A Novel By Chinua Achebe
Achebe is the most translated African writer of all time, as Things Fall Apart is the most widespread piece of African literature around the world.
Achebe was paralyzed from the waist down in a car crash in Nigeria in 1990.
Did you know? The title for Things Fall Apart was taken from a poem called “The Second Coming” by W.B Yeats.
About Chinua Achebe:Plot Summary
Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart is the story of Okonkwo, a man against any portrayals of femininity and weakness. Okonkwo works diligently to avoid a life like his unremarkable father’s, and soon obtains the third highest title in his village of Umuofia and builds a compound to house his three wives and eight children.
Okonkwo’s prominence in Umuofia requires him to take in a new addition to his family, a boy from another village named Ikemefuna. Ikemefuna soon settles into his family, becoming a role model for Okonkwo’s oldest son, Nwoye, and becoming like a son to Okonkwo. A tragic event with Ikemefuna prompts unwelcomed feelings of grief and despair for Okonkwo, and resentment from his eldest son, Nwoye. Okonkwo’s fear of losing respect from his village is ultimately the cause of his demise. An accidental crime that Okonkwo commits forces him and his family into seven years of exile from their village. When they come back, Okonkwo finds that his beloved village, which he hoped to regain his titles, was among the sufferers of British colonialism and the spread of the Christian religion. His anger and masculinity consumes him, symbolizing the ultimate defeat of preserving the African tradition.
“The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.” (Achebe 176)
Okonkwo’s thought provides insight on how the people of Umuofia did not expect to be betrayed by their brothers. They were confident in their power and unity and did not expect the foreign white man to cause such a shift in their relations. Their underestimation of the white missionaries led to the destruction of their customs and village life.
“Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness.” (Achebe 13)
Okonkwo is a primary example of how fear can lead to one’s ultimate downfall and destruction. Okonkwo’s fear of being disrespected contributed to a tense relationship between him and his eldest son, Nwoye, eventually leading to Nwoye’s departure from his family. Okonkwo’s fears are what send him into pits of grief, despair, and shame, which he fails to acknowledge throughout his lifetime.
Quote Analysis
(Achebe 28)
Okonkwo’s demonstration of strength directly contributed to him ending his life. He attempted to portray strength by killing the court messenger, however when his demonstration was not well received, praised, and looked up to by his village, it resulted in his suicide. In this instance, Okonkwo’s perceived strength was a disguise for weakness.
“Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, unless it be the emotion of anger. To show affection was a sign of weakness; the only thing worth demonstrating was strength.”
Reviews
“The book really takes the reader into the Igbo culture. Achebe shows the traditional culture very well, a culture which is rife with superstition but rich in context.”Goodreads
“Despite all his faults, it’s impossible not to pity him a little because, after all, the life he knows, the life of his ancestors, is being taken from him quite cruelly by the British settlers.”Goodreads
Diving into Book Covers
Over 20 editions of Things Fall Apart have been published since the original release of the book in 1958.
A biased depiction of African cultures and values, especially at the time period and by whom the book was published.
The 1976 Edition
Based on the film adaptation of the book in the early 1970s.
The 2008 Edition
The 50th anniversary edition of Things Fall Apart. Much different from other covers.
The 1958 Edition