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Imperialism in " Things fall Apart "
Things Fall Apart is a novel written by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. Published in 1958, its story chronicles pre-colonial life in the south-eastern part of Nigeria and the arrival of the Europeans during the late nineteenth century. Things Fall Apart is set in the 1890s and portrays the clash between Nigeria’s white colonial government and the traditional culture of the indigenous Igbo people. Achebe’s novel shatters the stereotypical European portraits of native Africans.
Things Fall Apart takes place in present-day Nigeria, focused on the Ibo village of Umuofia. Achebe intended to elaborate upon just one example of the unique African societies present before Western influence. The tribe possessed its own spirituality and government, predicated both on the significance of agriculture, mainly yam production, and the wisdom of elders. European imperialism turned much of this on its head as Christian missionaries moved in, installed a new government, and converted some of the native population. Achebe in the novel presents white superiority and exploitation all over the continent of Africa . African tribes ruled by foreign power they enslaved and mistreat them
" The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart. " - Okonkwo
The novel accurate portrayal of imperialism , the use of the Christian European missonarimis attempting to conquer Africa , they convert multiple Ibo people to Christianity. Religious accusations serves as a catalyst for conflict help to develop an accurate portrayal of imperialism and Ibo culture
In novel missionaries states ," Your god are not alive and can not do you any harm ."The persuasion of the missionaries is shown, as they attempt to convert the Ibo people to Christianity with happy, upbeat, rollicking tunes of evangelism, a sect of Christianity. The missionaries confidently state “We have been sent by this great God to ask you to leave your ways and false gods and turn to Him so that you may be saved when you die” This quote expresses the mission of the imperialists.
" There is no story that is not true, [...] The world has no end, and what is good among one people is an abomination with others. " - Chinua Achebe
Achebe in his interview says , " you have leaders , who see wrong in inciting religious conflict , it's all simply to retain power ' it is all about staying in control and sustaining power. African all its wealth and resources center of imperialistic activities , it providing slaves and other valuable resources for imperialoimpe nations.
Imperialism is one of the most significant events that changes the dynamics of world civilization. That made the world a much smaller place . Imperialism was used to oppress indigenous societies. " Things Fall Apart " captures , the essence of the effects of imperialism.
Things Fall Apart provides readers with an insight of Igbo society right before the white missionaries’ invasion on their land. The Invasion of the colonising force threatens to change almost every aspect of Igbo society; from religion ,traditional gender roles and relations, family structure to trade. Consequently Achebe blames the white missionaries’ colonial rule and/or invasion for the Post- -colonial oppressed Igbo culture; this oppression can be seen in terms of the oppressed social coherence between the individual and their society. Furthermore, Achebe educates readers
extensively about Igbo society’s myths and proverbs.
The novel illustrated colonialists effectively used religion as a way of uprooting African society. They states to Umuofia society , their gods and traditions are wrong and challenged them. African forced to participate in colonial governments , they forced to follow colonial rules and regulations , not traditional rules and regulations . They broke the religious foundation , that was hard to accept for Africans. Because it was founded by ancestors. The white man believed his culture to be morally superior to Igbo culture and this caused a conflict between the two cultures. Although these problems seem resolved in the present time , they still very much exist and are causing a clash between the two cultures.
Europeans believed that they were doing a great service for Africans. Europeans believed that it was their obligation to control Africa’s resources, land, governments, and religion. This obligation was discussed in the novel, when the District Commissioner who arrested several elders of Umuofia society stated to them that, “we brought a peaceful administration to you and your people so that you may be happy” . Europeans truly believed they were improving the lives of African societies, and could not grasp the concept that their activities were actually destroying long established societies and religions.
In the novel , African author claims that Ibo society and culture and consequences that arrival of European missionaries brought. The novel also critiques of ," Heart of Darkness " by Joseph Conrad , which documented the African natives from an imperialist ( White colonizer ' s ) point of view. The novel looks at the influence of missionaries and the clash between African and European religious ideas. They transforms African to Christian .
Chinua Achebe’s protagonist Okonkwo represents the latter and refuses to accept the new British order that has assumed control of Umuofia during his seven-year exile. His fellow villagers instead choose to accept the inevitability of European rule over their people. Okonkwo becomes a symbol of the last traditional African, the British represent the inevitability of modernity and eastern Nigeria becomes the set for a clash between traditional Africa and modern Europe.
In the novel , Okonkwo who was on exile of seven years from Umuofia. When he knows about Christian missionaries in village he tries to stop it . He was unsupported by his people . When he was arrested he hanged himself rather than by colonial man. Thus by struggle against imperialism Okonkwo become tragic hero.
The arrival of white missionaries in Umuofia was to take over the ruling of it and because Igbo are a compassionate society that was also unsuspecting of the white men’s intentions, they welcomed them into their land and also gave them a piece of their land not knowing that
these men will be the cause of the collapse of their culture.Without culture Igbo society is as good as dead, hence the significance of Okonkwo’s death in the end. Like Okonkwo the Igbo committed suicide by not being suspicious of the white missionary’s intentions in their land or questioning his presence.
Conclusion :
Things fall apart ' is a narrative of ideological and cultural investigation of raising awareness of the consequences of imperialistic politics on mimom culture. The motif of the novel is a clash of culture along with its destructive social and psychological consequences on the African people. The effects of Imperialism can still be seen throughout African today. In the wake of imperialism many African societies are currently in conflict and change. Imperialism has impacted the not only African societies negatively, but it has also impacted the world negatively and most people have come to realization that imperialism is an oppressive tool.
Imperialism in " Things fall Apart "
Name : Makwana Daksha D.
Course : M.A
Sem : 4 Roll no : 5
Enrollment no : 2069108420180034
Paper : 14' : The African Literature
Topic : Imperialism in " Things Fall Apart "
Submitted to : Department of English MKBU
makwnadaksha9@gmail.com
Things Fall Apart takes place in present-day Nigeria, focused on the Ibo village of Umuofia. Achebe intended to elaborate upon just one example of the unique African societies present before Western influence. The tribe possessed its own spirituality and government, predicated both on the significance of agriculture, mainly yam production, and the wisdom of elders. European imperialism turned much of this on its head as Christian missionaries moved in, installed a new government, and converted some of the native population. Achebe in the novel presents white superiority and exploitation all over the continent of Africa . African tribes ruled by foreign power they enslaved and mistreat them
" The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart. " - Okonkwo
The novel accurate portrayal of imperialism , the use of the Christian European missonarimis attempting to conquer Africa , they convert multiple Ibo people to Christianity. Religious accusations serves as a catalyst for conflict help to develop an accurate portrayal of imperialism and Ibo culture
In novel missionaries states ," Your god are not alive and can not do you any harm ."The persuasion of the missionaries is shown, as they attempt to convert the Ibo people to Christianity with happy, upbeat, rollicking tunes of evangelism, a sect of Christianity. The missionaries confidently state “We have been sent by this great God to ask you to leave your ways and false gods and turn to Him so that you may be saved when you die” This quote expresses the mission of the imperialists.
" There is no story that is not true, [...] The world has no end, and what is good among one people is an abomination with others. " - Chinua Achebe
Achebe in his interview says , " you have leaders , who see wrong in inciting religious conflict , it's all simply to retain power ' it is all about staying in control and sustaining power. African all its wealth and resources center of imperialistic activities , it providing slaves and other valuable resources for imperialoimpe nations.
Imperialism is one of the most significant events that changes the dynamics of world civilization. That made the world a much smaller place . Imperialism was used to oppress indigenous societies. " Things Fall Apart " captures , the essence of the effects of imperialism.
Things Fall Apart provides readers with an insight of Igbo society right before the white missionaries’ invasion on their land. The Invasion of the colonising force threatens to change almost every aspect of Igbo society; from religion ,traditional gender roles and relations, family structure to trade. Consequently Achebe blames the white missionaries’ colonial rule and/or invasion for the Post- -colonial oppressed Igbo culture; this oppression can be seen in terms of the oppressed social coherence between the individual and their society. Furthermore, Achebe educates readers
extensively about Igbo society’s myths and proverbs.
.
Through this novel we come to know that European sought to colonize Africa was for its wealth. They utillized Umuofia society' s natural resources . In the novel , colonialist basically used religion as a tool to infiltrate and uproot traditional African values and customs in order to fulfill imperialoimpe goals that consequently impacted Africans. The novel illustrated colonialists effectively used religion as a way of uprooting African society. They states to Umuofia society , their gods and traditions are wrong and challenged them. African forced to participate in colonial governments , they forced to follow colonial rules and regulations , not traditional rules and regulations . They broke the religious foundation , that was hard to accept for Africans. Because it was founded by ancestors. The white man believed his culture to be morally superior to Igbo culture and this caused a conflict between the two cultures. Although these problems seem resolved in the present time , they still very much exist and are causing a clash between the two cultures.
Europeans believed that they were doing a great service for Africans. Europeans believed that it was their obligation to control Africa’s resources, land, governments, and religion. This obligation was discussed in the novel, when the District Commissioner who arrested several elders of Umuofia society stated to them that, “we brought a peaceful administration to you and your people so that you may be happy” . Europeans truly believed they were improving the lives of African societies, and could not grasp the concept that their activities were actually destroying long established societies and religions.
In the novel , African author claims that Ibo society and culture and consequences that arrival of European missionaries brought. The novel also critiques of ," Heart of Darkness " by Joseph Conrad , which documented the African natives from an imperialist ( White colonizer ' s ) point of view. The novel looks at the influence of missionaries and the clash between African and European religious ideas. They transforms African to Christian .
Chinua Achebe’s protagonist Okonkwo represents the latter and refuses to accept the new British order that has assumed control of Umuofia during his seven-year exile. His fellow villagers instead choose to accept the inevitability of European rule over their people. Okonkwo becomes a symbol of the last traditional African, the British represent the inevitability of modernity and eastern Nigeria becomes the set for a clash between traditional Africa and modern Europe.
In the novel , Okonkwo who was on exile of seven years from Umuofia. When he knows about Christian missionaries in village he tries to stop it . He was unsupported by his people . When he was arrested he hanged himself rather than by colonial man. Thus by struggle against imperialism Okonkwo become tragic hero.
The arrival of white missionaries in Umuofia was to take over the ruling of it and because Igbo are a compassionate society that was also unsuspecting of the white men’s intentions, they welcomed them into their land and also gave them a piece of their land not knowing that
these men will be the cause of the collapse of their culture.Without culture Igbo society is as good as dead, hence the significance of Okonkwo’s death in the end. Like Okonkwo the Igbo committed suicide by not being suspicious of the white missionary’s intentions in their land or questioning his presence.
Conclusion :
Things fall apart ' is a narrative of ideological and cultural investigation of raising awareness of the consequences of imperialistic politics on mimom culture. The motif of the novel is a clash of culture along with its destructive social and psychological consequences on the African people. The effects of Imperialism can still be seen throughout African today. In the wake of imperialism many African societies are currently in conflict and change. Imperialism has impacted the not only African societies negatively, but it has also impacted the world negatively and most people have come to realization that imperialism is an oppressive tool.
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