Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this things fall apart study guide and get instant access to the following. His father was a lazy man who preferred playing the. Things fall apart is written from the 3rd person omniscient narrator perspective. Things fall apart, first novel 1958 by chinua achebe, which helped create the nigerian literary renaissance of the 1960s. Seen as the quintessential novel on the change from pre to post colonial life in nigeria, the novel was one of the first african novels to receive worldwide recognition. Short summary synopsis for things fall apart by chinua achebe. He first earns personal fame and distinction, and brings honor to his village, when he defeats amalinze the cat in a wrestling contest. As a child, okonkwo notices his fathers feminine and dishonorable behaviors. One of chinua achebes many achievements in his acclaimed first novel, things fall apart, is his relentlessly unsentimental rendering of nigerian tribal life before and after the coming of colonialism. Okonkwo has always felt a need to prove himself because he is the son of a failure, a man named unoka who was heavily in debt because he preferred playing his flute and drinking palm wine to. Although his father was a lazy man who earned no titles in the ibo tribe, okonkwo is a great man in his home of umuofia, a group of nine villages in nigeria.
Its considered an important work in world literature, albeit a controversial onethe book has been banned in some places for its critical portrayal of european colonialism. The district commissioner finds this custom interesting, making note of it for his book on nigeria, which he plans to title t he. The novel deals with the rise and fall of okonkwo, a man from the village of unuofia. Okonkwo values strength and aggression, traits he believes are masculine, and his worst fear is to be thought of as feminine or weak, like his father, unoka. Chinua achebes things fall apart chronicles the struggles of okonkwe to maintain control in a changing world. I was young, browsing, dreaming of a holiday, when i picked out a slim book called things fall apart. Things fall apart is a book by chinua achebe that follows the story of a man living in a tribe in africa. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in things fall apart, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Okonkwo was not born a great man, but he achieved success by his hard work. His principal character cannot accept the new order, even though the old has already collapsed. A simple story of a strong man whose life is dominated by fear and anger, things fall apart is written with remarkable economy and subtle irony. Things fall apart summary and study guide supersummary. The narrative structure of things fall apart follows a cyclical pattern that chronicles okonkwos youth in umuofia, his sevenyear exile in mbanta, and his eventual return home. Disgusted by his lazy, unsuccessful father, okonkwo strives from a young age to be the antithesis of the man. And then things fall apart by arlaina tibensky and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of things fall apart.
Published in 1958, its story chronicles precolonial life in the southeastern part of nigeria. Chinua achebes classic postcolonial novel things fall apart details the tragedy of colonialism through the eyes of okonkwo, a respected. Things fall apart short summarysynopsis thebestnotes. Okonkwo is a brave nigerian warrior and a leader in the village of umuofia.
The novel things fall apart is divided into three parts, the first is the longest, and the third, the shortest. Things fall apart is a novel written by nigerian author chinua achebe. Sparknotes is here for you weve got everything you need to ace or teach. A short summary of chinua achebes things fall apart.
Things fall apart takes place in the 1890s in igbo villages in nigeria. Things fall apart study guide and discussion questions. Towards the end of the book, the white men begin to move into the village, bringing the religion of christianity with them. Things fall apart is acclaimed as the finest novel written about life in nigeria at. Written with quiet dignity that builds to a climax. A masterpiece that has inspired generations of writers in nigeria, across africa, and around the world. Things fall apart, chapters one and two pen america. As you might guess from the title, things fall apart is a tragedy. It has come to be seen as the archetypal modern african novel in english, and is read in nigeria and throughout africa. Things fall apart takes place sometime in the final decade of the nineteenth century in igboland, which occupies the southeastern portion of what is now known as nigeria. Granted, swinging your machete around may not be the nicest way to ask, but still. Things fall apart a novel of the future giltweasel.
Things fall apart by chinua achebe plot summary litcharts. Things fall apart by chinua achebe phil mongredien hails one of the great novels about the colonisation of africa phil mongredien. Main ideas plot analysis the narrative structure of things fall apart follows a cyclical pattern that chronicles okonkwos youth in umuofia, his sevenyear exile in mbanta, and his eventual return home. It is a classic narrative about africas cataclysmic encounter with. Of all of achebes works, things fall apart is the one read most often, and has generated the. I am reading this book for an english assignment and was wondering if the.
Uniquely and richly african, at the same time it reveals achebes keen awareness of the human qualities common to men of all times and places. Things fall apart is a milestone in african literature. The first part deals with the vindication of tribal life in africa and the rise in power and authority of okonkwo. Things fall apart sarah krask culture kola nutthe kola nut was used many times in things fall apart. Now that they have read the novel, and learned about the rise and tragic downfall of okonkwo, ask them to consider the themes that can be drawn from things fall apart and contrast those with the themes contained in the second coming. Things fall apart okonkwo is a wealthy and respected warrior of the umuofia clan, a lower nigerian tribe that is part of a consortium of nine connected villages. The first matches, between two teams of boys fifteen or sixteen years old, provide entertainment and excitement before the main. More than two million copies of things fall apart have been s. Published in 1958, its story chronicles precolonial life in the southeastern part of nigeria and the arrival of the europeans during the late nineteenth century. Book summary things fall apart is about the tragic fall of the protagonist, okonkwo, and the igbo culture. This study guide consists of approximately 38 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of things fall apart.
This book was recommended to me because during this time, i lost my dad and i was grieving. The book is split into three parts showing the reader the negative effects of colonization on the main characters tribe. Okonkwo despised his father and does everything he can to be nothing like the man. You break the nut at a celebration using your hands or a knife, and then chew it. Things fall apart translated into 50 languages, taught in high schools all over the world, was the first african book that was written with the real voices of africans, hence giving a correct representation of the real africa. This isnt an easy book to explain the plot of in my opinion, but if youre willing to. Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. Things fall apart plot structure analysis by chinua achebe. The novel also tells the story of okonkwo, a man of wealth and status who nonetheless has a tragic flaw fear of being perceived as weak which leads him to make many poor life decisions. Summary read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. Lynn next allowed herself a moment to be angry with her husband to be off playing politics five hundred miles away.
Things fall apart 1958, achebes first novel, concerns traditional igbo life at the time of the advent of missionaries and colonial government in his homeland. Most of the action unfolds prior to the arrival of european missionaries. The commissioner, who is writing a book about africa, believes that the story of. Things fall apart is the first of three novels in chinua achebes critically acclaimed african trilogy.
Things fall apart, published in 1958, is nigerian novelist chinua achebes first novel. He is haunted by the actions of unoka, his cowardly and spendthrift father, who died in disrepute, leaving many village debts unsettled. Although things fall apart is a work of fiction, its depiction of ibo tribes and customs is informative. She did this frequently, as she felt that blowing off a little steam now and then was probably better than letting it. Okonkwo is a respected and influential leader within the igbo community of umuofia in eastern nigeria. Things fall apart book summaries, test preparation. I discovered achebe between the rough guides to africa in a travel bookshop. Simultaneously portraying the traditions and beliefs of nigerian ibo culture and engaging with the narrative of european colonialism in africa, things fall apart uses one mans story to speak for many.
Get all the key plot points of chinua achebes things fall apart on one page. Achebes plot centers on okonkwo, a passionate man focused on reaching the apex of masculine virtue in his home village, umuofia. First published in 1958, just two years before nigeria declared independence from great britain, the book eschews the obvious temptation of depicting precolonial life as a kind of eden. Chinua achebes things fall apart is probably the most authentic narrative ever written about life in nigeria at the turn of the twentieth century. It is seen as the archetypal modern african novel in english, one of the first to receive global critical acclaim. Set in the late 19th century, at the height of the scramble for african territories by the great european powers, things fall apart tells the story of. Things fall apart summary all okonkwo was asking for was a little respect. Understanding the setting of the novel, things fall apart, is important to.
When things fall apart is not the kind of book i would normally read. The novel things fall apart is chinua achebes homage to his ancestors and the culture of the ibo tribe in nigeria. Things fall apart is a novel by chinua achebe that was first published in 1958. Many of the characters in the book play important roles in order to create a society. It is a staple book in schools throughout africa and is widely read and studied in englishspeaking countries around the world. It is now considered a classic and widely taught in schools both inside and outside africa. How does this contrast with the ending, when okonkwo is deliberating about. Things fall apart is a famous novel by nigerian author chinua achebe. It tells the story of an african clan being invaded by outsiders and falling to pieces. Things fall apart is set in what is now nigeria during the late 19th century, but it was written in 1958.
Things fall apart is a 1958 novel by the nigerian author chinua achebe. Chinua achebe things fall apart chapter one genius. Introduce this poem after students have completed the book. In chapter eleven, after supper ekwfi tells ezinma a story about a tortoise who tricks birds into taking him. As a young man of eighteen he had brought honor to his village by throwing amalinze the cat. The book things fall apart by chinua achebe has many important sociological perspectives. Things fall apart is set in umuofia, the hometown of okonkwo, a proud, angry, and hardworking man in his prime.
Although the novel was first published in 1958 two years before nigeria achieved its independence thousands of copies are still sold every year in the united states alone. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and. Things fall apart, no longer at ease, arrow of god by chinua achebe and chimamanda ngozi adichie nov 1, 2010 4. From this perspective achebe sets out to record the more intimate details of african life. But i was curious and i respect and admire the person that recommended it. Yams things fall apart summary as a young man, okonkwo becomes one of the greatest wrestlers in the clan. Missionaries arrive as part of the takeover, and britain imposes a legal system to assist them in converting villagers to christianity. Barack obama nominated as one of americas bestloved novels by pbss the great american read things fall apart is the first of three novels in chinua achebes critically acclaimed african trilogy. Each of the novels three parts covers one of these periods of okonkwos life. Yams yams are very important food in things fall apart. On the second day of the festival, everyone gathers at the village playing field to watch the wrestling contest between men of the village and men of a neighboring village. About things fall apart cliffsnotes study guides book.