Things Fall Apart: An introduction

1. Things Fall Apart:An introduction A novel by Chinua Achebe

2. Nigeria: British Colony

3. Area been occupied since at least 9000 BCE • Portuguese established port: Lagos – used to trade slaves • After Napoleonic Wars, British began trade, took over as colonial power in 1885 • British divided the area into two sections and set up colonial government • Several wars fought between British and Nigerians in 1897 and 1901-1902 • Nigeria was not independent until Oct., 1960

4. Chinua Achebe1930-present

5. Achebe • Born in southeastern Nigeria, Igbo village • Raised by Christian parents • Won a scholarship to attend Government College, set up by British colonial government; began to discover literature • Attended new University College in Nigeria, again set up by British

6. After graduation Achebe began teaching but left after a few months to take a job with the Nigerian Broadcasting Service where he wrote scripts • Also began working on his own novel, in English • 1956 he was selected to go to London for training at the BBC – first trip outside Nigeria • Brought manuscript with him, received feedback and offer for publishing, which he declined, saying manuscript needed more work

7. The birth of Things Fall Apart • 1958 had final copy of manuscript, which he sent to London: Things Fall Apart • Name comes from poem by Yeats • Initially rejected by several publishers who felt African fiction had no market base • Finally printed in June, 1958; received very good reviews from British press • In Nigeria, could not believe one of their students had written a meaningful novel

8. Nigerian Independence • Achebe went on to write another novel, No Longer at Ease, which follows the grandson of Okonkwo, the protagonist of Things Fall Apart, set as Nigeria becomes independent • Was director of NBS as Nigeria became independent

9. Achebe: Voice of African writers • Achebe began to play a role in advancing other African literature • Became General Editor for African Writers Series at Heinemann • Achebe published two more novels, both touching on the effect of colonization on traditional African culture: • Arrow of God, 1964 • A Man of the People, 1966

10. Civil War • 1967, southeast region of Nigeria broke away – where Achebe was born • Set up Republic of Biafra

11. Achebe and Biafra • Relations between Nigeria and Biafra strained • Achebe’s house was bombed, family forced to flee violence • Achebe served as an ambassador • Criticized Britain for backing Nigeria during conflict, stating Nigerian government was the same as the colonial, only now black • Still oppressing the people and enabling white forces to be in power Biafran bid for independence ended in 1970 when the Biafran military surrendered

12. Life as a scholar • Achebe returned to writing • Wrote controversial An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” • Began teaching at the University of Nigeria in 1976 • 1987, his fifth book, Anthills of the Savannah published • 1990, began teaching literature and writing at Bard College in New York • In Fall 2009, took a position at Brown University, where he is today • More than 8 million copies of TFA sold to date