Things Fall Apart Essay -- essays research papers

Things Fall Apart An Evaluation In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe tells two different stories at the same time. One is of Okonkwo, the resolutionr whose rise to bureau is halted because of all of his misfortunes. The other is of Okonkwos village, Umuofia, and its struggle to hold on to its cultural tradition while facing colonialism from the West. The title, Things Fall Apart, describes perfectly what happens to both Okonkwo and his village. Okonkwos livelihood falls apart and as a result, he commits suicide by hanging himself. The cultural tradition of Umuofia falls apart, and becomes influenced by the West. In Things Fall Apart, Achebe uses Okonkwo and the villages falling out to show how African culture, as well as other cultures around the world, suffered as a result of Westernization. In the book, Achebe focuses mainly on the character of Okonkwo. Okonkwos story follows the general pattern of a Greek tragedy. He experiences many successes in the beginning, but everything e ventually comes crashing down on him. His early life is the typical success story. He starts poor, but works hard to earn everyones respect. From the beginning he is disgusted with his father. He is a lazy old man who borrows money and never pays it back. Okonkwo realizes that he does not want to be like his father, and it is this hatred that drives him to work hard. After his fathers death, Okonkwo pays off his debts, and starts his long journey to the top of the clan. In a short time, Okonkwo...