Chinua Achebe’s “Things
Fall Apart” (1958) is his first novel and many believe it to be his greatest. The novel is a
powerful voice from the so-called Dark Continent and throws a floodlight on the colourful culture and rich tradition of the Ibo tribe of Nigeria through a mesmerizing tale told in Achebe’s simple yet captivating style.
The novel centres around the life of Okonkwo who is the worthy son of an unworthy father. Okonkwo’s father was a good for nothing and he was hated by his son. He works hard to prove his worth and becomes a successful farmer, an admired warrior and a man with many titles that distinguish him in the society.
A neigbouring village once gives a young boy named Ikemefuna, as part of a peace settlement to Okonkwo’s village Umuofia. The village elders give him the responsibility of looking after the boy till they take a decision about him. Three years pass and the boy becomes a part of his family and Okonkwo comes to look upon him almost like his son. And then comes the direction from the oracle that the boy must be killed for the sake of the clan. To prove his manliness Okonkwo takes a leading part in the killing of the boy though he had been advised against it by a well-wisher.
In another development, Okonkwo accidentally kills a clansman for which he is banished for
seven years as per custom and he takes shelter in his maternal uncle’s village where he sets up his dwelling house and farm with his uncle’s help.
The seven years of Okonkwo’s exile see a lot of changes taking place in both Umuofia and Mbanta. The white missionaries arrive; so do the white rulers. Okonkwo’s own son becomes a Christian. When Okonkwo returns to Umuofia, he finds he no more enjoys the status that he had in the village seven years ago. The changes hurt him and he fights a losing battle with a few against the rule and religion of the whites. They are caught and humiliated to a degree that was beyond their imagination. One of the white man’s local messenger is beheaded by Okonkwo and then he commits suicide.
Achebe has beautifully used the local idiom through English. This gives the book an African ( Nigerian ) flavour that will be relished by all. Though comparatively the novel is thin, the picture of the Ibo society is drawn with all its hues. The strong community life of the Nigerian tribe depicted in the novel can teach us quite a few lessons when we are facing fragmentation of life as a whole.