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Things Fall Apart chronicles the life of Okonkwo, the leader of an Igbo community, from the events leading up to his banishment from the community for accidentally killing a clansman, through the seven years of his exile, to his return, and it addresses a particular problem of emergent Africa—the intrusion in the 1890s of white missionaries and colonial government into tribal Igbo society. Traditionally structured, and peppered with Igbo proverbs, it describes the simultaneous disintegration of its protagonist Okonkwo and of his village. The novel was praised for its intelligent and realistic treatment of tribal beliefs and of psychological disintegration coincident with social unraveling.
Big Ideas
The family structure, social structure, religious beliefs, and cultural traditions of the Igbo people
How Okonkwo’s experiences throughout the book transform him
The long-term effects of colonization and assimilation
Okonkwo's concepts of masculinity, tradition, and fate lead to his sense of his own failure (and, ultimately, his death)
Okonkwo is simultaneously the hero, victim, and even villain
There were "cracks" in the Igbo belief systems and inequities in social structures that allowed for those early Christian converts to be influenced by and to buy into the colonial administration of their invaders
The points in the novel in which Okonkwo must confront his lack of control over his life and his world
Things Fall Apart represents an important contribution to post-colonial literature, allowing for Achebe to take back the stories and history of his society that has been nearly destroyed by an invading culture and belief system.
What happens when cultures collide from the perspective of the “other”
The effects of globalization, cultural diffusion, and the struggle between tradition and change
The literary merits of various texts by talking about their form, theme, language, and style
Single stories lead to stereotypes and are dangerous
The role of individual versus community in the Igbo Culture; why is maintaining a balance between individual and community so important?
Culminating Task: Literary Analysis Prompts (choose ONE):
As a man who values Igbo culture and wishes to keep it “alive” in the face of post-colonialism and globalization, what is likely Chinua Ahebe’s purpose for writing a story about Okonkwo on the eve of the colonial era? Provide at least three examples.
Okonkwo can be considered a tragic hero because he meets all of Aristotle's criteria by being a tragic hero and having a tragic flaw. What is Okonkwo’s tragic flaw? Describe three key actions of how Okonkw’s tragic flaw impacts the plot or leads to his eventual demise.
Wrestling plays an important role in Umuofian culture and Things Fall Apart. How might the motif of wrestling support the idea of grappling with or straining against opposing ideas and ideologies? Provide at least three reasons.
Write an analysis of Chinua Achebe’s writing style and the way in which the language is presented. Is the author’s word choice straightforward, or is the language connotative? How does the word choice affect the tone of the story? Provide at least three examples.
Make a comparative analysis between Okonkwo and Obierika in Things Fall Apart. In what ways do these two characters serve as character foils? Provide at least three examples.
Write an analysis of any character in Things Fall Apart. Describe three key actions of the character, or how the character responds to events. What do the actions reveal about the character? Do the character's actions fit together, or do they contradict each other?
Sometimes characters come into conflict with the culture in which they live. Often, this character will feel alienated in their community or society due to race, gender, class or ethnic background. Choose any character from Things Fall Apart and answer the following question:. how is the character alienated from the community and how do they respond to it? Provide at least three examples.
What universal truth(s) does the novel express about human nature, experiences, problems, or relationships? What details reflect this theme? Provide at least three examples.
Make a comparative analysis between Killmonger from Black Panther and Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart. How do these tragic heroes address the inequalities they see in their societies, and what characteristics ultimately lead to their downfalls? Provide at least three examples.
Lesson Guidance Documents : These documents provide guidance for lesson planning.
Lesson Guidance Documents : These documents provide guidance for lesson planning.
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