Things Fall Apart

1. Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe

2. “Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” --Chinua Achebe

3. The Novel • Achebe’s novel deals with the changes in culture brought about in what is now Nigeria, when the “white man” began colonizing the area in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Novel focuses primarily on the Igbo people.

4. Nigeria • Nigeria • Largest country in Africa (130,000,000) • 50% Muslim, 40% Christian, 10% Traditional • Comprised of various tribal societies with independent cultures and histories. • Yoruba • Igbo • Hausa

5. Colonialism • What is Colonialism? • Political Domination • The Establishment of a Government • Large-Scale Religious Conversion • Forced Economic Dependence

6. Justifications for Colonialism • Economic • Colonialism provided a huge natural resource base for small European powers • Colonies provided ready markets for finished products • Religious: The need to spread Christianity • Cultural: “The White Man’s Burden”

7. The Igbo • The majority of Igbo are farmers. Their staple crop is yam, and its harvesting is a time for great celebration. • They have no centralized chieftaincy, hereditary aristocracy, or kingship customs Instead, the responsibility of leadership has traditionally been left to the village councils.It is possible for an Igbo man, through personal success, to become the nominal leader of the council.

8. The Igbo • Before the influence of Europeans and Christian missions, most Igbo practiced some form of ancestor worship, which held that in order to gain success in this world, one must appease of the spirits of the deceased.

9. Igbo Vocabulary • Agbala - woman, or man without title • 
Bride-price - converse of dowry; the bridegroom's family pays cash or goods to the bride's family 
 • Chi - personal spirit
 • Egwugwu - a masquerader who represents the ancestral spirits of the village at trials and ceremonies. The egwugwu ceremony of the Ibo (chapter 10)
 • Foo-foo - pounded yam, traditional staple food of Igbo

10. Vocab • Kola nut - seed pod of evergreen trees common in Western Africa, which contains caffeine and is offered as a gesture of friendship and hospitality. • Obi - male living quarter

11. Important Ceremonies and Traditions Bride price
 Dry Season
 Egwugwu ceremony 
Engagement ceremony 
Funeral Ceremony


12. Ceremonies and traditions • Feast of the New Year
 • Kola-nut ceremony • 
Palm-wine tapping
 • Polygamy • 
Week of Peace

13. Major Characters • Okonkwo--The Tragic Hero, a hard working leader of Umoufia, Okonkwo fears weakness and laziness. His rage causes a great deal of tragedy and sorrow in his life. • Nwoye--Okonkwo’s eldest son. Okonkwo fears that he will be soft and lazy like his grandfather. Nwoye tries to please Okonkwo, but rarely does

14. Characters • Enzinma--Okwonkwo’s favorite child, ironically a daughter. She Is the only child of Ekwefi, Okonkwo’s second wife. • Ikemefuna--Okwonkwo’s adopted son. He is given to Okonkwo to pacify a debt with another tribe. • Unoka--Okonkwo’s father. Okonkwo is ashamed of him because he was a lazy man.

15. Characters • The District Commisioner--An authority figure in the white colonial government in Nigeria. He thinks that he understands everything about native African customs and cultures and he has no respect for them • Mr. Brown --The first white missionary to travel to Umuofia. Mr. Brown institutes a policy of compromise, understanding, and non-aggression between his flock and the clan.

16. Characters • Reverend James Smith--The missionary who replaces Mr. Brown. Unlike Mr. Brown, Reverend Smith is uncompromising and strict. He demands that his converts reject all of their indigenous beliefs, and he shows no respect for indigenous customs or culture.