Things Fall Apart
English 10
Essay 100KS
LEARNING OBJECTIVE:
 Students will demonstrate the ability to write a five paragraph structure.
 Students will demonstrate the ability to properly integrate and document borrowed
information (AWES).
A= 9 AWEs
B=6 AWEs
C=3 AWEs
Smooth integration of AWEs may require additional sentences.
 Students will demonstrate the ability to properly use the five comma rules and sentence
structure (i.e. no fragments, comma splices, or run-ons).
I. Introduction:
o Attention getter (refer to the videos on the Lost Boys of Sudan or Kony or the movie
Hotel Rwanda):
Africa has a history of conflict from the genocide in Rwanda to the Lost Boys of Sudan.
o Transition from attention getter to slope:
The country of Nigeria has experience conflict too, starting with the colonization by the
British.
o Slope (in one 1-2 sentences summarize the main idea of the novel):
Set in the 1880s during this colonization, Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart explores
the conflict when two cultures collide.
o THESIS:
Based on a reading of the novel and several related articles, it is clear that in the 1880s, the Ibo people of
Nigeria were:
II. Body

civilized.

uncivilized.

somewhat civilized.
Topic Sentence
Ibo culture practiced a form of democracy and had governmental institutions run by both men and women.
General Statement
The men’s council or egwuwu served as a judicial body deciding legal disputes.
AWE
Chinua Achebe describes a council meeting in which the egwuwu hear both sides of the conflict regarding
domestic abuse and Evil Forest states, “’Our duty is not to blame this man or praise that, but to settle the
dispute’”(93).
Explanation
Just like a trial in the United States presently, the egwuwu gathered evidence, adjourned to discuss it, and
then decided on a verdict which all parties must follow. It appears to have been a very sophisticated
system for a people the British considered barbaric.
General Statement
Next, The women of Ibo culture settled disputes too, but they also managed the day-to-day affairs.
AWE
The author of the article “Women as Leaders” states, “[the women discussed) news of a recent threat to the
life of the community to mundane topics, such as keeping the markets clean, clearing the paths leading to
the market, and determining rules of market behavior, prices for commodities, and fine for those who
violated the rules or failed in their responsibilities” (2).
Explanation
This highly organized system functioned because the women communicated with each other and with the
men. The market was the center of the Ibo daily life, and its success guaranteed the success of the
community.
General Statement
Finally, every individual in the Ibo clan understood the rules and knew if they didn’t follow them, they
would be punished.
AWE
In Things Fall Apart, the author describes a scene where a cow tramples someone crops, “When they [the
women] saw it [the cow] they drove it back to its owner, who at once paid the heavy fine which the villager
imposed on anyone whose cow was let loose on his neighbor’s crops”(115).
Explanation
In this case there was no confusion, the man paid his fine immediately and the problem was resolved.
Everyone in this situation behaved in a civilized manner.
Concluding Sentence
When the British colonized Nigeria, they were surprised that the Ibo had no monarch. Had the British
looked closer, they would have seen a sophisticated governmental system with democratic meetings,
laws, and penalties. Obviously, the Ibo were civilized.
B. Transition/ Topic Sentence /Women (respected & empowered):
1. General Statement
AWES
Explanation
2. General Statement
AWES
Explanation
3. General Statement
AWES
Explanation
Concluding Sentence
C. Transition/Topic Sentence /Religion/traditions:
1. General Statement
AWES
Explanation
2. General Statement
AWES
Explanation
3. General Statement
AWES
Explanation
Concluding Sentence
III. Conclusion
o Restate Thesis: Although the Ibo culture was clearly civilized, because the British did
not recognize it the Ibo culture was changed forever.
o Summarize main ideas:
o The Ibo has a democratic form of government which gave women an equal voice,
and they had traditions to guide their culture.
o Profound statement – reflect on the big picture – the world! (refer to attention getter - the videos
on the Lost Boys of Sudan or Coney or the movie Hotel Rwanda):
o Some African countries have risen above the conflict started by colonization,
hopefully others with be able to find peace in their war torn country.