Things Fall Apart :: essays research papers

Things Fall Apart is by the astray acclaimed African author Chinua Achebe. The story told is a tragical one of a person by the name of Okonkwo whos own stubborn views about what it is to be a man leads to his own demise. Okonkwo is often compared by tribe to the tragic hero like those in Greek tragedies. This is probably the primary counseling in which the text is interpreted save I feel Achebe is move to make another point as well through the story. Achebe original inspiration to write the novel from a song written by an Englishman by the name of William Butler Yeats. The title of the poem is The Second Coming. The poem talks about anarchy that is upon the world during the present time and how things entrust change with the second coming." During this second coming the cuckoos nest that is prevalent will end finally later on two thousand years. Achebe uses this poems basic idea by creating the story of Okonkwo who harps in a chaotic and barbaric world. To outsiders w ho are observing Okonkwos people, they may certain(a)ly seem uncivilized in many ways. Achebe symbolizes the end of this anarchy in Okonkwos society by the introduction of Christian missionaries who pacify the Ibo people and in the long run cause the death of Okonkwo. I believe Okonkwo is the last and final character reference of chaos that is finally muted to bring civility to the people.     The Ibo people live a very peaceful but ignorant life. At depression glance their lifestyle may seem to be normal but when examining the depths of it we can clearly see why it would seem to be chaotic. When I use the term chaos or anarchy I dont imply it in the literal sense but in comparison to the new-fangled world or in particular England. Anarchy or chaos in my usage is meant to be the lack of morals and/or certain values, which we as westerners would agree to be good. There are many things that the Ibo people were accustomed to that we would find horrific and sav age. One of their customs was to throw remote babies that were borne as identical twins because they were position of as being bad. other custom was to mutilate the dead corpse of a baby that was thought to be evil in order to prevent it from being borne again. other thing that is chaotic about their culture was the fact that their laws and justice placement were very perverted.