Africans believed that "death does not end it" in other words when you die you are not finished yet. This is shown in their belief in spiritism, which is a view that unseen personal beings influence the lives of men and are mostly spirits of men who held titles or high esteem in the village(McVeigh 25).

There were also two other beliefs that they held to be true. One was a belief in dynamism, which was a conviction that a mysterious impersonal power was at work in the universe(McVeigh 25). The other dealt with monotheism, meaning, only one true God is supreme and the creator of all things. (Mc Veigh 25) This last thought left the Africans open to Christianity (or so it would seem) but in the book we see what they really meant by one true God. The Igbo called their one God Chukwu. To them Chukwu made the entire world and all the other gods. They make sacrifices to the little gods, but turn to him when all else fails. To them this is "approaching

Although many tribes and villages believe differently in some aspects, they still all hold a single deep-rooted belief that the dead may lie in the ground. The dead will continue to be the true fathers that hold their fertility and authority of the village. The dead ancestors originate all customs, all traditions, and rules. This is why when we read the accounts of Achebe's book it is so hard for the missionaries to relay their messages and receive any response because of the belief and idea that the dead still watch over them.

McVeigh, Malcom J. God in Africa. Vermont, 1974.

Everything I have mentioned pertains to the myths and type of religion the Africans uphold in the book. All of which are instilled in them from the beginning. As read in the book, it is easy for them to turn their back on their religion, but hard to turn their back on their fathers.

Work Cited

There were also two other beliefs that they held to be true. One was a belief in dynamism, which was a conviction that a mysterious impersonal power was at work in the universe(McVeigh 25). The other dealt with monotheism, meaning, only one true God is supreme and the creator of all things. (Mc Veigh 25) This last thought left the Africans open to Christianity (or so it would seem) but in the book we see what they really meant by one true God. The Igbo called their one God Chukwu. To them Chukwu made the entire world and all the other gods. They make sacrifices to the little gods, but turn to him when all else fails. To them this is "approaching a great man through his servants" (Achebe 179-181).

There are two types of crimes that a person can commit: a male and female type. Accidents were considered a female type because they were done inadvertently, as in the one Okonkwo commits. "It is a crime against the Earth goddess to kill a clansman, and a man who committed it must flee from the land" (Achebe 124). Since Okonkwo's gun accidentally went off his crime was considered female. Because of this he must have seven years of absence from his village.

Although many tribes and villages believe differently in some aspects, they still all hold a single deep-rooted belief that the dead may lie in the ground. The dead will continue to be the true fathers that hold their fertility and authority of the village. The dead ancestors originate all customs, all traditions, and rules. This is why when we read the accounts of Achebe's book it is so hard for the missionaries to relay their messages and receive any response because of the belief and idea that the dead still watch over them.

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 3065
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page double spaced)