"Things Fall Apart" Blog Entry

Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart" follows the downfall of tribe leader, Okonkwo, and the Igbo culture.

The story begins with the protagonist, Okonkwo, an influential leader of the Umofia tribe in eastern Nigeria. Determined to gain power, wealth, and a title for himself, Okonkwo strives to be the opposite of his shameful father, Unoka, who was notorious in the village for being weak and manipulative. Through the years, he becomes more and more volatile in nature, killing his wives and a colleague, Ikemefuna. Okonkwo also accidentally kills a clansman at a funeral, sending him into exile.

During his seven-year exile from Umuofia, missionaries arrive at the tribe, aspiring to build a church and convert everyone to Christianity. At first, none of the villagers believe in their faith. However, once the church is successfully built on cursed land, without any negative effects, the people of Umofia conclude their faith is extraordinary in power and magic. From here on out, everyone in the village begins to convert, including Okonkwo’s son Nwoye, who leaves his father to attend the new Christian school.

When Okonkwo returns to Umuofia, he is horrified by the changes that have occurred in the village during his exile. A prison was built, a government was established, and employment has been put into effect, with many men renounced of their previous titles. Conflict occurs within the new Umuofia after a radical convert unmasks a previous council leader who proceeds to destroy the church. All of the clansmen are jailed and then released with bail. Okonkwo realizes that the people of the Igbo culture  will never go to war with the white man. At this point, everything has essentially fallen apart for Okonkwo, who then commits suicide by hanging himself.

One of the most important components to "Things Fall Apart" is the utilization and characterization of language throughout the novel. Achebe speaks on the complexities and depths of tribal African culture and then incorporates English and the literate white man, displaying a more thorough issue. The story at hand symbolizes the lack of understanding between the Igbo culture and the colonist culture, by teaching the reader that one will historically outlast the other.