In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, he tells the story of a Nigerian warrior Okonkwo who endures many struggles within himself and his tribe, ultimately amounting to British colonization in his native country. A large part of the text describes the trials and tribulations of Okonkwo’s life story, one of which is filled with tragedy and misfortune. Witnessing the deaths of many close to Okonkwo, the text’s story reveals to be much wider-spanning than the reader comes to think. Achebe’s text eventually shifts gears from inner-tribal conflict to the external force of white colonization coming into play. This is a powerful overlaying factor that makes the text such a masterpiece.
After reading the text, the reader becomes particularly involved with the characters, which makes the colonization feel immoral and upsetting. However, when one steps back and makes the realization that this occurred in the real world, we can begin to see Achebe’s true voice and story.
In 1884, the British colonized Nigeria, and although the African nation declared their independence in 1960, this was a defining and trying time for the nation. The main focus in Things Fall Apart in regards to this colonisation is religion and tradition. In the southern region of Nigeria, “the British ‘ruled through those who were most malleable.’ Here Christianity spread quickly, adding further tensions to the area by separating people in both religion and politics,” (Falola qtd. in Alme). Okonkwo’s reaction to this in the novel was one of complete disgust as he felt as the colonials had taken away his faith and tradition. In Chapter 17, this disgust is palpable when he, “Saw himself and his fathers crowding round their ancestral shrine waiting in vain for worship and sacrifice and finding nothing but ashes of bygone days, and his children the while praying to the white man’s god,” (Achebe 153). From this emotion, one can make the conclusion that this colonization was not only about politics or land, but about culture.
Throughout this course so far, we have discussed themes revolving heavily around perspective and injustice, and Things Fall Apart is a strong representation of both. From the outside, the British colonization of Nigeria looked innocent enough, and perhaps arbitrary. However, when taking a look inside the words of Achebe or the life of Okonkwo, the reader is able to see how serious and unjust this event truly was.
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Works Cited:
Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Penguin Publishing Group, 2017.
Alme, Kaitlyn. “Niger Delta Black Gold Blues: Colonial History of Nigeria: Slave Trade, Resource Extraction, and the Invention of a National Territory.” Niger Delta Black Gold Blues: Can Writers Bring About Environmental Justice Where Slow Violence Has Proven So Devastating? or A Cautionary Tale for Environmental Sacrifice Zones Worldwide, 6 June 2016, scalar.usc.edu/works/niger-delta-black-gold-blues/12-colonial-subjugation-of-people-land-and-nature-slave-trade-resource-extraction-palm-oil-and-the-invention-of-a-national-territory-kaitlyn.
I have heard more and more about about the struggles different groups of people have gone through when it comes to colonizations. Just like what we learned about last week, colonization had a huge effect on Indian women. They became afraid of white men because they symbolized Indian women losing the little power they had.
As for the reading, I read this book in high school and loved it then and loved it now. I think it is a great representation of what we don’t see happening around us and why we live the lives we do today. Additionally, this book does a great job fo creating visuals of what early America used to look like.
I like the point of view this reading is going to take, as an American student we are romanticized that American colonialism was good and “brought democracy around the world.” Even as younger kids we all were taught that the Native Americans and Pilgrims got along. I think that’s why it is important to read about colonialism from the conequred point of view and not the conquers. Colonialism is a terrible thing and we need readings like these to help remove the brainwashing put in place when we were youner.
Reading this story also brings us back to the idea of the “single story” described by Adichie that we covered earlier in the year. By providing this narrative, Achebe opens the readers eyes to the injustices faced by him and his people. Much like what you said in your post, the colonialization of Nigeria “looked innocent enough” to those on the outside as only the romanticized and ‘honorable’ narrative of the British shared was disclosed to the outside world, while native Nigerians experienced a much different reality.
The first study of American history started in the colonies. It is well known that the United States was owned by Columbus when Columbus discovered the New World, so most of the places where colonists lived in the later period. Since the colonial period, there have been hierarchies and slavery. I have always only known that blacks were oppressed at that time but I did not know that Indian women were also persecuted. During that period, people of different races could be oppressed as long as they arrived in that area. But now the United States is getting better, facing its own past and correcting its ills
This is a great summary of the work of “When Things Fall Apart.” It is in fact breathtaking when you realize that these events actually did happen and where not made up. As others stated on the realities of colonialism, I think it definitely paints a different picture than what was taught in many history classes throughout high school. Although, these truths are what is causing our country to struggle even today. When we turn a blind eye to things to injustices and other items such as racism (in not acknowledging it exists) things will only get worse until we are to learn and understand the problems.
“Thing Fall Apart” is a great narrative that shows American students a different side to the “single story” that we have been told. As an American students in school we are taught all of the great thing about colonialism, but this book really opens your eyes to the struggles that the Nigerian clan faced during British colonialism. For these people many their beliefs and traditions we taken away by colonials. I believe this topic of colonialism can be surrounded by many injustices, but the “single story” we are taught in school does not bring light to these issues.
You did a really good job of not only recapping the story, but also giving Achebe’s point of view from it. By describing the colonization that happened and how it affected Okonkwo really gives a direct insight into what Okonkwo went through, and how it contributed to this story being written. I have learned about the topic and issues with colonization, but I never really knew the extent that it went to. By another nation coming and essentially taking over your home and changing everything you knew of, I can’t imagine how difficult that had to have been for the people living there and witnessing that happen. Everything that they were familiar with and comfortable with all either got taken away or dramatically changed. Everything that I always learned about this topic gave an outside view from nation’s perspective, but reading about this and a perspective from someone on the inside living through it, really shows how everything is not always what it seems.
I was very intrigued by your presentation. I especially liked how you explained the theme of the story almost as a dilemma between tradition and assimilation. As many of my peers mentioned, when we learn and recall learning about colonization in high school, middle school, and even in elementary grades, we aren’t taught in a way that truly depicts the perspectives, dilemmas, and struggles of the conquered. It is much easier for us to recall what the conquerors did, how they did it, and how it affected them, not how it affected the individuals who are being oppressed and/or disturbed. In “Things Fall Apart,” however, we are exposed to this perspective, and the tension and struggle between staying true to tradition or deciding (or being forced) to assimilate to the culture, religion, and overall way of living of the colonizers. One example of this exposure is when we read about Nwoye, Okonkwo’s son, and his decision to convert to Christianity and how deeply upsetting this was to Okonkwo that he chooses to disown him. This instance is just one glimpse of the untold experiences that the conquered were forced to endure.
I really enjoyed your post this week, it was a great representation of the reading. You really described the colonial era in a great way and presented the information well, it is crazy to see how each event pans out in the era and how these were real events that took place. When you stated “the British colonized Nigeria, and although the African nation declared their independence in 1960, this was a defining and trying time for the nation,” this made me think back to week one with the single story and how things are portrayed in different ways. Great work!
Things fall apart, as the author describes it. It tells the story of a tragedy that happened in a colony. The author added another incident that happened in the colony, which improved my extracurricular knowledge. At the same time, it also made me deeply realize the cruelty and horror of the colony. In this reading material, I have a more profound understanding of injustice and inequity.
I completely agree with your argument on analyzing injustice appearing in this book from both exterior and interior sides because I have the same feeling while reading this novel. Initially, I was sympathetic to everyone around Okonkwo due to his violence and radical masculinity. In order to corroborate his power, he injuries lots of innocent sufferer. However, if we consider the issue from the whole picture, we could find out that the relationship between them is exactly same as the relationship between European and African people. European serves as the “one” and strive to colonize Nigeria in cultural, political and geographical sides. The interior and exterior perspectives invariably are a irony of injustice and the danger of single story.