Things Fall Apart

A detailed Summary of Things Fall Apart


A culture is only as strong as its most faithful and devoted follower. Okonkwo, the main character in Chinua Achebe's novel, Things Fall Apart, can easily be argued as the most devoted follower within his culture of the Umuofia civilization. Okonkwo disowned his own son upon discovery that his child had chosen to follow another religion. However, by observing Okonkwo throughout the novel, we continually detect many indications of Okonkwo disregarding the culture's laws and eventually relating the disrespect for the culture to the inevitable downfall of the culture.

Okonkwo disregards and disrespects his culture by breaking many traditional laws. One of the traditional laws is a Week of Peace. During the Week of Peace, Okonkwo's youngest wife, Ojiugo, goes out to plait her hair and doesn't cook afternoon meal. "In his anger he had forgotten that it was the Week of Peace"(29). When she returns, Okonkwo beats her. "His first two wives ran out in great alarm pleading with him that it was the sacred week. But Okonkwo was not the man to stop beating somebody half-way through, not even for fear of a goddess"(29,30). Even a


By Okonkwo disregarding the cultures laws we can eventually relate the disrespect for the culture to the inevitable downfall of the culture. This great man, the only man willing to shed blood for his culture continually disrespected the culture. He did not loose his life fighting for what he believed in so much but, died disrespecting it. If this was the action of the last great defender of the culture then downfall of the culture was to surly be expected.

fter Okonkwo was scorned by Ezeani, the priest of the earth goddess, he is still too proud to admit openly to his neighbors that he is wrong. His neighbors begin to say he has grown proud. By Okonkwo growing proud and defying the laws of his culture, we begin to see how Okonkwo is a man that follows his own rules and not those of the tribe.

Okonkwo's final disrespect on his culture and gods can be seen within his actions to save his culture, preserve its beliefs, but in turn disrespecting the earth goddess with his final actions. From the time the Christian converts arrive, Okonkwo is driven with hatred against the men. At a meeting to discuss what should be done

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Approximate Word count = 762
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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