Blog Post #3- Meaning of the work

In his 1958 novel, Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe depicts a village being taken over by white colonizers. Achebe’s protagonist, Okonkwo, belongs to the Igbo tribe Umuofia. The Umuofia clan is very traditional and values success and wealth. Okonkwo felt shame growing up because his father was not hardworking or wealthy, so he worked his way from poverty to being one of the most respected men of the clan. One traditional tribe practice is present in chapter fourteen. During a ceremony, Okonkwo accidentally shot and killed a young clansman. Because it was an accident, the act was deemed “effeminate”. A common theme of the novel is the difference of feminine and masculine actions, femininity is shameful, especially if a man does something considered effeminate, like not enjoying war, something that Okonkwo hated his father for. The punishment of an effeminate death is for the man who did the killing and his family must flee the village and not return for seven years. Okonkwo seeks refuge in his mother’s homeland of Mbanta, where he is welcomed by his uncle Uchendu. Mbanta is part of the nine tribes of the Igbo people, so they share the same values as Umuofia. A major theme that permeates throughout the novel is unwanted change. Uchendu, an elder of his tribe told Okonkwo, “those were the good days when a man had friends in distant clans. Your generation does not know that. You stay at home, afraid of your next-door neighbor. Even a man’s motherland is strange to him now.” (119). Uchendu’s condescension stems from the fear and distaste of change that is common with the elderly clan members. 

The theme of disliking change is also present when white, Christian colonizers attempt to convert the clansmen of Umuofia. Although they were not happy with how things were going, the leaders of the clan “believed that the strange faith and the white man’s god would not last.” (124). The leaders were not concerned that some people were converting because they were not men “of title”. The converts were “efulefu, worthless, empty people.” (124). The lack of concern surprised me because the clan is oftentimes shown to act harshly if a clan member disobeyed the traditions of the tribe. When Okonkwo’s friend Obreika revealed to him that his son, Nwoye had converted, Okonkwo was furious, which was definitely on par with how I expected him to react. Okonkwo found Nwoye and proceeded to choke and threaten to kill him. 

The major theme of this novel is the difficulty that ensues when change occurs. The Igbo were very traditional people who were influenced by white colonizers to abandon their traditions and “false god” to become Christians. While some resisted, a lot of people converted, further upsetting those who refused. The novel displays all the ways tribe members were affected by the change. Some were outraged and refused to convert, like Okonkwo. Others were complacent and allowed change to happen, like the elders who believed the colonizers would retreat. Some abandoned their traditions, favoring change, like Nwoye.

 This book raises the question of whether or not change is a good way to further improve society. I have not finished reading, so I don't know how everyone is ultimately affected. But I hope that by the end Achebe reveals whether or not Okonkwo can accept and tolerate Nwoye for who he is.