The Analysis of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart By Lene Ododomu

THE ANALYSIS OF THINGS FALL APART BY LENE ODODOMU, A STUDENT OF UNIVERSITY OF ABUJA, IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH.

Text title: Things Fall Apart

Author: Chinua Achebe

Genre type: Novel (prose)

Novel type: Tragedy

Year of publication: 1958

               Contents

1. Author's Background

2. Plot Summary

3. Characters

4. Themes

5. Literary Techniques

6. Proverbs

7. The Use of Comparison

8. The Use of Contrast

9. Factors that Led to    

   Okonkwo's Tragic End

10. Vivid Description of the Text

11. Setting

AUTHOR'S BACKGROUND: Chinua Achebe, in full Albert Chinualumogu Achebe was born on 16th of November, 1930 at typical Igbo land called Ogidi, and died on 21th March, 2013. He was brought up in a Christian evangelical family in his place of birth, Ogidi, one of the first centers of Anglican missionary work in Igboland, Eastern Nigeria.

     After studying medicine and literature at the University of Ibadan, he went to work for the Nigerian Broadcasting Company in Lagos. His career in radio ended abruptly in 1966 when he left his position as Director of External Broadcasting, Lagos, during the national upheaval and massacres that led to the Biafran War of 1967-1970. He had narrowly escaped confrontation with armed soldiers who apparently believed that his novel, A Man of the People, implicated him in Nigeria's first military coup. His career as a university academic began in 1967 with his appointment as Senior Research Fellow at the University of Nigeria. He was made Emeritus Professor in 1985. Other universities he taught at include the University of Massachusetts and the University of Connecticut. He has received numerous honours degree from universities across the world. In 1987, he received Nigeria's highest award for intellectual achievement, the Nigerian National Merit Award. In 2002, he was awarded the prestigious Peace Prize of the German Book Trade. In 2007, he was named the winner of the Man Booker International Prize, in honour of his literary career.

    Achebe is the author of many novels, short stories, essays and children's books. Things Fall Apart, his first novel, was published in 1958. It was followed by No Longer at Ease (1960, Arrow of the gods (1964), A Man of the People (1966), etc. His book of poetry, Beware Soul Brother, won the Commonwealth Poetry Prize in 1972.

PLOT SUMMARY: First of all, plot is the arrangement of the various actions of the characters and events of a novel or any other work of art. It also refers to the outline of a novel. The events that constitute the story are logically and sequentially arranged. 

     The story, Things Fall Apart is a first novel of Chinua Achebe, written in English and published in 1958. The story of the novel revolves around a young man named Okonkwo who is a wealthy and respected warrior of the Umuofia clan, a lower Nigerian tribe that is part of combine of nine connected villages. He became over famous throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievements. As a young man of eighteen he had brought honour to his village by defeating  the unconquerable great wrestler, Amalinze D-Cat. He is obsessed by the actions of Unoka, his cowardly and spendthrift father, who died in disrepute, leaving many village debts unsettled. In response, Okonkwo became a clansman, warrior, farmer and family provider extraordinaire. He has a twelve years old son named Nwoye whom he finds lazy as he worries that Nwoye will end up a failure like Unoka.

         In a settlement with a neighbouring tribe, Umuofia wins a virgin and a fifteen years old boy named Ikemefuna. Okonkwo takes charge of the boy and adopted him as son, while the virgin was gave to the widower whose wife was murdered by the parents of these lads.

         During the Week of Peace, Okonkwo accuses his youngest wife, Ojiugo of negligence. He severely beats her, breaking the peace of the sacred week. He makes some sacrifices to show his repentance, but he has shocked his community irreparably.

        However, Ikemefuna lives with Okonkwo's family for three years. Nwoye looks up to him as an older brother and much to Okonkwo's pleasure, develops more masculine attitude.

          One day, Ogbuefi Ezeudu, a respected village elder came to inform Okonkwo in private that the Oracle had said that Ikemefuna must be killed. He tells Okonkwo that because the boy calls him "father", that Okonkwo should not take part in the boy's death. Okonkwo lies to Ikemefuna, telling him that they must return to his home village. Nwoye bursts into tears.

          As he walks with the men of Umuofia, Ikemefuna thinks about seeing his mother. After several hours of walking, some of Okonkwo clansmen attack the boy with machetes.  Ikemefuna runs to Okonkwo for help. But Okonkwo, who doesn't wish to look weak in front of his fellow tribemen, cuts the boy down despite the old man's admonishment. When Okonkwo returns home, Nwoye noticed that his friend is dead.

             Okonkwo sinks into a depression, neither able to sleep nor eat. He visits his friend, Obierika and begins to feel revived a bit. Okonkwo's daughter Ezinma falls ill, but she recovers after Okonkwo gathers leafs for her medicine.

           The dead of Ogbuefi Ezeudu is announced to the surrounding villages by means of the 'ekwe' a musical instrument. Okonkwo feels guilty because the last time the old man visited him was to warn him against taking part in Ikemefuna's death. At Ogbuefi Ezeudu's large and  elaborate funeral, the men beat drums and fire their guns. Tragedy compounds upon itself when Okonkwo's gun explodes and kills Ogbuefi Ezeudu's sixteen years old son.

             Because killing a clansman is a crime against the earth goddess, Okonkwo must take his family into exile for seven years inorder to atone. He gathers his most valuable belongings and takes his family to his mother's natal village, Mbanta. The men from Ogbuefi Ezeudu's quarter burn Okonkwo's buildings and kill his animals to cleans the village of his sin.

              Okonkwo's kinsmen, especially his uncle, Uchendu, receive him warmly. They help him to build a new compound of huts and gave him yam seeds to start a farm. Although he is bitterly disappointed at his misfortune, Okonkwo reconciles himself to live in his motherland.

               During the second year of Okonkwo's exile, Obierika brings several bags of cowries (shells used as currency) that he has made by selling Okonkwo's yams. Obierika plans to continue to do so until Okonkwo returns to the village. Obierika also brings the bad news that Abame, another village, has been destroyed by the white men.

            Soon afterward, six missionaries travel to Mbanta. Through an interpreter named Mr Kiaga, the missionaries' leader, Mr Brown, speaks to the villagers. He tells them that their gods are false and that worshipping more than one God is idolotrous. But the villagers do not understand how the Holy Trinity can be accepted as one God. Although his aim is to convert the residents of Umuofia to Christianity. Mr. Brown does not allow his followers to antagonize the clan.

             Mr. Brown grows ill  and is soon replaced by Reverend James Smith, an intolerant and strict man. More people were converted to Christian and a man called Enoch was among these people. 

             Enoch dares to unmask an egwugwu during the annual ceremony to honour the earth deity, an act equivalent to killing an ancestral spirit. The next day, the egwugwu burn Enoch's compound and Rev. Smith's church. However, the District Commissioner is upset by the burning of the church and request that the leaders of Umuofia meet with him. After the leaders gathered at the Commissioner's palace, they handcuffed and thrown them in jail as ordered by the Commissioner, where they suffer insults and physical abuse, and Okonkwo was also among the leaders. 

              After the prisoners are released, the clansmen hold a meeting, during which five court messengers approach and order the clansmen to desist. Okonkwo, expecting his fellow clan members to join him in uprising, he kills their leader with his machete. When the crowd allows the other messengers to escape, Okonkwo realizes that his clan is not willing to go to war. 

              When the District Commissioner arrives at Okonkwo's compound, he finds that Okonkwo has hanged himself. Obierika and his friends lead the Commissioner to the body. Obierika explains that suicide is a grave sin, thus, according to custom, none of Okonkwo's clansmen may touch his body. The Commissioner, who is writing a book about Africa, believes that the story of Okonkwo's rebellion and death will make for an interesting paragraph or two. He has already chosen the book's tilte: The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger.

CHARACTERS: First of all, characters are the imaginary people a writer creat in his work. The characters are:

1. Okonkwo: Okonkwo is the protagonist and voice of the novel. He is a vigorous and  vibrant young man  who brought pride to Umuofia by defeating the undefeatable Great Wrestler, Amalinze the Cat. He is known as a fierce warrior as well as a successful farmer. He is determined to overcome the stigma left by his father's laziness and wastefulness. He is highly temperamental and hate to admit weakness before his fellow tribemen. At the end of the novel, he killed himself by suicide for killing a white man's messenger.

2.Ikemefuna: Ikemefuna is Okonkwo's adopted son who was given to Umuofia as compensation to avert war. He is a boy of fourteen years, and a clever and resourceful lad. He was sacrificed to the gods by the elders of Umuofia village through the instruction of the Oracle. Okonkwo participated in his death despite the fact that the boy calls him 'father'. The death of Ikemefuna brought so many calamities to Okonkwo.

3. Nwoye: Nwoye is Okonkwo's oldest son. He was twelve years old at the book's beginning. He was like a liability to his father, Okonkwo. According to the novel, Nwoye is the symbol of the 'Cold Impotent Ash' (page-123). His father, Okonkwo was known as a workaholic and powerful man, but he is completely deferent from him by being weak. This made Okonkwo, his father to worry about him. He always compares him as carbon copy to his late grand father, Unoka who left many village debts unsettled. Nwoye happened to be an antagonist to Okonkwo like a falcon who refused to hear the falconer. He neglected the traditional beliefs of his father's land, Umuofia by joining the new religion. After he was converted to Christian, his name was changed to Isaac.

4. Unoka: Unoka is Okonkwo's father and grandfather to Nwoye. He was an old man in Umuofia village but ill-fated to be recognized in the council of elders due to the fact that he does not have a chieftaincy title. He left many debts unpaid before he died. He loves blowing his flute rather than work. He is weak and lazy. Okonkwo hate him due to this reason.

5. Ezinma: Ezinma is Okonkwo's favorite daughter. She is a carbon copy of her father, Okonkwo.She plays a vital role by always being supportive to her father. She is the only surviving daughter of Okonkwo's second wife, Ekwefi.

6. Obierika: Obierika is one of the elders in council of Umuofia village, a traditionalist and Okonkwo's bosom friend, and father to Maduka.  He is very supportive to Okonkwo. As a friend, he always told Okonkwo the truth, especially the killing of Ikemefuna. He advised Okonkwo not to engage in the killing of Ikemefuna, and when Okonkwo has killed the boy and defends himself by saying that he was trying to carry out the gods' command, Obierika reprimands him, saying that the gods had not specifically said who should carry out their order. During the second year of Okonkwo's exile, Obierika brings several bags of cowries (shells used as currency) that he has made by selling Okonkwo's yams. Obierika plans to continue to do so until Okonkwo returns to the village. He is also the one that informed Okonkwo about the bad news that Abame, another village has been destroyed by the white men. He remains constant till the end of the novel.

Obierika, who had been gazing steadily at his friend's dangling body, turned suddenly to the District Commissioner and said ferociously: 'That man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia. You drove him to kill himself; and now he will be buried like a dog....' He could not say any more. His voice trembled and choked his words. (page 165).

7. Ogbuefi Ezeudu: Ogbuefi Ezeudu is the eldest man in Okonkwo's street. He was a  great man and indeed, a powerful warrior of his time. He plays a very important role by advising Okonkwo not to bear hands on the killing of Ikemefuna because the boy calls him (Okonkwo) 'father'. He died in CHAPTER THIRTEEN (page 96)  of the novel. Okonkwo feels guilty after hearing his death because the last time the old man visited him was to warn him against taking part in Ikemefuna's death. It was during Ogbuefi Ezeudu's burial rite that Okonkwo kills his sixteen years old son, which led Okonkwo to his exile.

8. Uchendu: Uchendu is a native of Mbanta and Okonkwo's maternal uncle. He received Okonkwo warmly and assisted him to build a new home and established him with yam seeds and money to start a farm in his motherland's land during his exile. He is a respected Chief in the council of elders in Mbanta. He is blessed with many children and wealth.

THEMES: Theme is the subject matter of the novel or any other work of art. It can be seen as an underlying message which the writer want to pass across to his audience. Also, it simply refers to the central or main idea of the novel. The themes of the novel include the following:

1.Social Cultural Conflict: This theme has to do with the conflict between the progressive social transformation and tradition. Most people including Okonkwo do not accept the new religious and social order brought by the British Missionaries. Similarly, most of the villagers are also caught in the struggle between the social and religious changes and their traditions of society. They are pondering over the dilemma of whether to accept the new reality or stick to their old-fashioned way of thinking. When Okonkwo kills a messenger, the silence resulting from some natives is based on the fact that they are ready to accept transformations.

2. Tribal Beliefs and Custom: The threat to the Igbo society, belief system, and customs are coming from the new religion of Christianity preached by Mr. Brown. Okonkwo knows this very well and refuses to accept the change. Although some people support him in the start, they soon leave him for more progressive and prosperous Christianity instead of following the old Igbo conventions. The custom of the Igbo seem to give way in the face of the new civilization.

3. Ambition and Grandeur: Okonkwo's disappointment of his father's behavior and adoption of aggressive manly traits point to his ambition of becoming a head of his tribe. He demonstrates all the quality of a leader and starts transforming his nature and becomes more ruthless. However, as Okonkwo realizes his failure, he commits  suicide.

4. Free Will and Fate: A human's chi or spirit is always in synchronization with his will. In other words, it is aligned with the way that a person can control his own destiny like Okonkwo. However, at several moments, it appears that Okonkwo uses his free will but does not have control over his life as fate sends him to an exile, drives him to kill the missionary and finally, suicide. These events defy this notion that there is a free will in the Igbo society.

5. Theme of Masculinity: Masculinity and its demonstration are considered a virture in the African villages as shown in this novel. Okonkwo stresses much upon masculinity that he is often ashamed at his own father who was a musician and lazy instead of being an active and aggressive man. That is why he does not like his son, Nwoye who is peaceful and compares him to Ikemefuna who is more courageous. Okonkwo's masculinity makes him cruel and ruthless even in his domestic affairs. It is also that when others fail, to prove his masculinity he kills Ikemefuna. He then encourages himself after that during his self-reflection when his conscience makes him feel guilty. He  berates his ancestors for avoiding bloodshed and anger.

6. Theme of Gender Inequality:

LITERARY TECHNIQUES

1. Irony: Irony is the use of words that are purely opposite to the intended meaning. However, the writer used this figure of speech to say something that is contrary in his mind and hoping that the real meaning would be understood by the audience. We can see an example of tragic irony in Okonkwo's suicide at proud and important man, so you might not expect him to commit suicide. His dead especially is ironic when you consider what he regularly said after the terrible harvest year. 

"Since I survived that year; he always said, 'I shall survive anything'. He put it down to his inflexible will. After saying he could survive anything, you would obviously not expect him to commit suicide. Yet, in the end, it is his inflexible will that causes his suicide because he cannot deal with the change brought by the missionaries. So his death is even more ironic because the very thing that he says can get him through anything, his will is what causes him to kill himself.

2. Foreshadowing: We can also see that Achebe's use of foreshadowing when we look at Okonkwo's death. Foreshadowing is, however,  a literary technique that predict a story or future. In Okonkwo's case, the foreshadowing occurs when he is exiled to his motherland, Mbanta for accidentally killing a fellow clansman. He does not deals with this change well and fails into a depression. His family helps bring him out of it and set him back on track, but the fact that it happens is significant. It illustrates that Okonkwo does not deal with change, and that depression is one of the effects that a major change has on him.

Symbolism: It is an image or a word that stand for something other than a literary meaning. In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe used so many symbolism but to present the major one, the main character, Okonkwo is often described in terms of fire and flames. His nickname is even 'Roaring Flame'. So, to him, fire symbolizes potential, masculinity and life. Okonkwo is a  lot like a fire, really. He only over allows himself to show one emotion: anger.

Diction/Language: Language simply refers to a choice of words used by the novelist to convey his idea. However, the language in this novel is simple and accessible.

The Use of Figures of Speech: Figures of speech is a kind of expression used to make speech or written with more vividness and comprehension. It is useful in given a compelling expressions to ideas. Some of the devices used in the novel include, hyperbole, simile, metaphor, personification, etc.

Flashback: Flashback is the presentation or reflection of past events and occasion by the novelist. In Things Fall Apart, the flashbacks reveal Okonkwo's images of his father. The flashbacks help develop the character of Unoka. The readers can get a visual image of Unoka. Likewise, the readers can understand the relationship between Okonkwo and his father through the flashback.

PROVERBS: Proverbs are  short popular saying, usually of unknown and

ancient origin, that expresses effectively some commonplace truth or useful thought ; adage; saw. a wise saying or precept; a didactic sentence. a person or thing that is commonly regarded as an embodiment or representation of some quality; byword. The proverbs in the novel are:

1. "Okonkwo was as slippery as a fish in water". (Chapter 1) 

Meaning: Simply put, this proverb was intended to mean that Okonkwo was fast and agile. This particular proverb is a good example of how some were described, its intention to give people a better understanding of a person by simply giving a metaphorical saying that he/she could easily visualize.

2. "Proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten". (Chapter 1)

Meaning: Basically, this one means that Proverbs are, essentially, words of wisdom.

3. "Our elders say that the sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel under them". (Chapter 1)

Meaning: Unoka decided to use this complex saying to say that he will pay his biggest debtors before he will pay the debtors that he owes less; most likely as a way to express his gratitude for the generosity of those who lend him more.

4. "If a child washes his hands he could eat with Kings". (Chapter 1)

Meaning: In the Umuofia society, if you are able to remove the footprint of your ancestors, you would be able to aspire to anyone you wished in the society. Okonkwo could not be respected, due to his father's weakness, until he became the fame that he was.

5. "When the moon is shining the cripple becomes hungry for a walk".  (Chapter 2)

Meaning: For the people of Umuofia, the moon was very important. The influence and effect of the moon on the people in the tribe was so strong that if the moon shone on them, even a cripple could walk. This was an extreme way of saying that the moon gave the tribe the power to do anything.

6. "Let the kite perch and let the eagle perch too. If one says no to other, let his wings break". (Chapter 3)

Meaning: Okonkwo was ashamed of his father and was afraid of having the same misfortune of his father and the same end.

7. "A man who pays respect to the great paves, pave way for his own greatness". (Chapter 3)

Meaning: If you respect greatness, you will become great yourself.

8. "A road does not run in the day time for nothing". (Chapter 3)

Meaning: Everything happens for a reason

9. "An old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb". (Chapter 3)

Meaning: Someone is uneasy if something is said that affects them personally; whether it is a joke or not-they cannot laugh about it.

10. "The lizard that jumped from high Iroko tree to the ground said he would praise himself if no one else did". (Chapter 3)

Meaning: To appreciate or praise yourself if you done a great work.

11. "Nneka the birds say that since men have learned to shoot without missing, he has learned to fly without preaching". (Chapter 3)

Meaning: Someone must know how hard others worked for what they have in order to respect the property themselves.

12. "You can tell a ripe corn by its look". (Chapter 3)

Meaning: Branching off the previous proverb, Nwakibie could tell that Okonkwo is ready to receive his gift and not take it for granted. This means that none of the yams will be destroyed.

13. "When mother-cow is chewing grass, its young ones watch its mouth. (Chapter 8)

Meaning: Children copy their parents and learn everything they do from them.

14. " If one finger brought soil it soiled the others". (Chapter 13)

Meaning: If you do not treat yourself, whether it be mental or physical, you will pass it on to others.

15. "Mother is supreme". (Chapter 14)

Meaning: Your mother is extremely important as she is the one who give you life.

16. "Living fire begets cold, impotent ash". (Chapter 17)

Meaning: If someone thinks too highly of himself and his influence is too much, then the person alongside them will never be able to come as successful. This is basically referring to Okonkwo and his son, Nwoye.

THE USE OF COMPARISON: Comparison simply refers to the process of relating two or more people or things. According to Okonkwo, that Nwoye is a carbon copy of his grand-father, Unoka, as he is known to be lazy and weak. Okonkwo worries so much about him, as he was becoming to end up a failure like his father, Unoka. 

Also, there is a comparison between Ezinma and her father, Okonkwo. Ezinma was like a man as she became supportive to Okonkwo. Among all his children,  she was the one whom Okonkwo born his image with. Okonkwo wish that she suppose to come to the world as a man. 

Also, there is a comparison between Okonkwo and his friend, Obierika. According to the novel, Obierika was a strong and respected man in Umuofia. He is hard working and courageous just like Okonkwo.

THE USE OF CONTRAST: Contrast simply means, opposite, or the process of differentiating two or more people or things. However, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, centers around a man named Okonkwo who despises his late father. Okonkwo strives to be everything his father, Unoka, was not. The entire village saw Unoka as a man who was lazy and unsuccessful. Okonkwo grew up with the mentality that his father had no redeeming qualities. Now a grown man, Okonkwo hates everything his father was, therefore, struggle to look difference from him, and the contrast has to do with them. 

Also, there is a contrast between Okonkwo and his son, Nwoye. According to the novel, Okonkwo is refers as living fire, that is a strong and courageous man, but Nwoye is unlikely a cold impotent ash, that is weak and lazy.

FACTORS THAT LED TO OKONKWO'S TRAGIC END: The title of Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, suggests tragedy which the novel clearly portrays in relation to what happens to Okonkwo, the main character. Okonkwo has ongoing issues coping with his life because of his father’s past, he experiences the pain of his Igbo tribe falling apart because of government and the coming of missionaries, and he suffers with guilt over the death of the son he took in and accepted as his own. Since early childhood, Okonkwo's embarrassment about his lazy, poor and neglectful father, Unoka, has led to his tragic flaw; being terrified of looking weak like his father. As a result, he behaves rashly, bringing a great deal of trouble and sorrow upon himself and his family.

Okonkwo faces many trials and tribulations throughout his life, and much of this is due to his father. He tries hard his entire life to be totally opposite of his father. He wants to be seen as strong, but his mind oftentimes tells him that he is weak. When his father died, he had accumulated a lot of debt …show more content… Some of the downfalls were due to no fault of Okonkwo at all such as his father being in debt and lazy. Okonkwo had no control over this matter. It was not his fault that the land was in poor condition after borrowing eight hundred seed. These are just a couple of examples of downfalls that lead to bitterness inside of Okonkwo along with his drive to make himself one of the most prosperous men in his village. Because he held on to his pride, and because he was clearly a stubborn man, he beat his third wife knowing that he would be held accountable to punishment. Killing his foster son was preventable, but Okonkwo chose to show his pride instead. All of these downfalls led to an ultimate ending of his life. Okonkwo becomes angered and kills a missionary leader, and then he kills himself by hanging. This, however, result to the factor that led to his tragic end.

VIVID DESCRIPTION OF THE TEXT: The novel takes its title from a verse in the poem "The Second Coming" by W. B. Yeats, an Irish poet, essayist, and

dramatist:

Turning and turning in the widening gyre

The falcon cannot hear the falconer;

Things fall apart; the center cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.

In this poem — ironically, a product of European thought — Yeats describes an apocalyptic vision in which the world

collapses into anarchy because of an internal flaw in humanity. In Things Fall Apart , Achebe illustrates this vision by showing us what happened in the Igbo society of Nigeria at the time of its colonization by the British. Because of

internal weaknesses within the native structure and the divided nature of Igbo society, the community of Umuofia in this novel is unable to withstand the tidal wave of foreign religion, commerce, technology, and government. In "The Second Coming," Yeats evokes the anti-Christ leading an anarchic world to destruction. This ominous tone gradually emerges in Things Fall Apart as an intrusive religious presence and an insensitive government together cause the traditional Umuofian world to fall apart.

SETTING: Setting is the physical environment, location, place or background at which the events of the novel take place.  It includes the time in which the actions of a work takes place. However, the novel, Things Fall Apart takes its setting from a fictional Igbo village called Umuofia, a lower Nigerian tribe that is part of consortium of nine connected villages.

About the Work: This work is designed to help the students of literature in their study of 'Things Fall Apart' by Chinua Achebe. It covers every parts of the text that are required in the analysis of literary work, and it is useful in project work. 

However, it is impossible to be perfect. Therefore, I accept the liability for any mindless error that is found within the content of this work.

About the Author: Lene Ododomu is a student of University of Abuja, in the department of English. He is a Legislative Member of the National Association of Students of English and Literary Studies (NASELS), University of Abuja chapter, and currently: the Deputy Speaker of the Association.  He is a lover of literature, and a literati. Inception from his time in secondary school, he has being a student teacher of literature and also conferred as a young professor. He is currently a student lecturer and professor of literature in the university. He is a researcher, novelist, poet and playwright.