Things Fall Apart Literary Analysis
The Center Cannot Hold: Literary Devices in Things Fall Apart Shortly after the Industrial Revolution in Europe, influential countries came together to discuss the colonization of Africa at the Berlin Conference. The European nations divided Africa amongst themselves to gain new resources to further support their empires. This led to Christian missionaries infiltrating Africa to convert the natives. In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, he depicts the collapse of the Ibo society during this period. The progression of the colonial encounters contributes to the disintegration of the Ibo culture and cause the village of Umuofia to slowly lose grasp of the things that shape their society. Achebe demonstrates the dynamics of colonization of Umuofia
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Okonkwo, the protagonist in Things Fall Apart depicts the rise and fall of the Ibo people when the missionaries colonize Umuofia. His ignorance that leads to Umuofia’s demise reflects that of the Ibo society. During Okonkwo’s youth, his work ethic and desire for success “clearly cut [him] out for great things” (8) and the people of Umuofia respect his leadership and his achievements. However, his fear of “being thought weak” (61) causes his ignorance, leading to his destruction. Throughout the novel, Achebe foreshadows Okonkwo’s sad fate by slowly deteriorating his morales. Achebe uses the fable about a tortoise a falling from the sky after the tortoise selfishly tricked the birds to bring him to a feast to emphasize the fact that pride and ignorances leads to downfall. The tortoise’s shell “[broke] into pieces” (99) similar to how Okonkwo’s life was shattered by the missionaries. One turning point in Okonkwo’s life is when his friend Obierika visits Umuofia and discovers Nwoye, Okonkwo’s son, among the Christian missionaries. When asking Nwoye about Okonkwo, Nwoye bluntly replied “I don’t know. He is not my father” (144). His lack of acknowledging his father exemplifies how people who once listened to Okonkwo are turning their backs on him and starting to follow the instructions of the missionaries. Okonkwo’s attempts to restore the Ibo traditions backfire and it provokes him to take his own life, dying a shameful death. As he died, so did Umuofia’s succumbing to the missionaries’ lifestyle. Just like a “roaring flame” (153), Okonkwo burned bright in the past, but fire also consumes everything, ultimately
Okonkwo, the protagonist in Things Fall Apart depicts the rise and fall of the Ibo people when the missionaries colonize Umuofia. His ignorance that leads to Umuofia’s demise reflects that of the Ibo society. During Okonkwo’s youth, his work ethic and desire for success “clearly cut [him] out for great things” (8) and the people of Umuofia respect his leadership and his achievements. However, his fear of “being thought weak” (61) causes his ignorance, leading to his destruction. Throughout the novel, Achebe foreshadows Okonkwo’s sad fate by slowly deteriorating his morales. Achebe uses the fable about a tortoise a falling from the sky after the tortoise selfishly tricked the birds to bring him to a feast to emphasize the fact that pride and ignorances leads to downfall. The tortoise’s shell “[broke] into pieces” (99) similar to how Okonkwo’s life was shattered by the missionaries. One turning point in Okonkwo’s life is when his friend Obierika visits Umuofia and discovers Nwoye, Okonkwo’s son, among the Christian missionaries. When asking Nwoye about Okonkwo, Nwoye bluntly replied “I don’t know. He is not my father” (144). His lack of acknowledging his father exemplifies how people who once listened to Okonkwo are turning their backs on him and starting to follow the instructions of the missionaries. Okonkwo’s attempts to restore the Ibo traditions backfire and it provokes him to take his own life, dying a shameful death. As he died, so did Umuofia’s succumbing to the missionaries’ lifestyle. Just like a “roaring flame” (153), Okonkwo burned bright in the past, but fire also consumes everything, ultimately