The construction of Things Fall Apart

A-Tragedy

Things Fall Apart
chronicles the double tragedies of the deaths of Okonkwo, a revered
warrior, and the Ibo, the tribe to which Okonkwo belongs. In literature,
tragedy often describes the downfall of a great individual which is
caused by a flaw in the person's character. Okonkwo's personal flaw is
his unreasonable anger, and his tragedy occurs when the tribe bans him
for accidentally killing a young tribesman, and he returns to find a
tribe that has changed beyond recognition. The Ibo's public demise
results from the destruction of one culture by another, but their
tragedy is caused by their turning away from their tribal gods.

B-Setting

Things
Fall Apart is set in Umuofia, a tribal village in the country of
Nigeria, in Africa. It is the late 1800s, when English bureaucrats and
missionaries are first arriving in the area. Although there is a long
history of conflict between European colonists and the Africans they try
to convert and subjegate, by placing the novel at the beginning of this
period Achebe can accentuate the clash of cultures that are just coming
into contact. It also sets up a greater contrast between the time
Okonkwo leaves the tribe and the time he returns, when his village is
almost unrecognizable to him because of the changes brought by the
English.

C-Conflict

In
Things Fall Apart, the Ibo thrive in Umuofia, practicing ancient rituals
and customs. When the white man arrives, however, he ignores the Ibo's
values and tries to enforce his own beliefs, laws, and religious
practices. Some of the weaker tribesmen join the white man's ranks,
leaving gaps in the clan's united front. First, the deserters are
impressed with the wealth the white man brings into Umuofia. Second,
they find in the white man's religion an acceptance and brotherhood that
has never been afforded them due to their lower status in the tribe. As
men leave the tribe to become members of the white man's mission, the
rift in the tribe widens. Social and psychological conflict abounds as
brothers turn their backs on one another, and fathers and sons become
strangers.

D-Narration

Achebe
develops Things Fall Apart through a third-person narrative—using “he”
and “she” for exposition—rather than having the characters tell it
themselves. Often speaking in the past tense, he also narrates the story
with little use of character dialogue. The resulting story reads like
an oral tale that has been passed down through generations of
storytellers.

E-Imagery

While
the characters in Things Fall Apart have little dialogue, the reader
still has a clear image of them and is able to understand their motives.
Achebe accomplishes this through his combination of the English
language with Ibo vocabulary and proverbs. When the characters do talk,
they share the rich proverbs that are 'the palm-oil with which words are
eaten.' Achebe uses the proverbs not only to illustrate his characters
but also to paint pictures of the society he is depicting, to reveal
themes, and to develop conflict. Vivid images result, giving the reader a
clear representation of people and events.

F-Point of View

Critics
praise Achebe for his adept shifts in point of view in Things Fall
Apart. Achebe begins the story from Okonkwo's point of view. Okonkwo's
story helps the reader understand the Ibo's daily customs and rituals as
well as celebrations for the main events in life: birth, marriage, and
death. As the story progresses, however, it becomes more the clan's
story than Okonkwo's personal story. The reader follows the clan's life,
gradual disintegration, and death. The novel becomes one of situation
rather than character; the reader begins to feel a certain sympathy for
the tribe instead of the individual. The final shift occurs when Achebe
ends the story from the District Commissioner's viewpoint. While some
critics feel that Achebe's ending lectures, others believe that it
strengthens the conclusion for the reader. Some even view it as a form
of functionalism, an African tradition of cultural instruction.

G-Plot and Structure

Divided
into three parts, Things Fall Apart comprises many substories. Yet
Achebe holds the various stories together through his use of proverbs,
the traditional oral tale, and leitmotif, or recurring images or
phrases. Ibo proverbs occur throughout the book providing a unity to the
surface progression of the story. For example, 'when a man says yes,
his chi says yes' is the proverb the tribe applies to Okonkwo's success,
on the one hand, but is also the proverb Okonkwo, himself, applies to
his failure. Traditional oral tales always contain a tale within the
tale. Nwoye's mother is an expert at telling these tales—morals embedded
in stories. The stories Achebe tells throughout Things Fall Apart are
themselves tales within the tale. Leitmotif is the association of a
repeated theme with a particular idea. Achebe connects masculinity with
land, yams, titles, and wives. He repeatedly associates this view of
masculinity with a certain stagnancy in Umuofia. While a traditional
Western plot may not be evident in Things Fall Apart, a definite
structure with an African flavor lends itself to the overall unity of
the story.

H-Foil

Achebe
uses foil—a type of contrast—to strengthen his primary characters in
Things Fall Apart, illuminating their differences. The following pairs
of characters serve as foils for each other: Okonkwo and Obierika,
Ikemefuna and Nwoye, and Mr. Brown and the Reverend Smith. Okonkwo
rarely thinks; he is a man of action. He follows the tribe's customs
almost blindly and values its opinion of him over his own good sense.
Obierika, on the other hand, ponders the things that happen to Okonkwo
and his tribe. Obierika often makes his own decisions and wonders about
the tribe's wisdom in some of its actions. Ikemefuna exemplifies the
rising young tribesman. A masculine youth, full of energy and
personality, Ikemefuna participates in the manly activities expected of
him. In contrast, Nwoye appears lazy and effeminate. He prefers
listening to his mother's stories over making plans for war. He detests
the sight of blood and abhors violence of any kind. Mr. Brown speaks
gently and restrains the overzealous members of his mission from
overwhelming the clan. He seeks to win the people over by offering
education and sincere faith. The Reverend Smith is the
fire-and-brimstone preacher who replaces Mr. Brown. He sees the world in
black and white; either something is evil, or it is good. He thrives on
his converts' zeal and encourages them to do whatever it takes to gain
supporters for his cause.