Things Fall Apart is set in the late 1800s and early 1900s, just before and during the early days of the British Empire's expansion in Nigeria
The character of Mr Brown was possibly based on the real-life missionary G. T. Basden, who worked among the Igbo at the turn of the twentieth century and was a friend of Achebe’s parents
Achebe wrote Things Fall Apart to present a more accurate portrait of native African life and the effects of colonialism. Achebe challenged Conrad’s portrayal of native Africa in Heart of Darkness.
Achebe wrote the novel with a Nigerian audience in mind. In 1964 he stated that he wanted to ‘help society regain belief in itself and put away the complexities of years of denigration and self-abasement’.
Challenge and influence of traditional customs:
the missionaries accept a woman who refuses to throw away her new-born twins
The arrival of the missionaries challenged everyday aspects of villagers’ life, including the replacement of the traditional Igbo four-day week by the weekly calendar. ‘Come every seventh day’ soon becomes known as ‘Sunday’ by the villagers.
The loss of traditional Nigerian society and culture is contrasted with impending colonialism and Christian influences
Clash of cultures is significant and causes conflict in the novel. Cultural misunderstandings and misperceptions led to conflict.
as the Christians begin to gain power, the villagers see their traditional beliefs as outdated and powerless. For example, Mbanta's Evil Forest proves to be less sinister than they have believed.
Brought education and jobs to Igbo society
Implenetation of prison systems, as opposed to egwugwu
The power struggles intensify with the arrival of the white men and the Christians, all vying for their own power roles -> The lack of one central leader in Igbo society possibly led to the clan’s demise; there was a lack of central power. Achebe used a line from W B Yeats’ poem, The Second Coming, as inspiration for the title of his novel: ‘Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold’.
Link to characters:
unlike Okonkwo, Obierika questions the Igbo traditions, culture and tribal law. He thinks that change could be a good thing and that it could benefit Igbo society. Okonkwo's solution is to resist change by using violence against the British
Traditional Nigerian society is contrasted with the impending colonisation and Christian influences. These challenges do not destroy the friendship between Okonkwo and Obierika.
Following Okonkwo’s suicide, the District Commissioner considers the actions of the tribe, the introduction of British culture and its code of behaviour and how ‘enlightenment’ has been introduced. He decides to write a book entitled The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger, which sums up the attitude toward non-western cultures at the time.
When Okonkwo’s honourable friend, Obierika, visits him in Mbanta, he tells him about a white man being killed in Abame. The episode is based on the actual events that occurred in Ahiara in November 1905. In retaliation, the British formed an expedition and killed Igbo opposition and destroyed the Awka Oracle.
Things Fall Apart is a post-colonial novel, exploring Igbo traditions, the arrival of Christianity and the colonial experience that can be seen through Nwoye’s change.