Things Fall Apart 8
In looking at Things Fall Apart, and its representation of two entirely dissimilar groups of people, cultural superiority is questioned. When diverse cultures cross, there is controversy concerning which way of life is better. One culture may feel that the way of life they have been living is better than the other. However, it is not for any ethnicity to say their society is better than another. In fact, a group may actually be causing harm to another by simply trying to prove their culture is better. It is clear that for the Ibo people, the Ibo culture is best for their lives. This becomes evident by observing how the natives view and respect their culture, how the government of the Ibo tribe functions, and how the Christian culture disrespects the Ibo.Achebe provides examples of how the natives feel about their own culture. They highly respect their culture and religion. Their religion has many Gods who keep order among the people. Achebe is very concerned with representing the Umuofia Tribe as having a distinct culture and civilization. The tribe is very cultural and its people believe sincerely in their Gods. When they break the Kola nuts and make offerings, they show they are civilized and respect one-another. A
In conclusion, Achebe reveals the misunderstandings that can arise when two different cultures encounter each other. The missionaries who come to the village believe sincerely in the doctrines of Christianity. The Ibo people, however, believe just as sincerely in their ancestral spirits and the many gods of their religion. It is evident that the Ibo people had a well-organized lifestyle in which they were content, before the presence of Christians in their society. Their lives were precisely fashioned through traditions passed down from generation to generation, which preserved order in the tribe. When the missionaries arrived, it introduced an entirely new way of life, which the Ibo people did not know how to deal with. This was because they didn't have any guidelines to follow from previous generations since the missionaries had not come to the tribe before. It brought chaos to the tribe when they were perfectly content and productive with their way of life. Therefore, the Ibo culture is better suited for their lifestyle. Achebe's Things Fall Apart shows how chaos relates to any situation in which traditional values are called into question and people from different cultures meet for the first time. lso, the Ibo are cultured enough to understand and differentiate among different customs. "You say there is one supreme God who made heaven and earth," said Akunna on one of Mr. Brown's visits. We also believe in Him and call Him Chukwu."(Pg. 179) By contrasting the two
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Approximate Word count = 996
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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