UNITED COLLEGE KAMOKE

Themes in Things Fall Apart

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In the novel, Things Fall Apart by: Chinua Achebe, there are several major themes. The first of
these themes is the theme of family strength. For the Igbo, there are a few key ideas that form the
basis of an ideal family: mutual respect for each other, a reverence for all past fathers, and unity. The
father is not only the provider for the family, but defender of its honor and teacher of his sons. The
mothers main duty is to add to the family line by bearing healthy children and also to please her
husband. Children are the inheritors of the future and are raised to continue the values of the older
generation. This family unit is the most fundamental unit of society and its structure can be expanded
to fit a whole community or even a pantheon of gods. This theme is well represented in the novel in
several different ways.
The theme of change is also significant in this novel. This is the main theme of the novel and is
expressed within the novel in many different ways. Theme of change can be shown in many different
ways. Change occurs when the white men come to the tribe. These white men brought along a new
religion with them. A new religion is a hard thing to grasp especially when its something totally
different from what you have known to be true all your life. Change is some times a hard thing to deal
with and other times its very simple. The change that took place within the tribe led to inner conflicts
inside of the tribe. These conflicts escalated to much worse events such as violence and death.
From Achebe's own statements, we know that one of his themes is the complexity of Igbo
society before the arrival of the Europeans. To support this theme, he includes detailed descriptions
of the justice codes and the trial process, the social and family rituals, the marriage customs, food
production and preparation processes, the process of shared leadership for the community, religious
beliefs and practices, and the opportunities for virtually every man to climb the clan's ladder of
success through his own efforts. The book may have been written more simply as a study of
Okonkwo's deterioration in character in an increasingly unsympathetic and incompatible environment,
but consider what would have been lost had Achebe not emphasized the theme of the complex and
dynamic qualities of the Igbo in Umuofia.
Against Achebe's theme of Igbo cultural complexity is his theme of the clash of cultures. This
collision of cultures occurs at the individual and societal levels, and the cultural misunderstanding
cuts both ways: Just as the uncompromising Reverend Smith views Africans as "heathens," the Igbo
initially criticize the Christians and the missionaries as "foolish." For Achebe, the Africans'
misperceptions of themselves and of Europeans need realignment as much as do the misperceptions
of Africans by the West. Writing as an African who had been "Europeanized," Achebe wrote Things
Fall Apart as "an act of atonement with [his] past, the ritual return and homage of a prodigal son." By
his own act, he encourages other Africans, especially ones with Western educations, to realize that
they may misperceive their native culture.
Related to the theme of cultural clash is the issue of how much the flexibility or the rigidity of
the characters (and by implication, of the British and Igbo) contribute to their destiny. Because of

Okonkwo's inflexible nature, he seems destined for self-destruction, even before the arrival of the
European colonizers. The arrival of a new culture only hastens Okonkwo's tragic fate.
Two other characters contrast with Okonkwo in this regard: Mr. Brown, the first missionary,
and Obierika, Okonkwo's good friend. Whereas Okonkwo is an unyielding man of action, the other
two are more open and adaptable men of thought. Mr. Brown wins converts by first respecting the
traditions and beliefs of the Igbo and subsequently allowing some accommodation in the conversion
process. Like Brown, Obierika is also a reasonable and thinking person. He does not advocate the
use of force to counter the colonizers and the opposition. Rather, he has an open mind about
changing values and foreign culture: "Who knows what may happen tomorrow?" he comments about
the arrival of foreigners. Obierika's receptive and adaptable nature may be more representative of the
spirit of Umuofia than Okonkwo's unquestioning rigidity.
Underlying the aforementioned cultural themes is a theme of fate, or destiny. This theme is
also played at the individual and societal levels. In the story, readers are frequently reminded about
this theme in references to chi, the individual's personal god as well as his ultimate capability and
destiny. Okonkwo, at his best, feels that his chi supports his ambition: "When a man says yes, his chi
says yes also" (Chapter 4). At his worst, Okonkwo feels that his chi has let him down: His chi "was
not made for great things. A man could not rise beyond the destiny of his chi. . . . Here was a man
whose chi said nay despite his own affirmation" (Chapter 14).
Reputation is extremely important to the men in the novel. Personal reputation is publicly
denoted by the ankle bracelets men wear, which signify the number of titles they have earned.
Reputation is based on merit men gain reputation through bravery in battle, skill at wrestling, and
hard work as seen through the size of their yam harvest. Reputation earns men positions of power
and influence in the community as well as numerous wives. Okonkwo, the novels protagonist, is
extremely concerned with reputation because he grew up with a father who was shameful and lazy.
Okonkwo overcompensates by working tirelessly on his farm and taking every opportunity available to
prove his bravery and strength.
Many of the characters suffer from fear of some sort. Okonkwo fears becoming like his lazy,
shameful father, Ekwefi fears losing her daughter, and Nwoye fears his fathers wrath. While most
characters fear events that are outside of their control, Okonkwo is consumed by a terrible internal
worry about himself and his identity. Rather than mastering his fear, he allows it to dominate him and
drive his actions. Fear leads him to lash out in some pretty nasty ways: beating his wives, abusing
and alienating his oldest son, partaking in the murder of his adoptive son, etc. Overall, fear in this
novel leads characters to behave in negative ways that can bring the wrath of the gods, guilt, and the
community disapproval upon them.
In Things Fall Apart, sin is defined as a crime against the gods. Such transgressions occur
when a member of society violates the most intimate bonds of family, especially with regards to ones
children or somehow insults an ancestral spirit. These sins call for quick and severe punishment,
often including animal sacrifices, a heavy fine, various symbolic gestures of atonement, exile from
ones fatherland, or even death. Only when such payment is given can justice be served. If
punishment is not doled out, not only is the sinner subject to divine wrath, but the entire community
suffers.

Role of Women in Things Fall Apart

Things Fall Apart analyses the destruction of African culture by the appearance of the white
man in terms of the destruction of the bonds between individuals and their society. Achebe, who
teaches individuals and their society. Achebe, who teaches us a great deal about Ibo society and
translates Ibo myth and proverbs, also explains the role of women in pre-colonial Africa.
Achebe in his novel Things Fall Apart depicted women dominated by man. They had no
important role to play passively. Most of the women characters were combined to domestic duties.
They were born in society to obey their husbands and never to question their authority. They were
fated to satisfy men's lust for sex, give birth to children and bring up them. In addition to her womanly
duties, she had to work with men during sowing and harvesting seasons. Man's crop was Yam and
woman's crop were maize, beans and vegetables. She reared poultry and goats to cater to the family
food-supply. It was her duty to clean, whitewash and decorate their houses on the occasion of
festivals and ceremonies. She had to go to market to make purchases of household commodities.
According to the custom of the clan, a man could marry several women. There was a tradition
of paying bride-price to the parents of the girls from the suitor's side. Okonkwo could not marry Ekwefi
in the first instance because; he was too poor to pay bride-price then. If a woman wanted to give up
her husband, her parents had to give back the bride price. Making preparation for marriage ceremony
fell with the sphere of women's duties. Several wives of a man lived in full co-operation with one
another. They were one to share the joys and sorrows of the family. When the husband beat or ill
treated any of his wives, other wives of the same husband came forward to check his wrath. But
above is the dismal phase of women's fate as painted by Achebe. If we study the Ibo African history,
we would find women enjoying high status in the society.
An excellent example of powerful women in the Ibo village is found in the role they play in the
Ibo religion. The women routinely perform the role of priestess. The narrator recalls that during
Okonkwos boyhood, the priestess in those days was a woman called Chika. She was full of the
power of her god, and she was greatly feared. The present priestess is Chielo, the priestess of
Agbala, the Oracle of the hill and the Caves. There is an episode during which Chielo has come for
Okonkwo and Ekwefis daughter Ezinma. We are told, Okonkwo pleaded with her to come back in
the morning because Ezinma was now asleep. But Chielo ignored what he was trying to say and went
on shouting that Agbala wanted to see his daughter . . . The priestess screamed. Beware, Okonkwo!
she warned. There is no other point in the novel in which we see Okonkwo plead with anyone, male
or female, for any reason. We witness a woman not only ordering Okonkwo to give her his daughter,
but threatening him as well. The fact that Okonkwo allows this is evidence of the priestesss power.
The ability of a woman to occupy the role of a priestess, a spiritual leader, reveals a clear degree of
reverence for women being present in Ibo society.

Another example of such reverence for women is unveiled in the representation of the earth
goddess, Ani. Ani is described a playing a greater part in the life of the people than any other deity.
She was the ultimate judge of morality and conduct. And what more, she was in close communion
with the departed fathers of the clan whose bodies had been committed to earth. It seems logical
that a society that views its female members as inferior beings would not represent their most
powerful deity as being a woman. Anis power is further illustrated through her role in the yam
harvest. It is important that all the members of the clan observe the Week of Peace prior to the
harvest in order, to honor [their] great goddess of the earth without whose blessing [their] crops will
not grow. For a female spirit to possess such an important role in the success of the yam crops is
indicative of the actual deep-rooted power of women. When Okonkwo breaks the Peace of Ani,
Ezeani proclaims, The evil you have one can ruin the whole clan. The earth goddess whom you have
insulted may refuse to give us her increase, and we shall all perish.
The idea of womens power being attached to nature is also found in Chapter fourteen, when
Okonkwo returns to his mothers clan after being exiled from the Ibo village. Uchendu, reproaching
Okonkwo for his sorrow about having to come to live with his mothers clan, explains:
Its true that a child belongs to its father. But when a father beats his child, it seeks sympathy in its
mothers hut. A man belongs to his fatherland when things are good and life is sweet. But when there
is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuge in his motherland. Your mother is there to protect you. She is
buried there. And that is why we say that mother is supreme.
Uchendas words reveal that women are viewed as the foundation of the clan and its people. They
are the constant that can be relied upon; they are the nurturers and caretakers of the people. These
are not insignificant, powerless roles.
We also see women in their role as educators of their children. The education process is done
in part through the ritual of storytelling. The narrator describes, Low voices, broken now and again by
singing, reached Okonkwo from his wives huts as each woman and her children told folk stories
(96). It is through storytelling that the children learn important lessons about the human condition, are
taught the Ibo creation myths, such as the birds and the tortoise story, and master the art of
communicating by retelling the stories themselves. As stated earlier in the novel, Among Ibo the art
of conversation is regarded very highly, and proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten
(7). The Ibo women are playing a significant role in the facilitation of this learning, which is vital to
their childrens ability to function within the Ibo culture. At first glance, the role of women in Chinua
Achebes Things Fall Apart may appear to unfairly limited in terms of their authority and power. Upon
delving beneath this deceiving surface, one can see that the women of the clan hold somevery
powerful positions: spiritually as the priestess, symbolically as the earth goddess, and literally as the
nurturers of the Ibo people, the caretakers of the yam crops and the mothers and educators of the Ibo
children

Significance of the Title Things Fall Apart'

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a novel whose title bears the central massage of the
work. The very title Things Fall Apart foreshadows the tragedy which takes place at the end of the
novel. The novel depicts the tragedy of an individual as well as the tragedy of a society. The
protagonist of the novel Okonkwo who was rich and respectable at the beginning of the novel meets a
tragic fate at the end of the novel. Achebe portrays how an ambitious, well known, and respected
African Okonkwos life falls apart. But when he suffers, his whole tribe also suffers. At the beginning
of the novel, the Ibo society was a peaceful, organic society, but at the end of the novel it falls into
pieces. Thus, the novel records not only falling apart of Okonkwos life but also his whole society.
The Title- A Literary Allusion:
The phrase "things fall apart" is taken from the poem, The Second Coming by W.B Yeats,
which Achebe quotes more extensively in the epigraph. Achebes literary allusion to Yeats poem
might deepen or extendby comparison and/or contrastthe meaning(s) of Achebes title and his
novel. The beginning four lines of the poem are referred as a preface of the novel.
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
"Things fall apart" can be said when something we believed would last forever, comes to an end. The
title Things Fall Apart refers to the fact that without proper balance, things do fall apart. The notion of
balance in the novel is an important theme throughout the book. Beginning with the excerpt from
Yeats' poem, the concept of balance is stressed as important; for without balance, order is lost. In the
novel, there is a system of balance, which the Igbo culture seems but at the end of the novel the
society people can not listen the leader, so a chaotic situation is created.
Okonkwos Life Falls Apart:
At the beginning of the novel we see Okonkwo as a prosperous leader of the Igbo people. But
the novel ends with his tragic end. Thus, we can say that the novel Things Fall Apart depicts how
Okonkwos life falls apart. Okonkwo is definitely a man of importance for his society. He is a wellknown person throughout the nine villages and beyond. He is a warrior and wrestler who gains
respect through his athletics. He is a fierce-free individual. He hasnt lost one fight or any battles. And
for this the people of the village love him. He is also respected because of his wealth.
Okonkwo's life first begins to fall apart when he kills Ikemefuna, a prisoner who stayed at Okonkwo's
home. Okonkwo considers Ikemefuna as one of his own sons. It has been decided from the oracle
that Ikemefuna will be killed. Okonkwo takes part in his murder, despite warning from his friend, That
boy calls you father. Do not bear a hand in his death. But when he hears Ikemefunas crying, My
father, they have killed me! as he ran towards him. Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and
cut him down. Okonkwos fear of being weak, which is one of his tragic flaws, drives him to
rashness, and in the end it contributes to his own tragedy that his own life falls apart.

Another significant incidence where Okonkwo's life falls apart was when he was thrown out of
the clan for seven years. From this event, one can see that Okonkwo's hopes dreams have begun to
fall apart. His hopes of being a rich and popular individual had drifted away with this disturbing
incident. Okonkwo had no longer had his farm or animals. Also Okonkwo lost faith with most of his
friends. This goes to show that Okonkwo lost faith with his friends, like his father lost faith with his
friends. Another episode that showed the downfall in Okonkwo's life was when Nwoye, his oldest and
favorite son, converted to the white mans.
Okonkwos life finally shattered after his returning to his village where he finds that everything
is changed. After the clansman burn the Church building down, the District Commissioner asks the
leaders of the clan, Okonkwo among them, to go and see him for a peaceful meeting. The leaders
arrive, and are quickly seized. While they are in detention waiting for the fine to be collected from their
people, they are beaten severely by the court messengers and their heads are shaved. They are held
in jail until the clan pays a heavy fine. Embittered and grieving for the destruction of his clans
independence, and fearing the humiliation of dying under white law, Okonkwo commits suicide and
his life totally falls apart.
Igbo Society Falls Apart:
Like Okonkwo his Igbo society also falls apart. In the first part of the book we see a socially,
politically and religiously organic Igbo society. But this organic society becomes divided and virtually
loses all energy at the end of the book. Thus, the novel documents the falling apart of the Igbo tribe
due to its own brutal rules as well as the coming of the Christian missionaries and the rule of the
English government.
The Society Itself Responsible For Falling Apart:
At the beginning of the book we see that the Igbo people have a strong faith in their traditional
religion. The religion of the Igbos consisted in the belief that there is a suspense God, the creator of
the universe and the lesser gods. The supreme God was called Chukwu. The other gods were made
by Chukwu to act his messengers so that people could approach him through them. People made
sacrifices to the smaller gods, but when they failed, the people turned to Chukwu. Ancestor worship
was also an equally important feature of the religion of the Ibo people. There were man superstitious
ideas related with their religious belief. They believed in evil spirits and oracle. One of such Oracles is
responsible for Okonkwos sacrifice of Ikemefuna. This incident underlines the superstitious brutality
of traditional Igbo society. We also find the brutality, injustice and the inhuman activities in some other
rituals or rules such as people who are affected by some severe diseases are carried on the Evil
Forest to die and they do not get any burial and twin babies are thrown out in the Evil Forest just after
their birth. The ultimate result of such brutality is when the people, who are dissatisfied with these
rules such as- Nwoye, the mother of three twin babies, get the opportunity to change their religion
they do it and the society ultimately falls apart.

Igbo Society Encounters the Colonial Masters and Falls Apart:

Prior to the coming of the white men the political life of the Igbo people was also very organic
and strong. They were very loyal to their political leaders. After the entrance of colonial masters, the
colonial religion, mostly replaces the traditional religion. When white man arrives, however, they
ignore the Igbos values and tries to enforce his own beliefs and religious practices. Missionaries
would convince these tribesmen that their tribes worshipped false gods and that its false gods did not
have the ability to punish them if they chose to join the mission. Like many others, Okonkos son
Nwoye is also affected by the colonial religion.
The only point in the book in which the title is referenced is Chapter Twenty, when the main
character, Okonkwo, and his friend, Obierika, are discussing the invasion of white men into their
community. Obierika says, "The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his
religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers,
and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we
have fallen apart." his passage clearly ties the destruction of the Igbo people's way of life to sneaky,
divisive
action
on
the
part
of
European
missionaries
and
imperialists.
The colonial politics affects the Igbo society. Okonkos life is also affected by the colonial
politics. The Igbo people become the victims of the colonial politics and many people die as a result
of colonialism. The same things happen to Okonkwo.
Conclusion
The novel concludes with the end of the Igbo society and the death of the hero. In the face of
the chaos caused by the incursion of Christianity, Okonkwo becomes a murderer and then hangs
himself. His world has literally fallen apart, and it symbolically represents that Igbo society has fallen
apart. Thus, we can say, the title of the novel, Things Fall Apart denotes its theme appropriately.

Briefly Compiled By:

Prof. H. M. SIKANDAR AKHTAR
M.A.ENGLISH (Literature and Linguistics)