(Book 472 from 1001 books) - Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe

Things Fall Apart is a remarkable novel penned by the Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. Published in 1958, it offers a vivid and detailed account of the pre-colonial life in Nigeria and the profound impact of the arrival of the Europeans during the late nineteenth century. This novel is widely regarded as the archetypal modern African novel in English, being one of the first to gain global critical acclaim. It has become a staple in schools across Africa and is extensively read and studied in English-speaking countries worldwide. The title of the novel is borrowed from W. B. Yeats' 1919 poem "The Second Coming".

The story is set in the east of Nigeria and provides a complex portrayal of traditional society before the invasion by missionaries. The author chronicles the tragedy of the protagonist, Okonkwo, and his community. Albert Chinualumogu Achebe, better known as Chinua Achebe (born on the 16th of November 1930 - passed away on the 21st of March 2013), was a Nigerian novelist, poet, and one of the most renowned writers of the African continent. He is remembered as the "pioneer of African literature in English". His first novel, Things Fall Apart, was published in 1958. This work has been translated into more than fifty languages around the world, including Persian, and over ten million copies have been sold. In this novel, Achebe delves into the era of colonialism and the corruption in Africa.

Okonkwo indeed remains a worthy hero in many aspects. He inhabits a world where his toxicity and excessive masculinity are equated with status. In such a context, it's understandable that he fails to see that despite the victories he achieves through these "qualities," he is also a victim of his own actions.

However, I do hold the author accountable. Instead of directly confronting Okonkwo with his problems, the author seems to get sidetracked by the allure of the African continent's exoticism and the arrival of the white man in the story. This detracts from the core issues surrounding Okonkwo.

For me, the final choice presented in the book is truly a non-choice. If the narrative is attempting to force us to choose between two evils, I simply refuse to engage in that game. What I really needed was to witness Okonkwo at least come to the realization that his traditions were not without their own share of evil and that he was not any less of a murderer. Only then could there be a more profound exploration of his character and the themes at play.

This is an extremely powerful and poetic novel. In fact, I'm not entirely certain that it can be neatly placed into a specific category. It truly seems to be in a league of its own, incomparable to anything I've read before.

There were, however, a few aspects that I found a bit challenging. For instance, I don't believe the sense of place was firmly established. This is rather astonishing when you consider that it's often described as a novel about a particular place, namely Africa. While I know it's set in Africa, I was left wondering precisely where in Africa. The text didn't make this clear. Given that the author is Nigerian, I initially assumed it was set in Nigeria, but this wasn't evident to me during my reading. Perhaps there's a valid reason for this ambiguity that I simply missed. After all, this was my first reading, and I may have overlooked the obvious and might need to re-read it.

Despite this minor critique, "Things Fall Apart" is a beautiful story crafted by a masterful poet. Achebe's voice is not only unique but also beautifully raw and vibrant. There were two passages in particular that seemed to leap off the page.

One of them was the vivid description of the locusts descending. Sometimes writers have to pen about experiences that are unfamiliar to them. Their accounts can either succeed or fall short. When Okonkwo's village is assaulted by locusts, it becomes abundantly clear that Achebe has first-hand knowledge of what this feels and looks like.

"At first, a fairly small swarm came. They were the harbingers sent to survey the land. And then appeared on the horizon a slowly-moving mass like a boundless sheet of black cloud drifting towards Umuofia. Soon it covered half the sky, and the solid mass was now broken by tiny eyes of light like the shining star dust. It was a tremendous sight, full of power and beauty."

This is just a brief sample of the passage, but to me, the entire description was simply breathtaking. I would recommend this novel based on this passage alone. It's also quite remarkable to go back and read this passage and realize that it serves as a metaphor for what's即将到来.

Achebe also has an intimate understanding of what it's like to experience the first rain after a dry season.

"At last the rain came. It was sudden and tremendous. For two or three moons the sun had been gathering strength till it seemed to breathe a breath of fire on the earth. All the grass had long been scorched brown, and the sands felt like live coals to the feet. Evergreen trees wore a dusty coat of brown. The birds were silenced in the forests, and the world lay panting under the live, vibrating heat. And then came the clap of thunder. It was an angry, metallic and thirsty clap, unlike the deep liquid rumbling of the rainy season. A mighty wind arose and filled the air with dust. Palm trees swayed as the wind combed their leaves into flying crests like strange and fantastic coiffure."

This passage is so vivid and real that it could only be described by a master poet who had experienced it first-hand.

"Things Fall Apart" is not only important as a novel that encapsulates the African experience but also as a work of art.

Chinua Achebe, the Nigerian author of the African Trilogy, published his first installment, "Things Fall Apart," in 1958. This is the most translated African work in the world, a mandatory read in several countries, and undoubtedly an exceptional representation of the humiliation that Nigerians endured at the hands of the white man. I decided to debut in the #blackhistoryjuly of @trotalibros with this writing, and I must say it was the best decision I could have made.

In this story, we will get to know Okonkwo, a clear representative of an extremist society, a despicable man in his actions and behaviors (especially violent towards his wives and children), but recognized as a good farmer and great warrior. His unbreakable ideals will be what characterizes this character, who prospers and earns the admiration of everyone in his village. Although along the way he may seem detestable, it is inevitable to empathize and be deeply moved by him at the end.

This novel shows us the oldest beliefs, rituals, legends, and countless superstitions specific to this culture that was wiped out. All those passages narrated in its first part are undoubtedly of great social and cultural interest, enriching the reader not only at a literary level. Narrated in an agile and simple way, including words in its language, Achebe surprises and dissects a valuable and beautiful testimony of this atrocity.

The theme that gains weight is colonization, the one that rejected and terrified the customs of so many people ferociously and without any kind of pity. It provides us with a terrifying vision of the beginning of the breakdown of a civilization by the white man. Everything happens gradually: the construction of churches, the conversion of villagers to Christianity, the offense to their gods... This ultimately shakes this representative protagonist of all African society.

In conclusion, I must only add that reading this author is to infiltrate and travel through his pages to an unknown place with an education and knowledge that differ so much from ours that they enrich and nourish our understanding. A step forward to more deeply understand the brutality of colonialism and the eradication of identity that so many beings have suffered in the history of humanity. Brutal, distressing, and real.

This is a great book to learn about life in Africa before the arrival of the Europeans. Specifically, it deals with the Igbo tribe in Nigeria - from which the author descends - around 1890.

In the first part, the life of the tribe and its complex social organization are described in depth: the ceremonies, marriages, polygamy, religion, or laws. It also tells us about the crops and food as well as the popular festivals.

Noteworthy are the numerous proverbs and folk tales that are interspersed in the narrative, pearls of popular wisdom full of humor.

Through the odyssey of Okonkwo, a warrior and prominent man of the tribe, we see how this entire harmonious set is drastically altered with the arrival of the white man in its two aspects: missionaries and political occupation.

The seven years that Okonkwo remains exiled from his village for having committed a homicide are enough to change everything: when he returns to Umuofia, nothing will be the same as before.

I think it is a rather objective analysis of what happened in this clash of cultures - which could be extrapolated to many other places. Chinua Achebe avoids value judgments and refrains from presenting pre-European society as idyllic.

"Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, except the emotion of anger. Showing affection was a sign of weakness; the only thing worth showing was strength."

It is a patriarchal society based on the domination of the strongest. But through the final despair of Okonkwo, the author makes us feel the nostalgia and confusion that accompany the decline of a civilization.

“There is no story that is not true.”

― Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart









Achebe's Magnum Opus, "Things Fall Apart," is truly one of those "essential novels." It's a work where one can immediately perceive its greatness. However, it's important to note that part of its strength doesn't solely rely on what the novel does within its own pages. Instead, a significant portion of its power stems from the unique place it holds in time and space. If this novel had been written 40 years earlier, it likely would have been overlooked both in Africa and in the West. The literary landscapes of those eras might not have been receptive to its themes and perspectives. On the other hand, if it had been penned 40 years later, it would have been regarded as a good postcolonialist novel, but just one among many. But by coming into existence precisely when and where it did, "Things Fall Apart" and Achebe himself managed to achieve true greatness. It became the central model and mentor that countless later African novels and novelists would look to as they endeavored to convey their own distinct historical and cultural visions of modern Africa. It set a standard and provided a framework that influenced an entire generation of African literature.

I read this for school. It's a task that I have to complete as part of my studies.

Although it might seem like just another assignment, I'm actually quite interested in what I'm reading.

It could be a book, an article, or a research paper. Regardless of the format, I always try to approach it with an open mind and a willingness to learn.

Logging it for the reading goal is just an added bonus. It helps me keep track of my progress and see how much I've accomplished.

Sometimes, I might even share what I've read with my classmates or teachers. It can lead to interesting discussions and new perspectives.

Overall, reading for school is not only a requirement but also an opportunity for growth and discovery.

1959. Love it or hate it, Achebe's tale of a flawed tribal patriarch is a powerful and important contribution to twentieth century literature.

Think back to 1959. Liberation from colonial masters had not yet swept the African continent when this book appeared, but the pressures were building. The US civil rights movement had not yet erupted, but the forces were in motion. Communism and capitalism were fighting a pitched battle for control of hearts and minds, for bodies and land, around the world. Africans would suffer under the proxy wars waged there to keep the Cold War cold.

Achebe tells the tale of Okonkwo, a young man of some fame throughout the nine villages and beyond, for his wrestling prowess. He is a product of his land, his culture, his religion, and his people. He represents a way of life which admires and rewards strength, loyalty, hard work, a strong hand, and strict adherence to a social code.

He builds his life, takes wives, works his land, produces boys and girls to honor and carry on his legacy. When duty to the tribe makes demands, he must respond even if that response requires great personal sacrifice.

You can't read this book through the prism of your own experience. Part of the mystery of fiction from cultures far afield from your own is the chance it affords to consider how men and women of a certain time and place grappled with the very human issue of living within an exotic social group.

Consider your own social group, and imagine how you would explain your daily and exceptional actions to someone from another religion, from another country, from another language group, from another generation, from another century. Where would you start? Perhaps by considering how you spend a normal day, then how you arrived at the great choices that formed your life. That's a helluva task to set yourself. In my humble opinion, that was the task Achebe set for himself in writing this book. He aimed to show the complexity and richness of an African tribal society, and to make readers understand the struggles and joys of its people. Through the story of Okonkwo, he invites us to step into a world that is both strange and familiar, and to learn from its lessons.

One point that I found interesting is that this book has been the subject of several theses and dissertations in Iran and has examined it from different aspects.

After reading this book, you can refer to the discussion about it in the book "Lectures on World Literature", Grant W. Watt, published by Niloufar, pages 591 - 602. (Thanks to my good friend Nasrin for introducing and sending it).

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Achebe remembers how he was scared of reading the books that were assigned to him during his studies, which were under the supervision of the English. Among the books he often refers to are "Things Fall Apart" by Mr. Johnson and "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad. Both of these books claim to present a legitimate story of Africa, and specifically Nigeria in "Things Fall Apart", and both works have targeted Western readers. Achebe says that in both of these works, he was shocked by seeing the description of Africans as a wild, hedonistic, very strange, backward-thinking, and very childish people. His first novel, "Things Fall Apart", which we are discussing in this lecture, was written to some extent to deal with this view and also to show the impact of colonialism on the colonized people and their feelings towards this subject, contrary to the feelings of the colonizers. Therefore, this book does not focus much on the process of colonialism - although some examples of colonialism are seen in the story - but is written more for the purpose of reminding Westerners and also his own people that they had their own unique culture before the arrival of the English. In an article that he published in the Nigerian magazine in 1964, in a part of the book "Chinua Achebe's Novels" by G. D. Killam, he is quoted as saying:

"At the heart of this story, in simple language, it shows that the people of Africa first heard the word 'culture' from the Europeans and their societies were not mindless and witless, but always followed a deep, valuable, and beautiful philosophy and had poetry and literature and, more importantly, great heroes and dignity. This dignity and respect is what many Africans lost during the colonial period, and this is what must be revived again. The worst thing that can happen to a nation is to lose its dignity, respect, and self-esteem. The duty of writers in this era is to try to reach this feeling again by depicting it with human examples and their reactions to what they have lost. There is a proverb in the Igbo language that says that a man who cannot tell where the rain is falling on his body cannot understand which part of his body he should dry." The writer has the ability to tell the people where the rain is hitting their bodies. "Lectures on World Literature". Published by Niloufar. Pages 592 - 593 of the book.

This review is now on my blog:

https://www.skylarb.com/single-post/2...

"Things Fall Apart" is a truly remarkable and nuanced novel. It delves deep into the complex world of an African community before and during the arrival of the colonizers. The story follows the life of Okonkwo, a respected and powerful man in his village. Through his experiences, we witness the breakdown of traditional values and the upheaval caused by the intrusion of a foreign culture. The author, Chinua Achebe, masterfully crafts a vivid and detailed portrayal of the Igbo society, its customs, beliefs, and social structures. The novel not only explores the themes of cultural conflict, but also delves into the human condition, highlighting the flaws and strengths of its characters. "Things Fall Apart" is a thought-provoking and engaging read that offers valuable insights into the history and culture of Africa. It is a must-read for anyone interested in literature, history, or cultural studies.

Good God! Okonkwo!

Okonkwo is a complex and fascinating character. He is a strong and proud man, yet also deeply flawed. His actions are often driven by his fear of weakness and failure, which leads him to make decisions that have far-reaching consequences.

Throughout the story, we see Okonkwo struggle with the changing world around him. He is resistant to new ideas and ways of life, which ultimately isolates him from his community. His downfall is a tragic one, as he is unable to adapt and find meaning in a world that is rapidly evolving.

Despite his flaws, Okonkwo is a character that we cannot help but admire. His strength and determination are truly remarkable, and his story serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of balance and self-awareness. We can learn a great deal from Okonkwo's experiences, and his story will continue to resonate with readers for generations to come.

In every place and time, there is a contrast with the white man and his ironclad possessions, his church, his school, his courts, and his laws.

The white man seems to hold a dominant position, with his various institutions and systems that shape the society around him. His church may be a symbol of spiritual authority, while his school provides education and indoctrination. The courts and laws he enforces often reflect his own values and interests.

However, this contrast also highlights the potential for inequality and injustice. The non-white individuals and communities may find themselves at a disadvantage, having to navigate a world that is largely defined by the white man. Their own cultures, traditions, and ways of life may be overlooked or suppressed.

It is important to recognize and understand this contrast in order to work towards a more just and equitable society. We need to question the assumptions and power dynamics that underlie the white man's dominance and strive to create a more inclusive and diverse world where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive.