Change

The title, Things Fall Apart, and the poem from where Achebe has taken the line, signify a time when change cannot be halted. ‘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…’ signifies the change that will undergo members of the Igbo community. The widening gyre, a vortex, can be seen to be the expanding colonisation. The falcon who can no longer hear the call of the falconer is the proud and single-minded Okonkwo who acts on his own understanding and pride. Things fall apart; the Igbo traditions are challenged and supplanted by the incoming religion and laws. The devastation and anarchy is too much for Okonkwo who takes his own life in despair.

Nwoye represents the embracing of change. He sees the new religion as a patch for his broken soul that was torn by an angry father, a murdered friend and a culture that followed tradition at the expense of others, such as the discarding of twins or excommunicating the osu class. Nwoye accepts the opportunity to learn a new language and train as a teacher to take part in the new society. Likewise the elders decision not to join Okonkwo when he wages war by striking a messenger shows they are willing to compromise and adapt.

Change Quotes

As soon as his father walked in, that night, Nwoye knew that Ikemefuna had been killed, and something seemed to give way inside him, like the snapping of a tightened bow. He did not cry. He just hung limp. Chapter 7

‘…I forgot to tell you another thing which the Oracle said. It said that other white men were on their way. They were locusts, it said, and that first man was their harbinger sent to explore the terrain. And so they killed him.’ (Obierika) Chapter 15

Okonkwo’s eyes were opened and he saw the whole matter clearly. Living fire begets cold, impotent ash. He sighed again, deeply. Chapter 17

Colonialism

Chinua Achebe employed a significantly different view on colonisation than many previous writers and that was one of the distinctive traits that critics praised about this novel. Instead of the traditional colonisation novel depicting a harsh and unforgiving civilised white insurgence over a simple native population, Achebe takes pains to show how the Igbo population was a complex and highly functioning society that transitioned to meet the new world. A society that has leadership, religious belief, justice and a trial process, social and family structure, food production and sharing as well as opportunity for advancement.

The transition encompasses many facets, some positive and some negative. Included is the notion of deception that the white men came quietly at first, symbolised by a scout of locusts in a previous event, and then in force like a swarm. Okonkwo and Obierika discuss how they see that ‘the white man is clever’ coming first with a peaceful religion and then following with government and power. It is under this slow transition that we see how in some ways it is simply the structure of the Igbo culture and their traditions that leave them vulnerable. Their faith that the Evil Forest will repel the missionaries weakens their position. Their inbuilt customs that exclude certain tribe members or their infant children create a group of outcasts that welcome the new missionary worldview of inclusivity.

Despite the somewhat at times gentle transition, there is also a representation of negative attitudes among the colonisers. Distinct from the original characteristics shown by the missionary Mr Brown, a forceful and uncaring Mr Smith represents the other side of colonisation. He instantly asserts his position as superior and is unwavering that his position is right. Similar to this is the establishment of a government that seizes the elders and empowers others to beat them, despite not understanding the customs and language, showing that in the transition there is a distinct power imbalance.

Colonialism Quotes

And at last the locusts did descend. They settled on every tree and on every blade of grass; they settled on the roofs and covered the bare ground. Mighty tree branches broke away under them, and the whole country became the brown-earth colour of the vast, hungry swarm. Chapter 7

But apart from the church, the white men had also brought a government. Chapter 20

He (the Commissioner) had already chosen the title of the book, after much thought: The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger. Chapter 25

Masculinity

The concept of masculinity is embedded in a larger interpretation of gender within Things Fall Apart. While the overarching message of gender can be found in the representation of a truly patriarchal society where men have complete dominance over their wives, and women are married and traded as commodities, masculinity is the struggle that men face alone. The Igbo culture has a clear concept of what a man should be like. It is this concept that causes the protagonist Okonkwo the greatest obstacle.

Considered a trait that is admired among the Igbo culture, masculinity can be seen in the ability to farm, have many wives, wrestle, fight and lead the community. For Okonkwo it is a prize that he seeks at the expense of all others. Having being born to a man considered effeminate because of his laziness, love for music, wine and leisure, Okonkwo strives to be as masculine as he can. For Okonkwo the striving for masculinity becomes his flaw. He sees cruelty and power as a sign he is not like his father. He beats his wives and children and drives them to work as tirelessly as he pushes himself to establish himself in the community as a man. When Ikemefuna turns to him for help he chooses to act as a warrior and not as the father figure Ikemefuna sought. Ikemefuna is killed by Okonkwo. Okonkwo isolates his son Nwoye as he fears he is not masculine enough. It is his desire for bloodshed over reason that leads to his demise as he murders a messenger from the white government and hangs himself in shame.

Despite Okonkwo’s misunderstanding of masculinity, the clansmen show a more sophisticated approach to masculinity. They warn others that ‘it is not bravery’ to beat a woman. They seek family and community unity over dominance. The community seem willing to find compromise rather than face warfare when the white men establish a power structure in their community. These men are still elders and leaders in the community and hold title and respect signifying that masculinity can co-exist with peace and understanding.

Masculinity Quotes

He had a slight stammer and whenever he was angry and could not get his words out quickly enough, he would use his fists. He had no patience with unsuccessful men. (About Okonkwo) Chapter 1

Okonkwo encouraged the boys to sit with him in his obi, and he told them stories of the land—masculine stories of violence and bloodshed. Nwoye knew that it was right to be masculine and to be violent, but somehow he still preferred the stories that his mother used to tell, and which she no doubt still told to her younger children—stories of the tortoise and his wily ways, and of the bird eneke-nti-oba who challenged the whole world to a wrestling contest and was finally thrown by the cat. Chapter 7

It was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman, and a man who committed it must flee from the land. The crime was of two kinds, male and female. Okonkwo had committed the female, because it had been inadvertent. He could return to the clan after seven years… Chapter 13

Free Will and Fate

For the Igbo population there is a great balance between fate and free-will. Their understanding of a personal god or ‘chi’ that will work with them to achieve their goals is fundamental to their belief system. When a man says yes, his chi, or spirit, says yes also. Contrary to this, the community are subject to their ancestors and gods. It is understood that if they offend one of the deities, the deity will interject in the life of the community.

Within Things Fall Apart, free will is celebrated by Okonkwo who harnesses the idea to make something of his life. He believes he has said yes to hard work and success to gain promotion within the community. The chi’s agreement with him seems to work as he moves from being the son of a lazy, indebted man to a civic leader with wealth and a titled position. However Okonkwo doubts the concept when fateful events turn against him. He thinks that a man could not rise beyond the destiny of his chi and he was a man whose chi said nay despite his own affirmation.

Fate interjects an obstacle for Okonkwo through the accidental killing of a young boy when his gun misfires and explodes. Fate that is tempered with an understanding that it may be related to preceding events. Okonkwo had ignored warnings not to play a part in the killing of Ikemefuna. He had broken the week of peace by beating his wife and showed little remorse. His pride and hubris may have sparked the events that see him humbled and removed from the society that he had worked so hard to lead.

Fate can also be examined in a general sense throughout the text. The simple fate of being born a twin, a woman, an outcast class of osu, determines one’s life path. The inevitable occurrence of colonisation is a curse of fate, the arrival of a more powerful force.

Free Will and Fate Quotes

Unoka was an ill-fated man. He had a bad chi or personal god, and evil fortune followed him to the grave, or rather to his death, for he had no grave. He died of the swelling which was an abomination to the earth goddess. Chapter 3

But it was really not true that Okonkwo’s palm-kernels had been cracked for him by a benevolent spirit. He had cracked them himself. Anyone who knew his grim struggle against poverty and misfortune could not say he had been lucky. Chapter 4

Reputation and Pride

In Umuofia, reputation is treasured. The community allows a man to create his own reputation despite the character or behaviour of his family. This works for Okonkwo who is determined to step out from the shadow of his ill-reputed father. Notoriety can be achieved by one’s number of wives, the success of farming, wrestling prowess and fighting with bravery. Reputation is noted by a title and an anklet worn by the recipient.

The missionaries and colonists share a reputation. Mr Brown establishes a standing in the community as fair and inclusive. It is in fact this reputation that saves his successor Reverend Smith, who antagonises the Igbo elders to the point of vengeance only to have them halt at the last minute out of respect for Mr Brown. The District Commissioner forges a reputation that he calls on when he reminds the Igbo elders of the power he has over them after taking them into custody and having them beaten.

A counterpoint to a well-deserved reputation is the selfish pride as shown by Okonkwo. His desire for reputation is an unrelenting driving force that becomes his greatest weakness. He sacrifices close bonds with community and family as he establishes himself and collects titles. It is this pride that the community see when he beats his wife in a temper-fuelled moment during peace week. Although he makes the reparations as prescribed by the oracle, it is done without remorse and the villagers notice his pride. Likewise when he belittles a man in a meeting, although the elders appear to support him, they discuss that it is wrong to abuse the position of power by not operating in humility. The pride of Okonkwo drives him to separate from his father and isolate himself from his son, leaving Okonkwo to feel ashamed of them both.

Okonkwo’s exile in Mbanta deals a serious blow to his pride. When he returns to Umuofia he wants to restore his pride by marrying his daughters to respectable families and defending his home against invaders. Instead, pride leads to him killing the messenger and to him taking his own life.

Reputation and Pride Quotes

Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievements. As a young man of eighteen he had brought honour to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat. Chapter 1

Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness. It was deeper and more intimate than the fear of evil and capricious gods and of magic, the fear of the forest, and of nature, malevolent, red in tooth and claw. Okonkwo’s fear was greater than these. It was not external, but lay deep within himself. Chapter 2

His father, Unoka, who was then an ailing man, had said to him during that terrible harvest month: ‘Do not despair. I know you will not despair. You have a manly and a proud heart. A proud heart can survive a general failure because such a failure does not prick its pride. It is more difficult and more bitter when a man fails alone.’ (Unoka to Okonkwo) Chapter 3

‘I think it is good that our clan holds the ozo title in high esteem,’ said Okonkwo. ‘In those other clans you speak of, ozo is so low that every beggar takes it.’ Chapter 8

Why, he cried in his heart, should he, Okonkwo, of all people, be cursed with such a son. He saw clearly in it the finger of his personal god or chi. For how else could he explain his great misfortune and exile and now his despicable son’s behaviour? Chapter 17