Things Fall Apart

Expository Essay: Things Fall Apart In Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, the superstitious nature of the people is unfolded because of their belief in the supernatural and omnipotent powers of the spirits; ceremonious chants and dances are preformed at Ezeudu’s funeral in order to secure the well being of his soul in the after-life, and the tribes paralyzing fear of the gods odium causes them to alienate Oknonkwo for seven years because he inadvertently transgressed against the gods by killing a man. The tribe’s superstition nature is evident through their manifestation of ceremonious actions in order to honor Ezeudu. As the “[d]rums beat violently” and “[g]un[shots]” were “fired” into the sky like fireworks, the “one handed” spirit came to call upon the spirit of the “corpse” (123). In order to save the soul of Ezeudu’s corpse, the disabled shaman spirit is called to the final rite; moreover, the guns blazing and the calling upon of the spirits proves their superstition revolving around the fate of this man’s soul. The spirit “call[s]” upon the corpse to speak up because “if a man caused [his death]” then he shouldn’t waste a “moment’s rest” (ibid). Since the bloodthirsty monster who murdered Ezeudu has yet to be brought into the hands of the people, the spirit calls upon the corpse to rise again and bring justice through blood; moreover, the tribe’s superstition is seen through their acceptance of the ominous spirits words.
The tribesmen’s fear of the Gods forces them to enact harsh punishment of Okonokwo. As the wrestler’s gun was fired, the “cr[ies] of agony and shourts of horror” mirrored the catastrophic effects that the “pool of blood” that surrounded the “sixteen-year old son” had on the tribe (124). Okonkwo’s rifle shot and pierced the barely developed flesh of the young boy’s heart; furthermore, the fate of wrestler was held in the palms of superstition because nothing of this degree had ever happen in Umuofia. “kill[ing]” of a clansman was a “crime against the earth goddess,” and thus Ikemefuna’s executor had to deal with the consequences of his “horror” (124). While the clansman harbored no resentment to Nwoye’s husband, they are forced to alienate the wrestler in belief that they are doing the good work of the earth goddess; moreover, the clansman’s purifying of the now corrupted lands proves their superstition and fear in the gods.