Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Dylan | Freehold High School, Grade 12

Rating: *****

The novel “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe tells the story of Okonkwo, a wealthy and respected warrior of the Umuofia clan, a Nigerian tribe. The book focuses on life of Nigerians before and after the arrival of Europeans in the late nineteenth century. The book shows the influence of European colonialism and Christian missionaries on Okonkwo and his community.

This novel was a pleasure to read. It immerses the reader in Igbo culture with intricate descriptions of their way of life and Achebe’s usage of African proverbs to tell the story. When I was given this book to read as an assignment for my English class, I thought it would be boring, but I was pleasantly surprised. This book is extremely interesting and thought-provoking. In school we learn about the colonization of Africa from the European perspective. This book allows you to see it from the African point-of-view, which was fascinating.