Things Fall Apart - review
By Linda Massey
About the author
Chinua Achebe - born Albert Chinualumogu Achebe November 1930
Parents were converts/members of the Protestant Mission Society in Nigeria
Christianity came to Nigeria in 1857
Location - town of Ogidi in southeastern Nigeria
People - Igbo
Occupations - teacher, broadcasting, researcher, publisher, politically active
Things fall apart was his first novel, published in 1958
Summary
Things Fall Apart
The story of follows the life of Okonkwo, a tribal member of the clan Umofia set in pre colonial time Nigeria. Okonkwo’s story spans his rise and fall from power. Okonkwo is skilled in wrestling and earns much respect at a young age when he throws the champion of seven years in an annual match among the clans. Okonkwo earns his place of importance through hard work farming, and his fierceness in battle.
Okonkwo’s people struggling but living in a culturally rich time unaware of looming changes yet to come.
Project ideas
Teams• 30 minute research
Cultural analysis
Group presentation
Afrofuturism
Reimagining cultural traditions afrofuturism brings back the ideas of the past and rebrands them for the a new future. In Things Fall Apart, can you think of an old tradition that could become new again?
A futuristic harvest festival
Planting that uses technology but tracks and reduces carbon footprint
Could the nine tribes exist to inspire traditional ways using technology in the future, such as halograms of the nine tribal egwugwu
Things to watch out for
Hot potatoes
Violence against women and children
Religion
Death
Additional resources
Colonialism and Christianity in West Africa: The Igbo Case, 1900-1915
F. K. Ekechi
The Journal of African History
Vol. 12, No. 1 (1971), pp. 103-115 (13 pages)
Published by: Cambridge University Press
https://www.jstor.org/stable/180569