Things Fall Apart Research Paper
How successful is Chinua Achebe in representing an image of Africa that "writes back" to the European coloniser?
Chinua Achebe was one of Africa's most influential and widely published writers. He was "Born on the 16th of November 1930 in Ogidi, an Igbo village a few miles from the Niger River in what was then the British-ruled colony of Nigeria" . Achebe was a prominent Igbo writer, infamous for his novels depicting the effects of Western customs and beliefs on a traditional African society. A much praised African classic "a great book, that bespeaks a great, brave, kind human spirit," first published in 1958, Things Fall Apart is an early narrative about the European colonization of Africa told from the point of view of the colonized people. Published on the eve of Nigerian independence in 1960 when Achebe was twenty eight Things fall apart helped reshape …show more content…
Although Achebe uses many of these terms which are not familiar to western cultures he does it to make the story seem more real. He brings authenticity to the culture and an understanding of African terms to the colonizer. Also by opening up a scope of wider reading for European audiences it is educational and makes readers involvement in the text more dominant. The commissioner in Things Fall Apart sees the use of these words as most infuriating with their love of superfluous words Achebe also expresses the Africans as people who have a working system of peace and order. This is demonstrated during the week of peace. "Okonkwo broke the peace and was punished, as was the custom, by Ezeani, the priest. During the Week of Peace you are to live in complete peace no matter what the circumstances, "the evil he did could ruin the whole clan." Achebe also writes back by showing us the traditions of Igbo people with refernce to Obierka's daughter's
Chinua Achebe was one of Africa's most influential and widely published writers. He was "Born on the 16th of November 1930 in Ogidi, an Igbo village a few miles from the Niger River in what was then the British-ruled colony of Nigeria" . Achebe was a prominent Igbo writer, infamous for his novels depicting the effects of Western customs and beliefs on a traditional African society. A much praised African classic "a great book, that bespeaks a great, brave, kind human spirit," first published in 1958, Things Fall Apart is an early narrative about the European colonization of Africa told from the point of view of the colonized people. Published on the eve of Nigerian independence in 1960 when Achebe was twenty eight Things fall apart helped reshape …show more content…
Although Achebe uses many of these terms which are not familiar to western cultures he does it to make the story seem more real. He brings authenticity to the culture and an understanding of African terms to the colonizer. Also by opening up a scope of wider reading for European audiences it is educational and makes readers involvement in the text more dominant. The commissioner in Things Fall Apart sees the use of these words as most infuriating with their love of superfluous words Achebe also expresses the Africans as people who have a working system of peace and order. This is demonstrated during the week of peace. "Okonkwo broke the peace and was punished, as was the custom, by Ezeani, the priest. During the Week of Peace you are to live in complete peace no matter what the circumstances, "the evil he did could ruin the whole clan." Achebe also writes back by showing us the traditions of Igbo people with refernce to Obierka's daughter's