Identity In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

Have you ever been intrigued by a new idea or thought that seems like it can't be let go of? And that it may possibly lead you to the right path? This can be seen in the novel “Things Fall Apart,” written by Chinua Achebe, when Christian missionaries start to influence the Ibo culture’s ways of life. Okonkwo’s son, Nwoye, becomes very interested in the concept of a whole new religion. Chinua Achebe created this cultural collision that challenged Nwoye’s sense of identity and his response shaped the mean of the work as whole by saying that people make good or bad decisions that could lead them to find out who they are as a person. Before the Christian missionaries had arrived in Umuofia, Nwoye's sense of identity was heavily influenced by his father, Okonkwo. Nwoye received many expectations from him. Okonkwo

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