![]() ![]() He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from University College in 1953. Achebe, the celebrated author of Things Fall Apart, wrote stirring essays and poignant poems rooted in his native Nigeria’s cities and countryside. He blends his knowledge of Western political ideologies and Christian doctrine with folklore, proverbs, and idioms from his native tribe to produce stories of African culture that are intimate and authentic.Īchebe left the village of Ogidi to attend Government College in Umuahia, and later, University College in Tbadan. ![]() Achebe's life as a Christian and member of the Ibo tribe enables him to create realistic depictions of both contemporary and pre-colonized Africa. To quote one of the judges, Elaine Showalter: In ‘ Things Fall Apart’ and his other fiction set in Nigeria, Chinua Achebe inaugurated the modern African novel. His father and mother, Isaiah and Janet Achebe, were missionary teachers. He grew up in Ogidi, Nigeria, one of the first centers of Anglican missionary work in Eastern Nigeria. Critics appreciate his just and realistic treatment of his topics.Īchebe writes primarily about his native Africa, where he was born Albert Chinualumogu Achebe in 1930. His writing weaves together history and fiction to produce a literary broadcloth that offers visions of people enduring real life. Author BiographyĬhinua Achebe is a world-renowned scholar recognized for his ability to write simply, yet eloquently, about life's universal qualities. When Nigeria became independent in 1960, however, Africans appreciated the novel for its important contribution to Nigerian history. Published in 1958, the book was not widely read by Nigerians or by Africans in general. He wanted to explain the truth about the effects of losing one's culture. The story is set in the 1890s, when missionaries and colonial government made its intrusion into Igbo society. Widely considered to be the father of modern African literature, he is best known for his. Introduction Things Fall Apart (1958) is a novel, depicting the life of Okonkwo along with the tradition and culture of a communal Igbo society in Nigeria, Africa at the time of the community¶s encountering with outside white power. Chinua Achebe wrote Things Fall Apart not for his fellow Nigerians, but for people beyond his native country. Chinua Achebe (1930-2013) was born in Nigeria. Readers identify not only with Okonkwo and his personal hardships but also with the Ibo culture and its disintegration. He uses his characters and their unique language to portray the double tragedies that occur in the story. The narrator refuses to judge characters or their actions. Only when Okonkwo commits the ultimate sin against the tribe does the tribe come back together to honor custom.Ĭritics appreciate Achebe's development of the conflict that arises when tradition clashes with change. Point of View Things Fall Apart takes a third-person omniscient perspective, which means that the narrator knows and communicates the thoughts and feelings of all the characters. Upon his return to the village, Okonkwo finds a tribe divided by the influence of missionaries and English bureaucrats who have interrupted the routine of tradition. The Ibo ban Okonkwo from the clan for seven years. Tribesmen respect Okonkwo for his many achievements.Įven though the tribe reveres Okonkwo, he must be punished for his accidental shooting of a young tribesman. Okonkwo stands out as a great leader of the Ibo tribe. Leadership is based on a man's personal worth and his contribution to the good of the tribe. The Ibo clan practices common tribal traditions-worship of gods, sacrifice, communal living, war, and magic. The story of Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart takes place in the Nigerian village of Umuofia in the late 1880s, before missionaries and other outsiders have arrived. 'Things Fall Apart' is a famous novel by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |