In the novel, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, a cultural clash between Ibo culture and Western culture was assessed through fictional literature. Several characters reacted to this in their unique ways, either by accepting or rejecting European beliefs. However, the character Okonkwo, a proud, strong and well respected warrior in the Igbo Society had a significant reaction to the new culture. When the new, western culture comes to Igbo society, Okonkwo, of Clan Umuofia, responds by using violence as the only choice. This decision carried dire consequences, and lead to Oknonkwo’s death.
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe tries to bring back up cultural, social, and spiritual basics of traditional Igbo (Ibo) existence from the year 1850 and 1900. The novel cannot be fixed like other societal and political old times of Ibo society since it is a fictional novel. However, the novel describes disagreements and anxiety that occurred in Igbo society. It also shows changes initiated by colonial ruling and Christianity. Colonialism affected the people in the Ibo society by destroying of their family’s relationships, friendships, their religion or even created fights between the tribes.
Change is always hard, it means something is done and something else is beginning. To accept the new, sacrifices have to be made, but there are some, who are not willing to let go of the past. Okonkwo, in Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, didn’t want to accept the new faith of the colonizers or bow down to their rules in acceptance. He wanted to fight to reserve the old way of life, preserved and passed down through generations by his clan, which for him was the only possible way to live. However, when Okonkwo came face to face with defeat; realizing that the people whom he believed to be his kinsmen, who would fight for their right to live according to their religion and tradition alongside him, had already accepted the rule of the colonizers, he saw death as the only option to resist the change.
Okonkwo, a fierce warrior, remains unchanged in his unrelenting quest to solely sustain the culture of his tribe in the time of religious war in Achebe's book, Things Fall Apart. He endures traumatic experiences of conflict from other tribes, dramatic confrontations from within his own family, and betrayal by his own tribe.
Culture makes us who we are. Each individual has their own culture from their experiences in life and is developed from societal influences. The various cultures around the world influence us in different ways which we experience at least once in our lifetime. There are occasions, especially in history, where cultures clash with one another. For instance, the English colonization in Africa changed their culture. Chinua Achebe, the author of Things Fall Apart, portrayed this change in the Igbo people’s society, especially through the character Okonkwo in the village of Umuofia; the introduction of Western ideas challenged him. In the novel Things Fall Apart, the author Chinua Achebe introduces to us Okonkwo whose character’s response to the
...ionaries that Okonkwo had left and that he would take the missionaries to where Okonkwo was. Obierika led them to Okonkwo’s final resting place in the forest. “We are thrust from what is figured as an intimate, insider’s view of the Igbo life to a jarringly alien one.”(Carey Snyder Things Fall Apart Blooms literature).Okonkwo felt that the Igbo people were doomed because they would not fight against the Christians so Okonkwo Hung himself from a tree. The commissioner was writing a book called “The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger(Achebe 209)” and that “One could almost write a whole chapter on him(Achebe 208)” meaning with what Okonkwo had done to the missionaries and against Christianity. Okonkwo and the missionaries both deserve part of the blame for the fall of the Igbo people and Obierika is very justified in placing blame on both of them.
To Conclude, Okonkwo had began his life out strong. Raising himself, and learning right from wrong. By having a role model like his father to show him what not to do with life, influenced him and put a great impact on his life. Upon reaching Umofia, he met the missionaries. The missionaries changed and impacted his life also. They showed him attitude and how to care less about individuals. Okonkwo had many rough spots in his life and was put through a lot. Overall Okonkwo was a very strong character. He stayed strong for as long as he could until he could no longer fight for himself and had ended it all.
He finally ran away to a place where there is acceptance, which in this case were the Christian missionaries of Mbanta. Okonkwo’s best friend, Obierika, had spoken to Nwoye about his new faith. Nwoye responded back saying, “I am one of them” (Achebe 144). This might be the most simplest response, but it reflected who Nwoye is as a person without Okonkwo needing to be in his life. Nwoye completely isolated the fact that he was in a Ibo tribe, his father is Okonkwo, and the expectations he received in the past. Being a Christian led him to face many challenges because of his new sense of identity after encountering western culture. Since Nwoye and his father are pretty much isolated, they don't consider each other family anymore. The author even stated that “Nwoye was not worth fighting for” (Achebe 152). Achebe emphasized that their beliefs are complete opposites to the point where it dissolved their father-son relationship. The western culture brought over family conflict for them to have. But this conflict made Nwoye know who he is without Okonkwo’s
Things Fall Apart
Chinua Achebe?s Things Fall Apart is a narrative story that follows the life of an African man called Okonkwo. The setting of the book is in eastern Nigeria, on the eve of British colonialism in Africa. The novel illustrates Okonkwo?s struggles, triumphs, and his eventual downfall, all of which basically coincide with the Igbo?s society?s struggle with the Christian religion and British government.
In life people are very rarely, if ever, purely good or evil. In novels authors tend not to create characters with an obvious moral standing not only to make their novel more applicable to the reader, but also to make the characters more complex and dynamic. Chinua Achebe uses this technique to develop the characters in his novel, Things Fall Apart. The main character, and protagonist in the novel, Okonkwo, is very morally dynamic showing some sensitivity to his family and friends, but in an attempting to rebel against his father, Okonkwo also exhibits the tendency to lash out violently.