More handpicked essays just for you.
Evil practices of the Igbo society in Things Fall Apart
An article on igbo.culture
An article on igbo.culture
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Things Fall Apart, opens with a poem by William B. Yeats. A line in the poem states, “Things fall apart; the center cannot hold (8),” this simple line explains the essence of the story. If one looks at the role and effect of religion and the positive and negative forces of Christianity in the story they can see how things can collapse when the center is unstable.
Firstly, one must discover the role and effect of the Igbo religion in, Things Fall Apart. Their gods are the manifestations of nature, which is understandable because their society is based on agriculture. They worship the earth goddess out of fear that she might destroy them if they sin against her (39). Everything in their civilization is centered around their religion. This affects their culture greatly. For example, because of his father’s transgression Ikemefuna was made a sacrifice to avoid war between Umuofia and Maino (31-32). This act can explain one of the ways their government works. Another example of this is the egwugwu. They are the elders of Umuofia disgusted as the ancestral spirits. They play the role of both judge and jury of the land. An example of their power is when they burn down the church in retaliation for the murder of one of their fellow ancestral spirits by Enoch (214). The people of Umuofia has a philosophy of vengeance, if they are wronged they expect a price for the action committed this is not the cast for the Christians, however.
…show more content…
When Mr. Brown, the first missionary, comes to Umuofia he establishes a administration of respect and compromise.He discusses the Igbo religion with Akunna to better understand the traditions of the people (200). He also builds a school and hospital in Umuofia (202). Mr. Brown understood the importance of providing for the people one is trying to convert. He follow the example Jesus made after the five thousand he feed came to him in John
The book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe details the account of an African tribal named Okonkwo as his life goes from great to horrible. While this book has many lessons that can be learned, I will be primarily focusing on the effect that Christianity had on the population of the African tribe. While Christianity is a religion of peace, its followers often do not follow this basic tenant. The first missionary, Mr. Brown, practiced compromise and tolerance. His replacement, Mr. Smith, was much more aggressive in his tactics. In Things Fall Apart, Achebe shows through the characterization of Mr. Smith a shameful and harmful look at the spread of Christianity during the British empirical period.
The novel Things Fall Apart written by Chinua Achebe highlights the many important historical events that happened during the period of colonialism, spread of religious fervor to Africa from Europe, and the importance of the native religion among African societies. Achebe shows that religion holds a major influence in many African societies and influences the daily life of the natives. Furthermore, the novel introduces a major event that happen during pre-colonial Africa, the spread of the Christian faith, which forever changed and affected the natives in Africa, more specifically the Igbo society located in Nigeria. Things Fall Apart vividly describes and explains how the Christian faith that arrived in Africa changed both the individuals in the Umoufia and society. To add on, the novel shows how the spread of Christianity ultimately leads to the destruction of the many native African cultures, and shows what redeeming qualities that arise from the destruction of their culture. Achebe describes how the Christian faith acts as a guide to the Igbo society and at the same time acts as the inevitable downfall of the Igbo society.
"Religion and the Igbo People." Queen's University Belfast | Home. 15 Aug. 2001. Web. 22 Mar. 2010. .
Things Fall Apart is a compelling inside view of tribal life in Africa. Through a knowledgeable narrative, Achebe illustrates culture rich in tradition. Achebe seems to wish to disprove a widespread stereotype that Africa had no culture.
When you think of the word “culture” what comes to mind? Many elements can contribute to
With a socially imposed and personal devotion to attain a highly regarded status in his clan, Okonkwo’s life was one that valued traditional authority, customs, and kinship. As a protagonist, Okonkwo’s story exemplifies the altering role of the state as the marching boots of colonialism enter his village, Iguedo. In Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart, he illustrates the societal life of the Umuofia clan prior to the arrival of and the encounter with early colonizers - offering an Igbo account of the transformation of local institutions. Once wielded by elders and the spiritually divine, the power of control fell into the hands of foreigners. Worship of ancestors, the supreme deity Chikwu, and other Earth gods transferred to the God revealed in the Bible. The interactions between the institutions of rule, belief, environmental management, and trade are each delicately reliant on each other, so that in Iguedo the ability to rule fails to exist without belief, religious believes are derived from the environment, and the mercy of environmental conditions dictates agricultural trade. Through the life and death of Okonkwo, the novel presents how the experience of the Igbo and their interaction with the state witnessed unquestionable change.
Within both Thomas Hardy’s “The Convergence of the Twain” and W. B. Yeats’ “The Second Coming”, the actions of God are extremely prevalent, though the timing of His intervention varies greatly. Though, both poems were published within a five year period (1914 and 1919 respectively), they convey significantly different perspectives on the actions of God, in relation to our actions as human beings. These poems were written less than a decade apart, but are separated by one significant event that changed the world: the First World War. Though, God plays a prevalent role within both works. His intervention occurs at different times. Yeats demonstrates a God that reacts to man’s actions, whereas Hardy’s God is omniscient, developing a correction to man’s perception of accomplishment before the Titanic is ever constructed. Hardy’s writing came just after the sinking of the Titanic, and he demonstrates that man had outstepped his bounds. In sinking the ‘unsinkable’ ship, according to the speaker, God is correcting the misadventure of man. Yeats’ poem was written shortly after World War I, and the speaker foresees an apocalypse due to the sin of man as a whole. Both authors portray the perceived actions of God, though the speaker within “The Convergence of the Twain” appears to be more accepting and less fearful. Throughout “The Second Coming”, the speaker demonstrates their fear of God’s inevitable reaction to World War I. Both poems share the imagery of water, though its significance varies between poems. The speaker’s acceptance of God’s will within Hardy’s poem represents a devout religiosity that is unwavering throughout this writing, and Yeats’ depiction focuses on fear of the coming future.
Firstly, the church disproves many of the Igbo superstitions ,which encourages the Igbo to break the traditions that they had followed for many years. Therefore, slowly destroying their society. For instance, when the white men who brought Christianity to the people of Umuofia speak to the clan of the village about their new religion. They request a piece of land to build their church on. The clan decides to give them a piece of land of the Evil forest and let them stay. To the clans surprise this happens ”At last the day came by which all the missionaries should have died. But they were still alive, building a new red-earth and thatch house for their teacher, Mr. Kiaga. That week they won a handful more converts.(151)”. The Evil Forest was known as a forest where people go to die, and the clan members thought that by allowing the missionaries to build their church in the evil Forest they could easily get rid of them. Since, the white men didn’t die but lived, this made the Ibo people question their own beliefs. When some of the villagers noticed that they were mislead by their gods they decide to convert to Christianity. Either because Christianity seemed stronger than the ...
Throughout the first part of the book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe it shows readers how Igbo live their life and shows the traditions and culture of their people. In the second part of the book it starts to go into about how Western cultural imperialism comes in and tries to teach the Igbo people their culture, language, education and especially their religion. The influence that the missionaries bring to the Igbo culture is significance because they want the Africans to have the same views as them and for the ultimatum to take over the land that the Igbo people live on, so they can use and take their resources.
In the book “Things Fall Apart”, evidence of a social structure was apparent within the Igbo community. This rigid social structure served as a purpose to balance the life of the people within the society, as well as promoting the downfall of the clan. The social structure was important in keeping a centralized society and preventing any sign of corruption within their clan. The social structure had advantages in keeping a balanced and equal society, supporting a division of labor, providing a surplus of food, individual huts, a communal society, and the development of some kind of government. In contrast, this social structure led others to reject to cooperate with the new religion and aided the lack of unity among the people. It also promoted a more patriarchal society, the inferior rank of women, and the lack of strong bonds between family members.
The Igbo culture is flexible and continuous; its laws are made by men and are not solid and permanent. Change is implicit in oral culture. Igbos have been able to retain their core beliefs and behavior systems for 5000 years because of the flexibility and adaptability of their culture. Yeats says things collapse from within before they are overwhelmed by things from without- Umuofia's collapse is its loss of faith, and that is also its strength, it's refusal to fight. But this self-destruction, this bending of societal codes is what keeps the culture from being annihilated. One fundamental question that occurs while trying to figure out how Yeats fits into an understanding of this book is whether or not things really do fall apart. From Okonkwo's point of view they certainly do, but Okonkwo's is not the only point of view in the book. Do things fall apart for the rest of the Umuofia tribes, and for the Ibo people, or does their center still hold, and it is just a center that they never shared with Okonkwo? It is important to look at the construction of the novel and the way it ties in with Yeatsian theory on the rise and fall of civilizations, and on personal tragedy.
As the English began to colonize the Igbo society, there were few natives who opposed it, they others just felt that the English would come and go, but they were wrong. Soon, the English began to introduce "white man's religion." This new religion was completely the opposite from what the natives were accustomed to. Christianity was rather intriguing to many of the natives and many of them turned away from their families and everything they were to become a member of this new religion. Before this, they natives had been very superstious, but as they new religion flooded over the peoples, their superstiousocity began to lessen and their belief in the many gods they had previously believed in.
Although establishing schools appears to be a good influence, Achebe shows how schools strip a society of its culture. Mr. Brown, the first white missionary in Umuofia, builds a school for the children. He convinces parents to send their children to school by arguing, “If Umuofia failed to send her children to the school, strangers would come from other places to rule them” (156). Mr. Brown’s ironic reasoning displays the negative result of religion. If the Christian missionaries did not intrude in the first place, there would be no need to protect Ibo people from more intruders trying to interfere with their culture. A similar type of irony is mentioned when Mr. Brown’s school start to become popular. The people begin to think, “Mr. Brown’s school produced quick results. A few months in it were enough to make one a court messenger or even a court clerk” (156). Prior to the missionaries’ arrival, Ibo society had no need for schools to give better jobs. When the missionaries bring their government to Umuofia, schools trick people into falling for the new system and forgetting about their old social structure and culture. Achebe uses these ironic occurrences to display how religion may seemingly positively influence a society, but in reality pillages the Ibo people’s original culture.
When conflicts arise within a society or an individual, many rely on their faith and religious practices to overcome these issues. In the case for “Things Fall Apart”, the spirits represent the ultimate figure and play an important role in the culture for the people of the Umuofia society. The native belief of spirits is the first focus that comes from the novel. The whole idea of spirits is essentially based off a male god named Chukwu, who taught the early Igbo natives how to develop and survive on yams. Yams later on became the primary source for food and the foundation of the Igbo economy, showing the power and influence the spirit god Chukwu posses. The male god is then balanced by the female Earth goddess Ani, who holds nearly the same amount of
David Carroll writes, of the novel Things Fall Apart, "This incident is not only a comment on Okonkwo's heartlessness. It criticizes implicitly the laws he is too literally implementing..." (Carroll) The incident that David Carroll refers to is the death of Ikemefuna. Ikemefuna was a young boy who was handed over to the village of Umuofia as compensation for the murder of one of that village's citizens. He is handed over to Okonkwo, a great man in the village, to whom he gives every affection. The brief life with Okonkwo and death of this innocent young man, and the life of Okonkwo himself, is a microcosm of life in Umuofia. Inconsistencies, brutalities, and conflict abound in even the highest of Umuofian life. And as Ikemefuna is led off to be murdered by the man he calls father, "the whole tribe and its values is being judged and found wanting" (Carroll).