Things Fall Apart Book Review
Title: Things Fall Apart
Author: Chinua Achebe
Published in: 1958
Page Count: 152
Genre: Historical fiction, colonial literature, African literature
Reason for picking this book: As someone with so much interest in colonial and postcolonial literature, a novel like this should have been read long ago. So, while in the Waterstones on my university campus, I decided to pick up a copy for myself.
Setting: Pre-colonial Nigeria
Basic Plot overview (no spoilers):
Achebe’s novel tells the story of Okonkwo, a noted warrior in his village, over the course of his life. We also gain access to the values, structure, and cultural ideas prevalent at the time prior to the colonial (aka white and English) contact in what we know to be Nigeria.
First Impression:
This book was a rollercoaster of a reading experience. Because I have read a good amount of literature that was inspired by this particular book, I had to remind myself that the familiarity of the structure was because of the influence of Things Fall Apart, not because it isn’t written well. This is one of the potential challenges of reading works now considered classics: we have to remember that the boredom of it is due to the impact that the writer had on future authors and storytellers.
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As far as postcolonial stories are concerned, this was such an incredible perspective to view this society through. Okonkwo allows us to see more than the average villager sees, whether positive or negative. Achebe finds a way to tell you the truths without judgment, yet he doesn’t hesitate to show all that comes with these cultural rituals. By the time I got to parts II and III, I was in it. Locked in 100%. The ending was a shock to me, and was so hard to read, but was actually completely understandable.
Themes/Symbols/Hidden Meanings:
The themes of this book, I feel, are:
- The ability to exist outside of “culture”
- What it means to be bound by traditions when facing major dilemmas
- Who gets to determine which ideologies are more or less necessary
- How to face our history with full disclosure rather than shame
Opinion of the Writing:
The style of this novel, as mentioned above, is very much in keeping with other postcolonial stories of note. By this I mean it is narrative and often linear, but it includes a slightly episodic structure as well. Also, the descriptions of religious and cultural practices are matter of fact, which makes the novel overall feel very abrasive. I will say, though, that this approach always hits for the literature student in me. The pacing ends up being faster, almost like a fantasy novel, and gives you that slightly disorienting sense of ‘Where am I?’ while still giving enough context to make it make sense narratively.
Favorite Quote(s):
- “Memory heals, it regenerates. It is an affirming god, a transcendent guide in the ritual of continuity. But when spurned, when repressed, memory mutates into a trickster imp and seduces the wayfarer to the precipice and beyond.” — Biyi Bandele (page x)
- “A man’s life from birth to death was a series of transition rites which brought him nearer and nearer to his ancestors.” (page 89)
- “We make sacrifices to the little gods, but when they fail and there is no one else to turn to we go to Chukwu. It is right to do so. We approach a great man through his servants. But when his servants fail to help us, then we go to the last source of hope.” (page 131)
Overall review: 💜 💜 💜1/2 (out of 5)
