Chinua Achebe - Things Fall Apart
In Chinua Achebe's novel "Things Fall Apart" there are many important issues to discuss. One important question to ask is, "Were the European colonists/missionaries wrong in the fact that they invaded a society that did not want to be changed?" The Europeans condemned the Ibo people as "barbarians" and "savages," which were justifiable by the European religious and social definitions of the words. The similar mentalities are present in the three quotes by F. Hegel, R. Burton, and S. Baker. Ultimately, the Europeans began a moral crusade to "save" the barbarians from what they saw as their own ultimate "demise." In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe presents to us the destruction of a traditional native culture, the weakening of Ibo spirituality, as well as the death of the tribe's livelihood. He reveals that the ever apparent cause can be found in a seemingly good intended mission, acting as a gateway for the intrusion of a foreign government. Throughout the failures and defeats of this society (in response to European colonialism) Achebe shows us the true vision of these African civilizations, and the African Mind, Spirit, and Presence is celebrated.The ideological system of colonization has been a violent destructive force
"African savages....not to be compared to the noble than a savage rising to the first step were it not for his total rudimental mind....his total incapacity for The main character, Okonkwo, has not been mentioned because Achebe's message was larger than this farmer's story. Through Okonkwo failures and his ultimate downfall, much merit is given to the Ibo culture. Though it had its faults, it was a culture that worked for the people. Achebe is successful in his contradiction of closed-minded thought and although the Ibo culture is ripped to shreds by the end of his novel, the very culture of The Ibo "successful because it lives through the readers everywhere..." Today, people are reading about the Ibo culture and are witnessing the very thing that the Europeans attempted to silence. Okonkwo brings "disaster on his head," but he can "be viewed as a defiant hero defending his people's way of life." Everything that Okonkwo stood for did not die with him - it is still being revealed to those who read his story. incapacity for improvement." (R. Burton)
Some common words found in the essay are:
Nwoye Mbanta, Chinua Achebe, Fall Apart, Achebe African, Spirit Presence, Forest Religion, Christianity Ibo, Umuofia Tribe, Akunna Brown's, Ibo Achebe, ibo people, ibo religion, fall apart, ibo culture, natives proud religion, ibo spirituality, culture ibo, quotes hegel, chinua achebe, europeans attempted, achebe's novel fall, novel fall apart, natives proud,
Approximate Word count = 2450
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
