3. Chinua Achebe – “the father of modern African
literature”
• Albert Chinualumogu Achebe, the fifth of six children, was born to
converts to Christianity on November 16, 1930 in Ogidi, an Igbo
villiage in southeastern Nigeria, which had been one of the first
centers of missionary work in Nigeria.
• Studied History and theology at the University of Ibadan. While in
college he developed his interest in indigenous Nigerian cultures. He
also rejected his Christian name and took his indigenous African
name.
• After graduation Achebe began teaching but left after a few months
to take a job with the Nigerian Broadcasting Service where he wrote
scripts. He also began working on his own novel, in English, Things
Fall Apart.
• 1956 he was selected to go to London for training at the BBC – his
first trip outside Nigeria. He brought manuscript with him, received
feedback and offer for publishing, which he declined, saying
manuscript needed more work. Things Fall Apart was published in
1958, two years before Nigerian independence. He is considered one
of the founders of a Nigerian literary movement of the 1950s
4. Chinua Achebe – since “Things Fall Apart”
• He became involved in politics and actively crusaded for help for
those in his country suffering. He left his career in radio in 1966 as a
result of the political conflicts which would lead to Nigerian civil war,
Biafran War, in 1967. The predominantly Igbo people of the area
called Biafra felt discriminated by the Yoruba majority and seceded.
The war ended in 1970 when Biafra surrendered.
• A paraplegic from the waist down after a 1990 automobile accident,
Achebe has lived in the United States since, teaching first at Bard
College and, from 2009 until his death, at Brown University
• He wrote five novels, of which Things Fall Apart is the most famous .
He received the Nigerian National merit in 1987 and has been
awarded over 25 honorary doctorates from Universities throughout
the world. In addition, has written extensively, including articles,
short stories, essays, and children’s books
• By 1995 over 8 million copies of Things Fall Apart had been sold and
the book had been translated into more than 45 languages
5. Achebe’s writing
• Achebe sees his role as a writer as one of social
responsibility, since he believes that all good stories should
have a purpose.
• His novels were written in English, but he incorporates
Igbo vocabulary and narratives.
• He draws on oral traditions of indigenous tribes,such as
folk tales and songs, and verbal descriptions of life and life
lessons
• His goal is to mold the English language to the rhythm and
lyrical quality of the Nigerian language: This style, and the
incorporation of the proverbs and idioms of African culture,
combine to mark his stories as uniquely African.
• Is recognized for his ability to write simply yet eloquently
about life’s universal qualities
6. “The reason African Literature came into
existence because these things that were
supposed to represent [Africans] were
inaccurate. There was a vacuum, a gap to be
filled”
~ChinuaAchebe
Achebe on African Literature
7. “Let me first make one general point that is
fundamental and essential to the appreciation
of African issues by Americans.
Africans are people in the same way that
Americans, Europeans, Asians, and others are
people.
Africans are not some strange beings with
unpronounceable names and impenetrable
minds.
Although the action of Things Fall Apart takes
place in a setting with which most Americans
are unfamiliar, the characters are normal people
and their events are real human events.”
~ChinuaAchebe
9. Over 100 million people
live in Nigeria Today
Nigeria is 3
times the size
of Germany in
area
The Igbo are the third largest
ethnic group. They live in the
southeast
10. Historical Context- British colonization
and the spread of Christianity
• Missionaries provided education and attempted to convert
tribes from their “heathanistic” beliefs
• Africans were distrustful of European Christians at first, but
many eventually converted
• As more members adopted European values, the clans divided
and conflicts arose
• After the arrival of the British, conflicts between villages were
resolved by white governmental rules
• When violence involved missionaries or bureaucrats, British
soldiers would often slaughter entire villages instead of
punishing guilty individuals
• Africa changed from a society determined by common language
and cultures to a land divided by political borders that divided it
into at least 50 nation states
11. European Views of Africa
• During this time, most Europeans thought that Africa
was a dangerous country, full of cannibals. Explorers
brought back stories of strange traditions, people and
customs.
• Africa was known as the “dark continent”
• The skin color of the people
• Dark in jungle areas
• Dark because customs seemed barbaric.
• Dark because lack of Christianity
(Showing them the “light of God”)
12. The Igbo culture
• Story takes place in the Igbo village of Umoufia in the
late 1880’s, prior to English colonization
• Third most populous ethnic group in Nigeria (16% of
population)
• Live in southeastern part of country in tropical rain
forests (deal with rainy season and dry winds)
• Subsistence farmers – raise their own crops:
• Yam, cassava, taro, corn, etc.
• Palm trees for oil and fiber
• Crafts and manual labor also provide income
13. Religious Beliefs
• The Igbo worship many gods who are
represented by priests and priestesses within the
tribe. The will of gods was revealed through
oracles.
• Chukwu – supreme god, creator of world is
everywhere at the same time--therefore there
are no shrines or altars for worship.
• Each individual has a personal god, or Chi, that
follows you throughout life and can be either
malevolent or benevolent…but chi does not
control destiny. It can be influenced through
individual actions and rituals.
• Egwugwu –ancestral spirits of the clan. They are
represented by masked men at social gatherings.
Highly respected and worshipped, provides
interaction between the worlds of living and dead
15. Igbo Culture
• It is a patriarchal society. Decision making
involves males only
• Lack of centralized political structures. No
single leader, elders lead – typically, oldest
male member of family
• Lived in autonomous villages & towns, ruled
by their elders in tribal councils
• Democracy was obtained through a council
of elders, age groups, councils of chiefs,
women’s associations, and secret societies
17. Igbo Society
• Social mobility: Titles earned (not inherited). High
value placed on individual achievement. System
encouraged hard work and the spread of wealth
• Hospitality very important
• Some Igbo owned slaves captured in war or as
payment for debt.
• Large emphasis on tribal traditions and rituals
19. Bride Price
Common in many African cultures; the
bridegroom’s family pays in cash or
goods for the privilege of marring a
young woman. (dowry – opposite –
woman’s family pays for man to marry
her).
26. ekwe
• Ekwe - Two-pitch Ibo log
drum. Available in two types of
of hardwood (yellow or red).
Played with either a plain
straight wood stick or a
rubber-tipped short beater
similar to a large balafon or Alo
27. Igbo Customs in Things Fall Apart
• Week of Peace: In Umuofia, a sacred week in
which violence is prohibited.
• Ikenga-- a carved wooden figure kept by every
man in his shrine to symbolize the strength of a
man’s right hand.
• Polygamy: a man can marry more than one wife.
• The Igbo week has four days: Eke, Oye, Afo, and
Nkwo.
• Eating habits: The man of the house eats
separately in his central hut; Yam is Igbo’s staple
food.
• Osu: a class of people in Igbo culture considered
outcasts, not fit to associate with free-born
members of the clan.
29. Things Fall Apart
• Published as a response to novels that treat Africa as a
cultureless foil for Europe.
• Set in the 1890s
• Portrays the conflicts between Nigeria’s white colonial
government and traditions of indigenous Igbo people
• Portrays complex social institutions and traditions of
the Igbo culture prior to European contact
30. Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the center cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.
W.B. Yeats’ “ The Second Coming
31. Explanation
• The actual title is taken from W.B. Yeats' poem "The Second Coming."
• The poem refers to the increasing pressure to maintain a stable situation
• The novel's title refers to the increasing pressure on the Umuofian culture
and inhabitants of the villages represented in the novel to hold onto their
way of life as the Christian missionaries infiltrate their world
• "The center cannot hold and things fall apart." This line from the poem
reflects Okonkwo's grasp on his own life, family and power in his community
and it's slow slippage away from him.
32. The Story
“Achebe’s Things Fall apart, written
with an insider’s understanding of the
African world and its history, depicts
the destruction of an individual, a
family, and a culture at the moment of
colonial incursion.”
33. Themes
The Struggle b/w change & tradition
Varying interpretations of Masculinity
Language as a sign of Cultural Difference
Generational Divide
Pride
Repression
Drum Language
Ethnographic Distance
34. The Struggle Between Change and
Tradition
Things Fall Apart deals with how the prospect and reality
of change affect various characters. The tension about
whether change should be privileged over tradition often
involves questions of personal status. Okonkwo, for
example, resists the new political and religious orders
because he feels that they are not manly and that he
himself will not be manly if he consents to join or even
tolerate them.
35. Continued…
The villagers in general are caught between resisting and
embracing change and they face the dilemma of trying to
determine how best to adapt to the reality of change.
Many of the villagers are excited about the new
opportunities and techniques that the missionaries bring.
Throughout the novel, Achebe shows how dependent such
traditions are upon storytelling and language and thus
how quickly the abandonment of the Igbo language for
English could lead to the eradication of these traditions.
36. Varying Interpretations of Masculinity
Okonkwo’s relationship with his late father shapes
much of his violent and ambitious demeanor. He wants
to rise above his father’s legacy. Okonkwo’s associates
masculinity with aggression. For this reason, he
frequently beats his wives. Yet others who are in no
way effeminate do not behave in this way. Obierika,
unlike Okonkwo, “was a man who thought about
things.” Whereas Obierika refuses to accompany the
men on the trip to kill Ikemefuna, Okonkwo not only
volunteers to join but also violently stabs him with his
machete simply because he is afraid of appearing
weak.
37. Continued…
Okonkwo’s seven-year exile only reinforces his notion
that men are stronger than women. The exile is his
opportunity to get in touch with his feminine side and to
acknowledge his maternal ancestors, but he keeps
reminding himself that his maternal kinsmen are not as
warlike and fierce as he remembers the villagers of
Umuofia to be. He faults them for their preference of
negotiation, compliance, and avoidance over anger and
bloodshed. In Okonkwo’s understanding, his uncle
Uchendu exemplifies this pacifist (and therefore
somewhat effeminate) mode.
38. Language as a Sign of Cultural Difference
Language is an important theme in Things Fall Apart on
several levels. In demonstrating the imaginative, often
formal language of the Igbo, Achebe emphasizes that
Africa is not the silent or incomprehensible continent that
books such as Heart of Darkness made it out to be.
Rather, Achebe shows that the Igbo language is too
complex for direct translation into English. Achebe also
points out that Africa has many different languages: the
villagers of Umuofia, for example, make fun of Mr.
Brown’s translator because his language is slightly
different from their own.
39. Generational divide
Things Fall Apart spotlights two significant generational
divides. The first divide separates Okonkwo from his
father, Unoka. Unlike his son, Unoka is not a warrior.
Instead, Unoka prefers to drink and play music with
friends. Okonkwo dismisses his father as a coward. Just
as Okonkwo is divided from his father, he is also divided
from his eldest son, Nwoye. Nwoye has much in
common with his grandfather Unoka, especially with
regard to his lack of interest in war and his love of the
arts.
40. Continued…
Nwoye resists his father’s expectation of becoming an
accomplished warrior. He also feels drawn to his mother’s
stories, which Okonkwo sees as an effeminate waste of
time. Eventually, Nwoye escapes his father’s expectations
and his wrath by running away and converting to
Christianity. Although Okonkwo feels ashamed of both his
father and his son, the novel suggests that Okonkwo is
perhaps more of an anomaly than either Unoka or Nwoye.
41. Pride
Okonkwo’s greatest weakness is his pride, which is
constantly under threat both from within his community
and from without. Okonkwo takes pride in his
achievements. This pride is justifiable, since he has
accomplished a lot. Yet Okonkwo’s pride also makes him
quick to disdain others who don’t live up to his high
standards. For instance, Nwoye’s apparent lack of
masculine qualities leads Okonkwo to worry about his own
legacy and be aggressive towards Nwoye.
42. Continued…
Okonkwo’s exile in Mbanta also deals a serious blow to his
pride. When he returns to Umuofia he wants to restore his
pride by defending his home against European influence.
Okonkwo explains his position with an analogy: “If a man
comes into my hut and defecates on the floor, what do I
do? Do I shut my eyes? No! I take a stick and break his
head.” Okonkwo eventually resorts to violence to defend
his pride, and this violence leads to his tragic downfall.
43. Repression
Throughout Things Fall Apart Okonkwo struggles with
repressing his emotions. He represses his emotions
because, he fears appearing weak and effeminate. Over
and over in the novel Okonkwo’s inner struggle to quash
all emotional responses leads him to express himself with
excessive cruelty. The narrator comments on this internal
tug-of-war frequently. In chapter 4, for instance, the
narrator explicitly addresses the theme of repression:
“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.”
44. Drum Language
Drums play an important role in Umuofia.
Throughout Things Fall Apart the narrator emphasizes
drums’ ability to generate excitement and communication of
specific information. Drums often signal the initiation of a
ceremony. For example, a persistent drum beat sets
Umuofia’s annual wrestling match in motion. The narrator
explains that drums speak in their own “esoteric language,”
a language that villagers learn early in life. In one telling
example, the narrator transcribes the drum language
phonetically: “Go-di-di-go-go-di-go. Di-go-go-di-go. It was
the ekwe talking to the clan.” By transcribing the drum
language, the narrator elevates it to a status similar to the
other languages that appear in the novel: English and Igbo.
45. The plot
• The plot recounts the story of Okonkwo, a respected man of the
fictional Igbo village of Umuofia, in the late 1800s.
• Okonkwo is a champion wrestler, a wealthy farmer and a “title-
holder” in his clan.
• He has three wives, a son and a daughter, and he is ward to a
boy, Ikemefuna, who is a hostage for the village.
• He is a firm believer in tradition. He is driven by the fear of
being like his father, who he considered weak and who died
poor and in disgrace.
• He is a proud and prone to violence. One day, he goes too far
and is banned from his village for seven years.
• While he is away, white Christian missionaries arrive in
Umuofia, causing many changes to the way of life he has
known.
47. Okonkwo- (Oh-kawn-kwoh)
His name means “the roaring flame”. He is the central
character of Things Fall Apart. A young and influential
leader of the African Igbo community of Umuofia (Oo-
moo-oh-fee-ah); he is known as a fierce warrior as well
as a successful farmer. Since early childhood, his
embarrassment about his lazy father, Unoka, has driven
him to succeed. His hard work and talent in war have
earned him a position of high status. He is strong,
proud and driven, despises anything he regards as
weakness and is terrified of looking weak like his father.
Sometimes he behaves rashly, bringing trouble and
sorrow upon himself and his family.
48. Nwoye (Nuh-woh-yeh)
Okonkwo’s oldest son, age twelve at the
book’s beginning. He is innately a
sensitive young man. Nwoye disappoints
Okonkwo by showing signs of his
grandfather’s sensitivity, weakness and
laziness. He is constantly beaten by
Okonkwo in hopes of correcting the faults
that Okonkwo sees in him. He is later
influenced by Ikemefuna and begins to
show more masculine behavior. He
eventually converts to Christianity which
displeases Okonkwo.
49. Ikemefuna (Ee-keh-meh-foo-nah).
A boy of fourteen who is given to Umuofia by a
neighboring village, to avoid war. He is a clever,
resourceful youngman. He lived with Okonkwo’s family
for 3 years. He develops a close relationship with
Nwoye, becoming somewhat of a big brother to him.
Okonkwo becomes very fond of Ikemefuna but does
not demonstrate his affection because of his fear of
looking weak. Ikemefuna fills the void in Okonkwo’s life
that his own son cannot.
50. Ezinma (Eh-zeen-mah)
Daughter of Okonkwo’s second wife, Ekwefi and
Okonkwo. She is the only one of Ekwifi’s children to
survive past infancy. She is the center of Ekwifi’s world.
She is favored by Okonkwo because she understand
him better than any of his other children. Okonkwo
wishes that Ezinma were a boy because she would have
been a perfect son.
51. The wives
• Okonkwo’s first wife is never
mentioned by name; she is
wise, compassionate, peaceful,
and adheres to tribal traditions
• Ekwefe- Okonkwo’s second wife;
courageous and strong willed
• Ojiugo- Okonkwo’s third and
youngest wife; makes her
husband angry and prompts him
to break the sacred Week of
Peace
52. Other Igbo
• Unoka- Okonkwo’s father
and the root of all his fears
and problems; represents all
the characteristics the Igbo
abhor (gentleness, lack of
ambition, sensitivity to people
people and nature)
• Obierika (Oh-bee-air-ee-
kah) Okonkwo’s best friend,
friend, who often represents
the voice of reason.
53. The British
• Mr. Brown - The first white Christian missionary in Umuofia and
Mbanta. An understanding and accommodating man, he is
inclined to listen to the Igbos. He institutes a policy of
compromise and non-agression between his people and the clan.
clan. He befriends prominent clansmen and builds a school and
hospital in Umofia. He attempts to appeal respectfully to the
tribe’s values.
• Reverend James Smith - A strict, stereotypical white Christian
missionary, who takes over the church after Mr
. Brown’s
departure. He is uncompromising and strict. He demands that his
his converts reject all of their indigenous beliefs. His behavior
epitiomizes the problems of colonialism.
• The District Comissioner- An authority figure in the colonial
government in Nigeria. He is the Prototypical racist colonialist. He
He thinks he understands everything about the indigeionous
African customs and has no respect for them.
54. Conflicts to Watch
• The cultural conflict: "The conflict of the novel, shown in
Okonkwo, derives from the series of crushing blows which
are leveled at traditional values by an alien and more
powerful culture causing, in the end, the traditional society
to fall apart," (G.D. Killam).
Cultural:
• Generational:
• Gender:
• Inner:
Ibo vs. Western
Tradition vs. Christianity
Assimilation vs. purit
Okonkwo vs. Unoka
Okonkwo vs. Nwoye
Okonkwo vs. his wives
Okonkwo vs. himself
55. Things Fall Apart as Greek Tragedy
A Greek tragedy is a dramatic narrative in which serious
and important actions turn out disastrously for the
protagonist, who is also known as the tragic hero.
Okonkwo has the tragic flaws of
Hubris ( Pride)
Ate ( Rashness)
56. The structure of Things Fall Apart
• The first part sets the scene:
• Okonkwo’s humble beginnings and his rise to power through
hard work.
• the ways of the Ibo people.
• Each chapter reflects some part of Ibo life and either
supports or questions it.
• The second part:
• Okonkwo’s exile from his tribe
• the influence of the missionaries and the intrusion of the
European government into the African culture.
• The final part: Okonkwo’s return
57. Point of view
Achebe uses third-person narration to mimic the oral
nature of African stories. He creates a tale that seems
to have been passed from generation to generation,
much like many of the tales that are told within the
narrative. There is little dialogue between the
characters; the reader can imagine an elder member of
the tribe passing the story to the younger clansmen.
59. Gender
• Being of woman; or of man.
• Masculine vs. feminine
• Other than biological differences
• Language can be gendered
60. The Role of Man in Igbo culture
A man in Igbo culture is expected to:
• Provide food and shelter
• Rule over his “clan”
• Take several wives
• Gain “titles”
• Many of the main characters in the book beat their
wives regularly
61. Role of Woman in Igbo culture
Women in Igbo culture are expected to:
• Take care of the children
• Cook for their husband
• Clean and take care of the grounds and buildings.
• Some of the female characters in the book represent
balance, and go against the regular male character
that shuns femininity as a bad thing.
62. Matriarchy/Patriarchy
• Matriarchy: a form of social organization in which the
mother is head of the family, and in which descent is
reckoned in the female line, the children belonging to
the mother's clan; matriarchal system
• Patriarchy: a form of social organization in which the
father is the supreme authority in the family, clan, or
tribe and descent is reckoned in the male line, with the
children belonging to the father's clan or tribe.
