Things Fall Apart

Things Fall Apart 

Name: Pintu Solanki

Roll no.:29

Paper no.: 13 “African Literature”

M. A. Semester: 4

Email ID: solankipintu1991@gmail.com

Submitted to: Department of English

Smt. S. B. Gardi

Maharaja Krishnakumar sinhji

Bhavnagar University

  v Things Fall Apart 

                       :-   Chinua Achebe 

    

        Albert  Chinualumogu  Achebe born on 16, November 1930, and died on 21, March 2013. He was a Nigerian writer, Poet, Professor and pundit. His first novel 'Thing Fall Apart' was viewed as his perfect work of art, and is the most generally perused book in present day African Literature. He increased overall consideration for Thing Fall Apart in that late 1950s. Achebe turn into a supporter of Biafram freedom and went about as envoy for the general population of the new country.

  Ø Introduction of novel

                          Achebe’s novels focus on the traditions of Igbo society the effect of Christian influences, and traditional African values during and after the colonial era. He also published a number of short stories, children’s book, and essay collection. He awarded man booker prize, peace prize of the German. Book trade , St. Louis literary Award. Chinua Achebe most contribution on African literature. 

 

            Chinua Achebe, through his novel Things Fall Apart, presents a tribe of Igbo individuals and their lifestyle amid the start of colonization in Africa. Through the portrayal of the Igbo people groups' lifestyle and their response to the colonizing strengths that enter their towns, Achebe presents subjects of way of life as a gathering of African individuals with a past and legacy to be respected. This reoccurring subject of personality in the feeling of an African people can be followed back to Achebe's experience as a local of the Igbo individuals in Africa.

  Ø Things Fall Apart Themes

  Ø Igbo Society Complexity

         From Achebe's own statements, we know that one of his themes is the complexity of Igbo society before the arrival of the Europeans. To support this theme, he includes detailed descriptions of the justice codes and the trial process, the social and family rituals, the marriage customs, food production and preparation processes, the process of shared leadership for the community, religious beliefs and practices, and the opportunities for virtually every man to climb the clan's ladder of success through his own efforts.

  Ø Language :-

               Language is a vital part of Umuofia society. Strong orators like Ogbuefi Ezeugo are celebrated and given honorable burials.

                       Because clan meetings are so important for organization and decisionmaking, these speakers play an important role for society. Storytelling is also a form of education for the clan—whether they're masculine war stories or feminine fables, storytelling defines different roles for clan members and moves them to action. Even western religion takes hold because of story and song: when Nwoye first hears a hymn, it marks the beginning of his transition from clan member to Christian.

  Ø Clash of Cultures

    Against Achebe's subject of Igbo social multifaceted nature is his topic of the conflict of societies. This crash of societies happens at the individual and societal levels, and the social misconception cuts both courses: Just as the uncompromising Reverend Smith sees Africans as "rapscallions," the Igbo at first scrutinize the Christians and the preachers as "absurd." For Achebe, the Africans' misperceptions of themselves and of Europeans need realignment as much as do the misperceptions of Africans by the West. Composing as an African who had been "Europeanized," Achebe composed Things Fall Apart as "a demonstration of reparation with [his] past, the custom return and praise of an intemperate child." By his own demonstration, he supports different Africans, particularly ones with Western instructions, to understand that they may misperceive their local culture.

  Ø Destiny

  Related to the theme of cultural clash is the issue of how much the flexibility or the rigidity of the characters (and by implication, of the British and Igbo) contribute to their destiny. Because of Okonkwo's inflexible nature, he seems destined for self-destruction, even before the arrival of the European colonizers. The arrival of a new culture only hastens Okonkwo's tragic fate.

    Two different characters stand out from Okonkwo in such manner: Mr. Dark colored, the main evangelist, and Obierika, Okonkwo's great companion. While Okonkwo is a relentless man of activity, the other two are more open and versatile men of thought. Mr. Darker wins changes over by first regarding the customs and convictions of the Igbo and in this way permitting some convenience in the transformation procedure. Like Brown, Obierika is likewise a sensible and intuition individual. He doesn't advocate the utilization of compel to counter the colonizers and the restriction. Or maybe, he has a receptive outlook about changing qualities and outside culture: "Who recognizes what may happen tomorrow?" he remarks about the landing of nonnatives. Obierika's open and versatile nature might be more illustrative of the soul of Umuofia than Okonkwo's unquestioning inflexibility.

  Ø  Social disintegration :-

                           Towards the end of the novel, we observer the events by which Igbo society begins to fall apart. Religion is threatened, Umuofia loses its self determination, and the very centres of tribal life are threatened. These events are all the more painful for the reader because so much time has been spent in sympathetic description of Igbo life; the reader realizes that he has been learning about a way of life that no longer exists.

                            Greatness and goal Okonkwo is determined to be a lord of his clan. He rises from modest beginnings to a position of leadership, and he is a wealthy man. He is driven and determined, but his greatness comes from the same traits that are the source of his weaknesses. He is often too harsh with his family, and he is haunted by a fear of failure.

  Ø Masculinity :-

                   Masculinity is one of Okonkwo's obsessions, and he defines masculinity quite narrowly. For him, any kind of softness is a sign of weak spot and effeminacy. Male power lies in power and beast force. But throughout the novel, we are shown men with more sophisticated understanding of masculinity. Okonkwo's harshness drives Nwoye away from the family and into the arms of the new religion.

  Ø Justice 

   Equity is another capable distraction of the novel. For the Igbo, equity and reasonableness are matters of awesome significance. They have complex social foundations that control equity in reasonable and sane ways.

   In any case, the happening to the British miracles that adjust. In spite of the fact that the British case that nearby laws are primitive, and utilize this case as a reason to force their own particular laws, we soon observe that British law is fraudulent and insensitive. The last occasions paving the way to Okonkwo's passing concern the unsuccessful labor of Justice under the British District Commissioner.