Written in 1958 by Chinua Achebe in Nigeria, it is a very powerful story of a clash of cultures. The story is set in the 1800s and confronts the pre- and post-colonial life in Nigeria.
The novel follows the life of Okonkwo who is an Ibo. He has grown in his culture, he is fully part of his society. He is a local wrestling champion.
He is successful. His life makes sense and follows traditions, and everything fits. Then British Colonialism arrives.
The new culture, plus the new religion of Christianity.
Okonkwo has worked to build his wealth, has three wives, children, and neighbours, and is a leader.
An incident happens, he must leave his village for seven years. When he returns he finds white men living in his village, introducing their religion, Christianity.
Many of Okonkwo’s people convert. The power of the white invaders grows and a new government is introduced.
The people must either comply for fight. Okonko’s people destroy a local Church.
The White Colonial government representative takes them prisoner and holds them for a ransom of two hundred cowries for a short while.
The behaviour of the Whites is humiliating and insulting to the Africans.
This clash of cultures is very real and very clearly portrayed, for what is an abomination to the Africans is of little import to the Colonists. The actions of the Colonists to organise and control is a death knell to the society.
It is a book that reveals, in relation to just one small village in one country in Africa what the British wrought all over the world with their Empire.
It grants an insight into what it was like for the people who were sucked into the Empire, the devastation done to the culture and the people.
Things Fall Apart is seen as the first modern African novel written in English. It is virtually required reading in Nigeria and other parts of Africa as well in the Caribbean.
The idea that Africa was ‘primitive’ and virtually without culture until the arrival of the Colonists is totally disproved.
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