Things Fall Apart Essay -- essays research papers

Things F alone Apart An Evaluation In Things smooth Apart, Chinua Achebe tells dickens different stories at the same time. One is of Okonkwo, the villager whose rise to power is halted because of all of his misfortunes. The other is of Okonkwos village, Umuofia, and its struggle to hold on to its cultural custom while facing colonialism from the West. The title, Things Fall Apart, describes perfectly what happens to both Okonkwo and his village. Okonkwos deportment falls apart and as a give, he commits suicide by hanging himself. The cultural tradition of Umuofia falls apart, and becomes influenced by the West. In Things Fall Apart, Achebe uses Okonkwo and the villages falling out to show how African culture, as well as other cultures around the world, suffered as a result of Westernization. In the book, Achebe focuses mainly on the character of Okonkwo. Okonkwos story follows the common pattern of a Greek tragedy. He experiences human beingsy conquestes in the spring, moreo ver everything eventually comes crashing down on him. His early life is the typical success story. He starts poor, but works hard to earn everyones respect. From the beginning he is disgusted with his father. He is a lazy old man who borrows money and never pays it back. Okonkwo realizes that he does not want to be like his father, and it is this hatred that drives him to work hard. After his fathers death, Okonkwo pays off his debts, and starts his tenacious journey to the top of the clan. In a short time, Okonkwo...