Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Things fall Apart by Chinua Achebe:-

Achebe portrays with simplicity & dignity the history of Africa.Imposition of colonial power in Ibo community is the heart of the novel. Writer minutely observes the turmoil resulting out from British rule.

Novel centres around the life of Okonkwo, who is a wrestling champion in the village. He didnt like his father, because he was interested in music and arts. It gives us vision to understand that in their community- interest in music or other arts of men were considered as affiminate, feminine quality. So he always hated his father and tried to be different than him.

Another major incident is killing of boy Ikemefuna. Just to prove his manliness he kills a boy who was much like his own son. Even that boy was considering him as a father.

Later on he killed a boy by gunshot, so he was exiled for seven years.

When he returns, everything was totally changed due to colonial effect. even his own som had Christian name and was going to missionary school. now nobody respects or pays attention to Okonkwo. Now even he is surprised to see his own people.

Novel is also open for feminist discourse, because men were having more than one wives. & women were bitten a lot by husband. Women were only child bearers for them.

At the end of the novel Okonkwo commits suicide, he hanged himself. And surprising thing is that nobody was ready to even touch his body. it was sin for the people. And more shocking thing is that Hero's death is described in just one paragraph in the novel.