Critical analysis of Things Fall Apart

Name: Makwana Monika

Paper No: 14 The African Literature

Roll no:-19

Topic: critical analysis of Things Fall Apart

Enrollment No: 206910842020190027

Email I’D: makwanamonika76@gmail.com

Submitted to: SMT. S.B. Gardi Department of English

Introduction

The present novel “Things Fall Apart” is written by Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe. Chinua Achebe belongs to Nigeria. The novel is written in very hard language and the narrative structure of Things Fall Apart follows a cyclical pattern. And that chronicles Okonkwo’s youth in Umuofia. Main character of the novel is Okonkwo and his seven-year exile in Mbanta. In this each of the novel’s three parts covers one of these periods of Okonkwo’s life. These three parts of the novel also map onto a gendered narrative structure and it follows Okonkwo from fatherland to motherland back to fatherland. The novel is hard to understand. Its language is very difficult, because it is African novel. Here, talked about the character of Okonkwo and about his journey.  This gendered narrative structure functions in counter point with the character of Okonkwo’s ongoing obsession with his own masculinity. Moreover every tried to gain status and become an exemplar of traditional Igbo masculinity. Meanwhile Okonkwo suffers from a feeling of relentless emasculation. Okonkwo’s struggle to achieve respect again and again draws him into conflict with his community. He achieved very much respect and eventually leading both to his own downfall and to that of Umuofia and the nine villages. The novel’s Part one is emphasizes on Okonkwo’s coming-of-age, and his attempts to distance himself from the disgraced legacy of his father. His father’s name is Unoka and Okonkwo fears from his father’s weakness. Okonkwo’s tireless attempts and singular drive and he along with his local fame as a wrestling champion. And Okonkwo’s zeal frequently leads him towards astray, like when he kills Ikemefuna. Ikemefuna is a young boy who became his surrogate son after being surrendered to Umuofia by the other village to establish a violent strife. While when the clan elders decide it was time for Ikemefuna killing, an elder named Ogbuefi Ezeudu tells Okonkwo that he should “not bear a hand in [Ikemefuna] death.” Moreover this warning, a moment of panic after all leads Okonkwo to bring his machete down on his surrogate son: ‘He is afraid of being weak’, Okonkwo shows him quick to anger with his wives and short in endurance with his children. His attachment with atop mobility and traditional masculinity tends to alienate others, and leaving him in a uncertain social position.

Things Fall Apart

 This novel is written by Famous African novelist Chinua Achebe. This novel is based on the character of Okonkwo. He is a clan of Umuofia. Okonkwo is a wealthy and respective person of the Umuofia clan and a lower Nigerian tribe. He is very much struggle for his reputation. Okonkwo was haunted by the actions of Unoka (his father) his timidly and spendthrift father. His father was died in discredit, and leaving many village debts volatile. Okonkwo became a clansman. He becomes a warrior, farmer, and his family provider extraordinaire. He has a 12 year old son. His name is Nwoye whom he finds so lazy; Okonkwo worries that Nwoye will end up a failure as his father, Unoka. In neighboring tribe, Umuofia wins a virgin and a 15 year-old boy, named Ikemefuna. Okonkwo takes charge of the boy. And Okonkwo finds an ideal son in Ikemefuna. His son Nwoye likewise forms a strong attachment to Ikemefuna. Moreover, his fondness for Ikemefuna and moreover the fact happed that the boy begins to call him “father,” Okonkwo does not show him any affection for him. Ikemefuna leaves with Okonkwo’s family for 3 years. The boy named Nwoye looks him like an older brother and, much to Okonkwo’s happiness, grows a more masculine attitude. Ogbuefi Ezeudu, an honest village elder, informs Okonkwo in personal that the Oracle was said that Ikemefuna must be killed. He tells him that because the boy Ikemefuna calls him “father. While Okonkwo should not take part in the boy’s death. Then Okonkwo lies to Ikemefuna, telling him that they must return him to his home village. Nwoye detonates into tears.

Ikemefuna thinks about that him seeing his mother. After so many hours of walking, some Okonkwo’s clansmen’s attack the boy with machetes. Ikemefuna runs towards Okonkwo for help. But Okonkwo did not help him. Meanwhile he didn’t wish to look coward in front of his fellow tribesmen, cuts the boy down while the Oracle’s admonishment. Then Okonkwo returns home, Nwoye tells that his friend is dead. Because killing a clansman was a crime for the earth goddess and Okonkwo must take his family into exile for 7 years in order to relief. He gathers his most reputable belongings and takes his family to his mother’s village, named Mbanta. The men from Ogbuefi Ezeudu’s quarter ignite Okonkwo’s buildings and kill his animals to cleanse the village of his evil. Especially his uncle named Uchendu, acknowledge him warmly. They help him for build a new compound of cottages and lend him yam seeds to start a farm. Although he was bitterly disappearing at his misfortune, he conciliates himself to life in his motherland.  Moreover, during the 2nd year of Okonkwo’s relegation, Obierika brings several cowries bags that he has made by selling Okonkwo’s yams. Obierika also brings the bad news that Abame, one of the villages, was destroyed by the white man. They tell them that their gods are false and that worshipping more than one God was idolatrous. But the villagers were not understood how the Holy Trinity can be accepted like one God. Although his ideal was to convert the residents of Umuofia to Christianity, while Mr. Brown did not allow his followers to antagonize the clan. Mr. Brown falls ill and was soon replaced by Reverend James Smith, an intolerant and strict man. The Commissioner of district was upset by the ember of the church and requests that the leaders of Umuofia to met with them. When, the leaders were handcuffed and went in jail, there they suffer from insults and much physical abuse. After the prisoners were freed, the clansmen held a meeting, in between which court messengers approach and order the clansmen to omit. Expecting that his clan members to join him in insurrection. Okonkwo killed their leader through his machete. When the crowd allows the other messengers to release, Okonkwo feels that his clan was not willing to go to war. The Commissioner of District has arrives at Okonkwo’s courtyard he finds there that Okonkwo has hanged himself (Okonkwo). Obierika and his friends draw the commissioner to the body. The commissioner wrote a book about Africa and believes that the story of Okonkwo’s rebellion or death will makes for an interesting paragraph or two. He was already chosen the book’s title: The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger. 

Characters of the novel 

Okonkwo

Okonkwo’s do very hard work and prowess in war have earns him a position of high status in his clan. And he attains wealth and rich sufficient to support his three wives and their children. Okonkwo’s tragic flaw was that he is afraid of looking weak like his father. As a result, he behaves badly, gaining a great deal of danger and sorrow upon himself and his family.

Nwoye 

Nwoye is Okonkwo’s oldest son, whom Okonkwo thinks that he is weak and lazy. Okonkwo continually beats Nwoye, hoping to correct the faults that he feels in him. He Influenced by Ikemefuna, Nwoye begins to exhibit more masculine behavior, which pleases Okonkwo. He maintains doubt about some of the laws and rules of his tribe.  While, eventually he swift to Christianity, an act that Okonkwo tell as “effeminate.” Okonkwo believes that Nwoye was grief with the same weaknesses as his father, Unoka.

Ezinma 

She is a stronger and only child of Okonkwo and second wife, Ekwefi. The only one of Ekwefi’s ten children to survive past infancy, Ezinma is the center of her mother’s world. Their relationship was atypical. Ezinma calls Ekwefi by her name and was treated by her like an equal. Ezinma was also Okonkwo’s favorite child, for she was understands him better than any of his other children and remembers him of Ekwefi when Ekwefi was the village beauty. Okonkwo by chance shows his affection, while, because he fears that doing so would make him look lazy.

Ikemefuna 

He is a boy given to Okonkwo by one neighboring village. Ikemefuna lives in the cottage of Okonkwo’s first wife and quickly becomes popular with Okonkwo’s children. He developed a close relationship with the boy Nwoye, son of Okonkwo. Okonkwo too became a very fond of Ikemefuna.  Ikemefuna calls him “father” and was a perfect clansman. While Okonkwo didn’t show his affection because he feels fear that doing so would make him looks weak.

Mr. Brown 

He was the first white missionary to travel to Umuofia.. He was becomes friends to prominent clansmen and builds a school and a hospital in Umuofia. Moreover Reverend Smith, he tries to appeal with respect to the tribe’s valuable system rather than impose his religion on it.

Reverend James Smith 

He was the missionary who replaced Mr. Brown. Unlike Mr. Brown, Reverend Smith was strict. He wants that his converts dismiss all of their indigenous beliefs. And he shows no respect for indigenous customs or culture. He is the stereotypical white colonialist, and his behavior abridges the problems of colonialism. He provokes his pooling, provoking it to anger.

Themes

The Struggle between Change and Tradition

Things Fall Apart is deals with how the prospect and reality of changes affect on various characters. The tension about moreover change should be privileged over tradition repeatedly involves questions of personal status. 

Varying Interpretations of Masculinity

Okonkwo’s relationship with his late father shapes much of his anger and ambitious behavior. Okonkwo attempts to rise above his father’s legacy of weakness

Language as a Sign of Cultural Difference

Language is a very important theme in novel ‘Things Fall Apart ‘on several levels. Achebe says that Africa was not the silent and incomprehensible continent that books such as Heart of Darkness made it out to be. 

Locusts

Achebe describes the locusts that descend on the village in highly allegorical terms and it prefigures the arrival of the white settlers. They will feast on and exploit the resources of the Igbo

Conclusion

Chinua Achebe tries to portray the struggle between change and tradition, varying interpretations of masculinity through the character of Okonkwo. In the end of the novel he killed himself also. The novel is written in very hard language and the narrative structure of Things Fall Apart follows a cyclical pattern. It is very hard to understand first.