Things Fall Apart​ Postcolonial Analysis Assignment

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Things Fall Apart Post-Colonial Analysis Essay
What things Fall Apart is a novel written by Chinua Achebe which centers on a protagonist Okonkwo who has a tragic end alongside the fall of the real culture of the Igbo people in the post-colonial era. The novel elaborates on the different aspects of life destroyed by the whites especially the clash of culture and social disintegration. Post-colonial theory unfolds transcend of the destruction of African culture due to colonialism through civilization of the savage African society. For instance, the Igbo people possess a foreign form of government and leadership different from their initial clan based style of leadership.
Chinua Achebe has successfully used both round and direct characterization coupled with reflective title to show colonial oppression among the Igbo people. For example, Okonkwo is the protagonist, the son of a lazy man from Igbo in Umuofia village who ignites a war with the colonizers to leave his community (Achebe 178). The title of the novel portrays the losing battle that Okonkwo is to go through in the novel. Okonkwo is upset since the white people are determined to take control of the Umuofia village. Furthermore, he struggles to keep his culture intact even though all these fade away. The Umuofia people become oppressed with the arrival of the white colonizers who spread new culture, religion, and education. The feeling of the villagers is seen through Okonkwo who openly resists the Whiteman's rule (Achebe 178). He ridicules the white man, burns down the church and kills a white messenger. His people are falling apart and becomes more oppressed, gain fearful mentality and helpless. Hence, they abandon their religion, customs. The villagers have to admit to the oppression when Obierika said, "The white man is very clever...we were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act as one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together, and we have fallen apart"(Achebe 12). This sentiment indicates that most of the villagers have consented to the Whiteman's oppression and has torn apart their culture which bound them together.
Things Fall Apart reveals a complex individual versus cultural identity. This has been elaborated on the theme of the clash of cultures. The collision of identity is noted at both individuals and the societal level. The Igbo people are critical of the Christian and Missionary values (Achebe 178). They term the "foolish" due to the uniqueness in the new religion. On personal identity, the novel commences with a strong personality that is observed in Okonkwo who is successful through his masculinity in the battle and hard work. However, his identity deteriorates and becomes unsympathetic in the society (Ojinmah, Umelo. Chinua Achebe, 45). Parallel to this is the deteriorating culture of the Igbo people; the post-colonial era reveals the society that has lost much of their pride on justice codes, the processes of the trial, the social and family rituals, the customs of marriages a...