Things Fall Apart 3

A detailed Summary of Things Fall Apart 3

Things Fall Apart is by the widely acclaimed African author Chinua Achebe. The story told is a tragic one of a person by the name of Okonkwo who's own stubborn views about what it is to be a man leads to his own demise. Okonkwo is often compared by people to the tragic hero like those in Greek tragedies. This is probably the primary way in which the text is interpreted but I feel Achebe is trying to make another point as well through the story. Achebe received inspiration to write the novel from a poem written by an Englishman by the name of William Butler Yeats. The title of the poem is The Second Coming. The poem talks about anarchy that is upon the world during the present time and how things will change with the "second coming." During this "second coming" the chaos that is prevalent will end finally after two thousand years. Achebe uses this poems basic idea by creating the story of Okonkwo who lives in a chaotic and barbaric world. To outsiders who are observing Okonkwo's people, they may certainly seem uncivilized in many ways. Achebe symbolizes the end of this anarchy in Okonkwo's society by the introduction of Christian missionaries who pacify the Ibo people and ultimately cause the death of Okonkwo. I believe Okonkwo is

The introduction of Christianity into Ibo society brought an end to the madness. It brought law and order and also a better sense of morality. In the seven years that Okonkwo was gone things changed greatly. As soon as he left the missionaries came and started to spread the new faith among the people. These Christians brought with them a government and judicial system as well as a new way of life. Soon the Ibo society was being influenced by all this and became tamer and less ruthless. They were realizing that it was ok for them to be soft as was taught by the missionaries. With the judicial system, punishments were just and severe so many of the barbaric acts committed by the Ibo people that were mentioned before were curbed. Christianity taught them to love and respect one another and even though there were not many converts at first, the beliefs definitely rubbed off on them. When Okonkwo came back from exile, he was still the hard ruthless man he always was. He saw that his society had changed but he had not and he had much animosity against them. He felt they had become like women and he saw this especially when he killed the messenger and no one prevented the other messengers from escaping. Okonkwo killed himself because he did not want to die at the hands of the people he despised the most. Okonkwo was the last of that which was strongly against Christianity and the positive changes.

The Ibo people live a very peaceful but ignorant life

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Approximate Word count = 981
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels