Colonialism In Things Fall Apart

(1977) "An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness'" Massachusetts Review. 3rd ed. Ed. Robert Kimbrough, London: W. W Norton and Co. Retrieved from http://kirbyk.net/hod/image.of.africa.html Achebe, C. (1994) Things Fall Apart. New York: Anchor Books.

Chinua Achebe wanted to correct the "superficial picture" of Nigeria provided by non-Nigerian authors, and so he resolved to write the novel Things Fall Apart, that viewed his country and the people of Nigeria from the inside. "As a representative of Nigeria's intellectual elite Achebe has been especially concerned about the definition of a new African identity in the post-colonial situation. Achebe's concerns can be discovered in the novelist's literary programme: . "..as far as I am ... ... middle of paper ... ...y truly made a culture of tradition, religion, government, and friendship fall completely apart. Iodence 6 Works Cited Achebe, Chinua.

The diversity of spirits that compose their religion shows sophistication through a structure that comprehends greater gods such as ... ... middle of paper ... ...of not just the “warlike men of Umuofia”, but an entire culture, which was left destroyed (183). Thus, the authentic African perspective in Achebe’s Things Fall Apart challenges and entirely changes preconceived notions of colonialism, which is portrayed as a negative influence. As a result, perception stands out as crucial to understanding reality. Acting as colored glass, perceptions allow us to see, however with slight modifications, as they tint every situation with each individual’s personal experiences, values, doubts and fears, leaving us to wonder whether it is possible to ever objectively understand the world around us. Works Cited Achebe, Chinua.

Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart chronicles the life of an individual whose carefully constructed world crumbles as his culture is assimilated into a colonizing society. This character, Okonkwo, is prestigious within his community, and in most respects views himself and is viewed by his neighbors as an honorable man. Yet for all his seeming honor, Okonwko self-destructs when his world begins to change. Although the value system held by Okonkwo's village may differ somewhat from that held by other cultures, his particular experience during colonization is universal. When Okonkwo defines himself as an honorable man and thinks back upon his life achievements that have made him so, he focuses most strongly upon his ferocity.

Taylor and Francis Ltd. (1993) Peires, J. B. Paradigm Deleted: The Materialist Interpretation of the Mfecane. Taylor and Francis, Ltd. (1993) Wright, J. ‘Political Mythology and the making of Natal’s Mfecane. Canadian Association of African studies (1989).

"Cultures and Resistance." African Literature Today. Trenton, New Jersey: African World Press, 1987. pages Hidoo, Rose. Culture in Chains: Abandonment in the Work of Selected West African Writers. Owerri, Nigeria: Black Academy, 1994.

(1973). In E. B. Idowu, The Strucure Of African Traditional Religion: A definition (pp. 137-178). Africa: Orbis Books.

“Claude McKay.” AFRICAN AMERICAN WRITERS. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1991. 244-246. Maxwell, William. “McKay on If We Must Die."

Novels such as Conrad's Heart of Darkness and Achebe's Things Fall Apart both present the reader with different points of view on colonialism in Africa, challenging an active reader to base his or her own conclusions based on the texts. Conrad presents the European perspective on colonialism while Achebe offers the native African point of view; each author provides his readers radically different views on the same issue. Likewise, the novel White Teeth also presents different perspectives on racial issues. Learning how to be an active reader definitely provides insight to every aspect of life thus allowing the reader to formulate educated conclusions and decisions. The skills required being an active reader are also required of an active citizen in the real world.

Chinua Achebe is a well known contemporary writer from Africa. In his first novel, Things Fall Apart, deals with the conflict of cultures and the violent changes and values brought upon by the British colonialism of Nigeria. Critics say that Achebe book “Things Fall Apart” was influenced by Yeats’s view of history and time in his poem, “The Second Coming” and his use of Irish Folklore. A.G. Stock commented that Achebe was influenced by Yeats’s use of Irish legends to produce his understanding of the chronological process. Several similarities between the Irish legend and Achebe’s novel were inspired by Yeats’s version of the legend in comparing Yeats’s poem with Achebe’s novel.