THINGS FALL APART

By Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe is one of the most significant African writers from Nigeria.
He was educated in his native Nigeria and the United Kingdom, and has gained
worldwide fame with his debut novel, Things Fall Apart. This book is considered
one of the most important works of modern African literature.

The central character of the novel is Okonkwo, a member of the Igbo tribe, a
resident of the village of Umuofia. He was bold, brave and worthy young man who
managed to carve out his reputation in society. He was the opposite of his father,
who often came into conflict with compatriots and did not like to work. Most of
the fields work was performed by Okonkwo.

One evening the village assembly convened on the occasion of the tragic
event. One resident of village Umuofia was killed by residents of neighboring
villages Mbiano. Okonkwo is authorized by his fellow tribesmen to negotiate on
this occasion, which he did. This is just one of many stories that speak of maturity
of the young Okonkwo and respect that he enjoyed among fellow tribesmen.

Later, the writer explains how Okonkwo survived the year in which the
harvest due to natural disasters was bad. What is important; throughout the novel
we are familiar with inner feelings of the main character and that allows as to
better understand what has caused enormous antagonism with his father.

Important for the context of the novel is that through all the significant
events through which it passes protagonist, the reader has much to learn about the
culture, customs, and feelings of Igbo tribe. The writer often mentioned holidays in
local communities in which Okonkwo lived with his family and friends.

In the novel, it is clear that Okonkwo is a man of strong feelings. When he

sacrificed Ikemefuna, a boy from a neighboring village, which spent with his
family three years, he and his son Nwoye are genuinely upset with this event.
Okonkwo is also a caring man, when daughter of his second wife Ekwefi fell ill, he
is trying by all means to help and relieve her fever.

The event, which was definitely a turning point in the life of Okonkwo was a
funeral for the oldest member of the tribe, Ezendam. He was ceremoniously buried,
as befits a great man. However, during the ritual Okonkwo accidentally shot
Ezendam’s son. According to tribe’s tradition, he had to leave from the village for
seven years, since the act was a big misfortune in the eyes of the Goddess of the
Earth; His house was burned so that even the soil could be cleansed from this
Okonkwo’s sin.

Okonkwo and his family moved to the village of his mother and there tried
to start a new life while in exile. However, once he met with his old friend
Obierika, who told him, among other things, that there are white people in his
village Umuofia, that they come on steel horses, referring to bikes. They are stop at
nothing and people from the village are frightened.

His friend was talking about missionaries who also came and who talked
about Jesus Christ and how his son was seen with them. It's all very personally
affected Okonkwo.

The missionaries continued their activities despite the fact that the local
inhabitants tried with the help of superstitions to disturb them and chase them away
from the village. When rural beliefs did not work, it seemed that the missionaries
might be right.

Upon completion of seven years of exile, Okonkwo was looking forward to

coming back to his village.

However, he found out that everything is changed even economic relations

among people and personal relations. The influence of missionaries was too much.
Also, the white missionary Mr. Brown had an understanding of the local
population, while his successor, Reverend James Smith was not a supporter of
compromise. Okonkwo was not able to fit into this new environment. He believed
that his kinsmen are cowards. He did not want to live in such circumstances, and
one day they found him hanged on a tree. He took his own life, from the revolt and
because of his pride. His world was shattered.

This novel is significant because it was first one to introduce Africa seen
through the eyes of a black man.