Things Fall Apart Things Fall Apart Essay

, Research Paper

World Civilization II

Thingss Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe & # 8217 ; s first novel, tells the narrative of an Ibo small town of the late 1800 & # 8217 ; s. It besides tells about one of its great work forces, Okonkwo, who has achieved much in his life. He is a title-holder grappler, a hubby to three married womans, a champion among his people, and a member of the choice egwugwu. In this novel Achebe has been able to light two emotionally incompatible aspects of modern African life ; the humiliations visited on Africans by colonialism, and the permanent effects of this imposed foreign civilization or what was left of colonial regulation.

The ideological system of colonisation has been a violent destructive force on the universe, as we know it. Slavery, slaying, force, colza, and anguish of non-European peoples was the barbarous world of colonisation. European states, with the motivations of sheer greed, brought Africans into bondage. This hostile return over was rationalized through the racialist political orientation that native peoples were inferior barbarians.

In Things Fall Apart, we witnessed the devastation of a traditional native civilization. More specifically we witnessed the weakening of Igbo spiritualty, every bit good as the decease of the folk & # 8217 ; s support. The evident cause can be found in a apparently good intended mission moving as a gateway for the invasion of a foreign authorities. Besides it was its quest to suppress a self-sustaining, comfortable civilization. Although the Igbo ruin was caused chiefly by the invasion of Christian missionaries, their ain faith played a important function in leting the initial infiltration of an foreign faith. This was the concluding devastation of a one time comfortable civilization.

Igbo spiritualty weakened in two moving ridges. First, Christianity provided the replies that the dwellers of Umuofia and Mbanta were seeking. Example:

Obierika was a adult male who thought about things. When the will of the goddess had been done, he sat in his obeah and mourned his friend & # 8217 ; s catastrophe. Why should a adult male suffer so grievously for an discourtesy he had committed unwittingly? But although he thought for a long clip he found no reply. He was simply led into greater complexnesss. He remembered his married woman & # 8217 ; s duplicate kids, whom he had thrown off. What offense had they committed? ( TFA 125 ) .

This transition seems to bespeak that there is a representative attitude of uncertainty within Umuofia. Customss such as throwing off twins and human forfeit were disturbing and no justification could be found within their ain spiritual philosophy. The seasonableness of Christianity allowed it to distribute because it was the lone available option to turn to. The villagers needed replies to explicate the uncertainnesss they were experiencing and Christianity was the lone believable option. This attitude is once more characterized by Nwoye while he is in Mbanta:

It was non the huffy logic of the Trinity that captivated him. He did non understand it. . . . The anthem about brothers who sat in darkness and fright seemed to reply a vague and relentless inquiry that haunted his immature psyche & # 8211 ; the inquiry of the twins lying in the shrub and the inquiry of Ikemefuna who was killed. He felt a alleviation within as the anthem poured into his adust psyche. ( TFA 147 )

The mission besides gained regard and power by making acti

vities that were believed to convey certain decease, as prescribed by Igbo spiritualty.

The following twenty-four hours the brainsick work forces really began to clear portion of the wood and to construct their house. The dwellers of Mbanta expected them all to be dead within four yearss. The First twenty-four hours passed and the 2nd and the 3rd and the 4th, and none of them died. Everyone was puzzled. And so it became known that the white adult male & # 8217 ; s fetish had incredible power. ( TFA 149 )

Clearly this strengthened the credibleness of the new white work forces and their faith.

It is critical to observe here that lone theories can be drawn sing possible results of Umuofia. On page 179-180 of Things Fall Apart, Mr. Brown explains that his mission is from England, the & # 8220 ; caput of the church. & # 8221 ; History has shown us that authoritiess tend to move as a concern would. In other words, authoritiess will ever move in their opportunism. It is safe to presume that England wanted the mission where it was, and no affair what opposition Umuofia targeted toward the mission, they would hold been met with greater opposition each clip. The logical decision is that Umuofia is a victim in the truest sense of the word, and that any effort to continue their ain manner of life would non hold been really successful.

The effects of colonialism did non stop when African states claimed independency from the coloniser. Cultures clashed and were changed everlastingly. Colonialism, which brings new values, new beliefs, foreign linguistic communications, foreign traditions can non be shed like the tegument of a serpent and so tossed off and bury. Something is ever left buttocks. To depict the permanent effects of an imposed foreign civilization I would utilize the term colonial residue. For illustration, this & # 8220 ; residue & # 8221 ; is apparent when you take a expression at some of the folks these yearss and you see that the official linguistic communication is still Gallic or some other westernish linguistic communication even though colonisation in those parts does non be. As it is non possible to wholly eliminate Colonial residue, it is besides non possible that the cultural traditions of Africa can to the full be regained. Entire linguistic communications have been wiped out. Villages and cultural groups have been destroyed. This devastation besides caused thoughts and some traditions to be lost. It is incontestable that the liquors of tradition have survived. Possibly, there are ways of accessing the yesteryear in which the West is incognizant.

In Conclusion, I feel that I have gained a more accurate construct of the history of the church & # 8217 ; s engagement in the societal and political transmutation of Africa. More significantly though, I have seen the effects of greed and how it can infiltrate into about every facet of our lives. It seems as though the cardinal construct in this instance is via media. Even if the early missions were established in conformity to the philosophy they live by, it is obvious that there was a via media of Christian ideals to foster the success of the missions. In my sentiment this is where the true spiritualty of African Christianity dissipated, that is the love for God was replaced by the love for the mission. This is important for an accurate apprehension of African history because it allows us to take a glance into the general motivation of the colonizing forces: to spread out at all cost, even that of spiritualty and individuality.