Civil Peace" (1971)
• Girls at War and Other Stories (1973) • African Short Stories
(1985) • Heinemann Book of Contemporary African Short Stories
(1992)
Children's stories:
Chike and the River (1966) • How the Leopard Got His Claws (1972)
• The Flute (1975) • The Drum (1978)
Other works: An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" (1975)
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Things_Fall_Apart"