First published in 1959 (One of the first African novels written in English to receive global critical acclaim) Turning and turning. The key phrase of the poems reads, 'Things fall apart; the center cannot hold.' Underlying the aforementioned cultural themes is a theme of fate, or destiny.
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe: Summary & Analysis. Chapters 7- 1. 3Chapter 7: Okonkwo is pleased with Ikemefuna's influence on his son Nwoye. The tribal elders call for the death of Ikemefuna, who thinks he's being returned to his home village. On the way, a man takes out his machete to kill him. In fear, Ikemefuna runs to his . He chastises himself for being so weak- minded. Chapter 9: Ekwefi wakes Okonkwo and tells him his daughter Ezinma is dying. Okonkwo prepares her medicine and the story of Ekwefi's nine dead children is narrated. The dramatization of the epic contribution of Professor Chinua Achebe's book, 'Things Fall Apart'. The book, transcribed to more than 300 languages. Teaching Things Fall Apart In Wisconsin A Resource Guide for Educators Prepared by Heather DuBois Bourenane Center for the Humanities. All Things fall Apart will be released to DVD on April 23rd 2013. Check www.eagleentertainment.com.au for further details or follow us on www.facebook.com. Ezinma is Okonkwo's favorite. Chapter 1. 0: The egwuwu, nine village spirits who rule on tribal matters, who are actually clan leaders in really scary masks, appear. They solve a dispute between a husband and wife, who returned to live with her brothers because her husband beat her. Chapter 1. 1: Ekwefi tells Ezinma a story about a greedy turtle who tricks birds into giving him wings and taking him to a feast. Chielo, the priestess of Agbala, arrives and informs Ekwefi that the oracle wishes to see Ezinma, who cries at having to leave. Okonkwo and Ekwefi defy Chielo's instruction and follow her, separately, to the oracle's cave. Chapter 1. 2: Early in the morning, Chielo exits the oracle's cave. Okonkwo and Ekwefi, relieved, return to their huts and prepare for Obierika's daughter's betrothal festival. Chapter 1. 3: A great warrior dies and a large ceremony follows. The men fire guns, Okonkwo's misfires and kills the warrior's sixteen- year- old son. He is forced into exile for seven years. His hut and all his property is burned. Analysis: How do these guys remember so many gods? Most Westerners have enough trouble remembering one. Okonkwo displays tenderness toward his daughter and second wife. That little thing about killing his son, however, would probably be big on Youtube today and pretty much cancel out all the tenderness he displays toward Ezinma. Of course, I'm looking at his actions through my cultural lens, one that prohibits the senseless murder of young people and the disposing of twins into The Evil Forest at birth. Okonkwo's banishment seems harsh, causing Obierika to question the tribe's customs. For the remaining summary of Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, go to the next page. Major Themes in Things Fall Apart. Introduction. For many writers, the theme of a novel is the driving force of the book during its creation. Even if the author doesn't consciously identify an intended theme, the creative process is directed by at least one controlling idea — a concept or principle or belief or purpose significant to the author. The theme — often several themes — guides the author by controlling where the story goes, what the characters do, what mood is portrayed, what style evolves, and what emotional effects the story will create in the reader. Igbo Society Complexity. From Achebe's own statements, we know that one of his themes is thecomplexity of Igbo society before the arrival of the Europeans. To support this theme, he includes detailed descriptions of the justice codes and the trial process, the social and family rituals, the marriage customs, food production and preparation processes, the process of shared leadership for the community, religious beliefs and practices, and the opportunities for virtually every man to climb the clan's ladder of success through his own efforts. The book may have been written more simply as a study of Okonkwo's deterioration in character in an increasingly unsympathetic and incompatible environment, but consider what would have been lost had Achebe not emphasized the theme of the complex and dynamic qualities of the Igbo in Umuofia. Clash of Cultures. Against Achebe's theme of Igbo cultural complexity is his theme of the clash of cultures. This collision of cultures occurs at the individual and societal levels, and the cultural misunderstanding cuts both ways: Just as the uncompromising Reverend Smith views Africans as . Writing as an African who had been . Because of Okonkwo's inflexible nature, he seems destined for self- destruction, even before the arrival of the European colonizers. The arrival of a new culture only hastens Okonkwo's tragic fate. Two other characters contrast with Okonkwo in this regard: Mr. Brown, the first missionary, and Obierika, Okonkwo's good friend. Whereas Okonkwo is an unyielding man of action, the other two are more open and adaptable men of thought. Brown wins converts by first respecting the traditions and beliefs of the Igbo and subsequently allowing some accommodation in the conversion process. Like Brown, Obierika is also a reasonable and thinking person. He does not advocate the use of force to counter the colonizers and the opposition. Rather, he has an open mind about changing values and foreign culture: . Obierika's receptive and adaptable nature may be more representative of the spirit of Umuofia than Okonkwo's unquestioning rigidity. For example, consider Umuofia's initial lack of resistance to the establishment of a new religion in its midst. With all its deep roots in tribal heritage, the community hardly takes a stand against the intruders — against new laws as well as new religion. What accounts for this lack of community opposition? Was Igbo society more receptive and adaptable than it appeared to be? The lack of strong initial resistance may also come from the fact that the Igbo society does not foster strong central leadership. This quality encourages individual initiative toward recognition and achievement but also limits timely decision- making and the authority- backed actions needed on short notice to maintain its integrity and welfare. Whatever the reason — perhaps a combination of these reasons — the British culture and its code of behavior, ambitious for its goals of native . When representatives of a foreign culture (beginning with Christian missionaries) enter Igbo territory and accept these marginalized people — including the twins — at their full human value, the Igbo's traditional shared leadership finds itself unable to control its whole population. The lack of a clear, sustaining center of authority in Igbo society may be the quality that decided Achebe to draw his title from the Yeats poem, . This theme is also played at the individual and societal levels. In the story, readers are frequently reminded about this theme in references to chi, the individual's personal god as well as his ultimate capability and destiny. Okonkwo, at his best, feels that his chi supports his ambition: . At his worst, Okonkwo feels that his chi has let him down: His chi . A man could not rise beyond the destiny of his chi.. Here was a man whose chi said nay despite his own affirmation.
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