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THINGS
FALL APART
ISBN
0385474547
by Chinua
Achebe
|
"Chinua Achebe is
gloriously gifted with the magic of an ebullient, generous, great talent."-Nadine
Gordimer
 Guide
Contents:
Note
to Teachers
Structure,
Technique and Plot
Character and Conflict
Setting
and Society
Themes
and Motifs
Imagery
and Language
For Discussion and Assignment
For Further Reading
Other
Works by Chinua Achebe
Supplemental Reading
Sources
on Nigeria
Things Fall Apart
is acclaimed as the finest novel written about life in Nigeria at
the end of the nineteenth century. Published in 1958, it is unquestionably
the world's most widely read African novel, having sold more than eight
million copies in English and been translated into fifty languages.
But it offers far more than access to pre-colonial Nigeria and the cataclysmic
changes brought about by the British. It also can be a window into the
story of the Aborigines in Australia, the Maori of New Zealand, and
the First Nations of North, Central, and South America in the "falling
apart" of the indigenous cultures of these and other places whose centers
could not hold.
Chinua Achebe is
the ideal teller of this story, born in Nigeria in 1930 and growing
up in the Igbo town of Ogidi. He spoke Igbo at home and studied English
in school, imbibing the dual culture. In an autobiographical essay,
he describes his childhood as being "at the crossroads of cultures."
In the course of a distinguished academic and literary career, much
of it in exile, Achebe has been the recipient of many awards, beginning
with the Margaret Wrong Memorial Prize in 1959 for Things Fall Apart
and including more than thirty honorary doctorates. Achebe is in great
demand throughout the world as a speaker and visiting lecturer, and
is presently teaching at Bard College in New York.
Achebe uses that
most English of literary forms, the novel, to make his story accessible
to Westerners, and interlaces the narrative with Igbo proverbs and folktales.
The novel challenges Western notions of historical truth, and prods
readers into questioning our perception of pre-colonial and colonial
Africa. More than half the novel is devoted to a depiction of Igbo culture,
artfully drawn as we follow the rise to eminence of the protagonist.
As a champion wrestler and a great warrior, Okonkwo is a natural leader.
His flaw, however, is that he never questions the received wisdom of
his ancestors. For this reason he is not drawn in a flattering light,
but his culture is given a full and fair depiction.
Students might well
keep journals in which they identify their own culture's equivalent
to each Igbo folkway, discovering affinities as well as differences.
There is no culture shock in discovering that Okonkwo's father has low
status because of his laziness and improvidence. He would rather play
his flute than repay his debts. It follows, then, that land, a full
barn, expensive titles, and many wives confer status. Our protagonist
is ambitious. Indeed, one of his flaws is his fear of failure, of becoming
like his father.
Viewing society
from the inside, students can make inferences about why a high value
is accorded to clan solidarity, kinship, and hospitality, and the reasons
for courtship and funeral customs. In a culture without written language,
the arts of conversation and oration are prized. Wisdom is transmitted
through proverbs, stories, and myths. The agrarian cycle of seasons,
with their work and festivals, the judicious use of snuff and palm wine,
the importance of music and dance, all could be noted and compared to
similar Western mores. Law and justice keep the peace, pronouncing on
a land dispute or the killing of a clansman. A priestess and masked
tribesmen interpret the Oracle, speaking for ancestors and gods. They
enforce taboos against twins and suicide, and offer explanations for
high infant mortality.
The second and third
parts of the novel trace the inexorable advance of Europeans. For years,
stories told about white slavers are given little credence in Okonkwo's
village. The first white man to arrive in a nearby village is killed
because of an omen, and in retribution all are slaughtered by British
guns. Christian missionaries seem to be madmen, their message of wicked
ways and false gods attractive only to outcasts. But along with Christianity
come hospitals and schools, converting farmers to court clerks and teachers.
Trading stores pay high prices for palm oil. Government is closely linked
to religion and literacy. A District Commissioner superimposes Queen
Victoria's laws, and Africans from distant tribes serve as corrupt court
messengers and prison guards.
Okonkwo, upholder
of the ways of his ancestors, is inevitably cast in the role of tragic
hero. His eldest son's early conversion merely hardens his belief in
a rigid code of manly behavior. In exile during the first years of colonization,
he has less understanding of the power of the Europeans than his now-passive
kinsmen. His doom is swift and sure. By the novel's end, readers flinch
when a British official reduces Okonkwo's life and death to a passing
reference in a book he plans to write to be titled The Pacification
of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger.
Note: This
guide uses the contemporary spelling, Igbo, rather than Ibo.
Structure,
Technique and Plot
- The novel is
structured in three parts. What do the divisions reflect about the
stages of life of the protagonist? How do the divisions move toward
and illustrate the collapse of Igbo society?
- What is the
point of view of the narrator? How does the point of view contribute
to our understanding of the conflicting cultures? What techniques
does the narrator use to evoke a participatory role for the reader?
- In the novel's
opening, Okonkwo is wrestling. How does this contrast with the ending,
when Okonkwo is deliberating about an adequate response to the British
humiliation of the Igbo elders in jail?
- Achebe uses storytelling
flashbacks to describe the relationship of Okonkwo and Unoka. What
do the flashbacks reveal about their relationship? What is the effect
of the use of storytelling to illustrate the flashbacks?
- In Chapter One,
how does Achebe foreshadow the presence (and ultimate fate) of Ikemefuna?
- Describe the
judicial function of the egwugwu and its relationship to the living,
particularly to Igbo women. Why is it also related to the spiritual
world? How does Achebe illustrate the blending of the spiritual and
real worlds?
- How does the
killing of Ikemefuna foreshadow the fall of Okonkwo?
- Why is Okonkwo
exiled? Why is the exile ironic? Compare to Okonkwo's participation
in the killing of Ikemefuna and its lack of consequences.
- When and how
is the white man introduced? Trace the chronology of the Igbo people's
responses to the arrival and settlement of the white man. What attitudes
toward the Igbo people do the white men bring and how do their attitudes
determine their treatment of the Igbo people?
- How does Achebe
use incidents to paint the general character of the white colonizers?
- How does Okonkwo
achieve greatness as defined by his culture
- Why is Unoka,
who suffers from a swelling in the stomach, left to die in the evil
forest?
- How does Okonkwo
differ from his father? What are his feelings toward his father? How
does his father shape Okonkwo's character and actions as an adult
male? Cite examples in the attitude and actions of Okonkwo that show
the Igbo division of what is considered manly and what is considered
womanly.
- Why is Okonkwo
unhappy with his son and heir? How do his feelings toward Nwoye compare
with his feelings toward Ikemefuna? How do Okonkwo's feelings affect
Nwoye?
- Why is Ikemefuna
killed? Why does Okonkwo participate in the slaughter in spite of
an elder's advice not to become involved in the sacrifice? How does
Nwoye react to the sacrifice?
- Okonkwo changes
significantly after the killing of Ikemefuna. Describe those changes
and tell how they reflect Okonkwo's struggle with his feminine side.
- Consider Okonkwo's
relationship to his daughter Ezinma and how he regards her compared
to how he regards Nwoye.
- During Okonkwo's
exile, Obierika proves to be his friend. How do Obierika's actions
show true friendship?
- Describe actions
that depict Obierika as Okonkwo's alter ego.
- Why does Nwoye
convert to Christianity? How does his conversion affect his relationship
with his father?
- Describe Mr.
Brown. How is his portrayal different from the Igbo characters? Compare
and contrast him with other white colonists.
- Describe Enoch.
How do his actions show disdain for Igbo traditions?
- How does the
Reverend Smith's personality differ from that of Mr. Brown? What is
the impact of Reverend Smith's personality on the village?
- The novel begins
in Umuofia and ends in Umuofia. Describe this village. What surprises
you about life in an African tribal community? What preconceptions
did you bring to your reading that were either reinforced or changed?
- Why do the community
celebrations make Okonkwo unhappy? How do Okonkwo's feelings conflict
with the culture of his community? Cite examples.
- Igbo culture
is patriarchal. What is the role of women in the community? Does their
role make them less valuable than men? How does wife beating reflect
the community attitude toward women? Cite examples.
- Near the beginning
of the novel, we learn that Okonkwo has several wives. Describe the
polygamous structure of Okonkwo's family. What does this arrangement
reveal about family life in the community?
- An African proverb
states, "It takes a village to raise a child." How does this statement
reflect the care of children in the Igbo community?
- Describe the
Igbo extended family system. How does it help Okonkwo to survive his
exile in Mbanta?
- Compare and contrast
Umuofia and Mbanta. How do their similarities and differences add
to an understanding of the Igbo culture?
- A significant
social marker in Igbo society is the honorific title system. Describe
how the use of titles allows Igbo members to compare themselves with
each other.
- What is the symbolic
meaning of the Week of Peace for the Igbo people? How does Okonkwo's
anger violate the custom and what are the consequences of his action?
- Agriculture is
important in the Igbo community. How does sharecropping contribute
to the prosperity of the community? How does it affect individuals?
- What is the significance
of the yam? What is the purpose of the New Yam Festival? How is it
related to the religion of the community?
- Explain the concept
of ogbanje. Show how it is reflected in the relationship of Ekwefi
and Ezinma.
- How do the Igbo
marriage negotiations and rituals compare with other nineteenth-century
cultures in which the bride's family pays a dowry? What do these rituals
reveal about the level of sophistication of pre-colonial Igbo civilization?
- Obierika, a close
friend, mourns the exile of Okonkwo, yet participates in the destruction
of Okonkwo's property. Explain how Obierika's response to the exile
signals a questioning of community traditions.
- How does pre-colonial
life in Umuofia differ from Western society? Are there similarities?
Cite examples of any similarities and differences.
- Describe the
Igbo concept of chi and how the concept relates to Okonkwo's desired
success in life.
- How is the theme
of fate or destiny illustrated through the actions of the characters?
- Fear is pervasive
throughout the novel. How does fear affect the actions of Okonkwo?
Of Nwoye? How does fear influence Okonkwo's relationship with others?
- How is the concept
of change and the response to change presented in the novel? What
is the significance of the song sung at the end of Chapter Twelve?
How does this new song convey the theme of change?
- Who is Chukwu?
How does Chukwu compare with the Christian concept of a supreme being?
Use the conversation between Akunna and Mr. Brown to support your
comparison.
- How is Christianity
depicted? Why does Achebe focus on the Trinity?
- How does education
advance Christianity among the Igbo people?
- What are the
human consequences of the collision between the two cultures? Describe
both the societal and personal clashes.
- At the end of
Chapter Twenty, Obierika tells Okonkwo, "He [the white man] has put
a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart."
Explain the significance of this statement.
- How does Okonkwo's
suicide represent a break in the traditional Igbo culture?
- Achebe seamlessly
merges Igbo vocabulary into the general text. Explain how he helps
readers to understand Igbo words and concepts that have no English
language equivalents.
- Achebe's characters
tell traditional folk tales and intersperse their conversation with
Igbo words, phrases and sayings. How does this use of language convey
a sense of Igbo culture?
- Explain the importance
of folktales in the informal education of the children. Why does Nwoye
like the tales of his mother better than those of his father?
- How does the
legend of the old woman with one leg help to explain why the other
clans fear Umuofia?
- How does the
language of the women and children differ from that used by the priests,
diviners, and titled men? What is the significance of this difference?
- Wrestling is
a recurring image. In addition to the literal match at the beginning
of the novel, what are other examples of the theme of wrestling and
how do they contribute to the overall theme?
- What is the significance
of the drums in communication among the villages of Umuofia? Why are
they esoteric?
- What is the significance
of the pidgin English that is used for communication between the Igbo
people and the colonists?
- The title of
the novel comes from a line in The Second Coming by William Butler
Yeats. Read this poem and apply it to the breakdown of African society
as described in the novel.
- What is the significance
of the three proverbs in Chapter One? What is Achebe's purpose in
using Igbo proverbs in the novel? How do proverbs promote the narrative
action in the novel? What do they reveal about Igbo culture? Locate
additional proverbs in the novel and explain their meaning and how
they foster Igbo tradition.
- How does the
plot in Things Fall Apart follow the conventions of the Western tragedy,
such as when major actions of the protagonist or hero create disastrous
outcomes? Is Okonkwo a tragic hero? Compare Okonkwo with Oedipus,
who is punished for the inadvertent murder of his father. How do they
attempt to escape their fate? What are the tragic flaws that cause
their downfalls? How do they evoke both pity and fear?
- In what ways
is Things Fall Apart a response to Conrad's Heart of Darkness - or
other works of literature that contain demeaning stereotypes?
- Achebe does
not paint a clear view of good versus evil in either the Igbo culture
or colonialism. How does Achebe show value in both systems?
- In an interview
shortly after the publication of Things Fall Apart, Achebe stated
that his goal for writing the novel was: " ...to help my society regain
belief in itself and put away the complexes of the denigration and
self-abasement." Explain how he did or did not meet his goal.
- In pre-colonial
Nigeria, there were many spellings of the name Igbo. By the time Achebe
wrote Things Fall Apart, the spelling was being standardized. Why
do you think Achebe uses the archaic spelling, Ibo, instead of the
contemporary spelling, Igbo?
For
further reading
No Longer at
Ease by Chinua Achebe (1960) is the sequel to Things Fall Apart.
It carries the reader forward in the lives of the descendants of Okonkwo.
The novel focuses on Obi Okonkwo, whose downfall is caused by his inability
to deal with the conflicting value systems of Igbo culture and his English
training. No Longer at Ease is set in the late 1950's.
Arrow of God
by Chinua Achebe (1964) takes place during the era between No Longer
at Ease and Things Fall Apart. It is the story of an Igbo
priest who copes with change by compromising his values and traditions.
He sends his son to a mission school and testifies against his people
in a land dispute. The result is that the Igbo people turn from the
Igbo priest to the religion of the mission church. Again, Achebe shows
how African tradition loses to European culture.
Other
Works by Chinua Achebe
Anthills of the
Savannah
Girls at War and Other Stories
A Man of the People
Essays:
Home and Exile
Morning Yet on Creation Day
Hopes and Impediments: Selected Essays
Supplemental
Reading
Mister Johnson,
Joyce Cary
Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad
Chinua Achebe, Ezenwa-Ohaeto
Omalinze: A Book of Igbo Folk-tales edited by E. Nolue Emenanjo
(Oxford University Press, 1977)
The Growth of the African Novel, Eustace Palmer
Sources
on Nigeria
The Library of Congress
maintains a comprehensive web site on Nigeria, including historical
information on pre-colonial and colonial history.
Go to http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/ngtoc.html
For a comprehensive
bibliography on contemporary and historical issues regarding Nigeria,
go to Stanford University's Africa South of the Sahara web site http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/ssrg/africa/guide.html
This Teacher's Guide
was produced by Daniel Beaupré of Education Quests, LLC and written
by Judith Moore Kelly, Director of the District of Columbia Area Writing
Project at Howard University. Advisors were Barbara Bloy, retired English
Department Head and Advanced Placement teacher at Ransom Everglades
School in Miami, Florida and Robin Osborn, retired English Department
Head and Advanced Placement teacher at the Taft School in Watertown,
Connecticut.
Copyright © 2001
by ANCHOR BOOKS
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