Free Book Review Writing Sample "Things Are Falling Apart" (2023)

The book Things Fall Apart was written by Chinua Achebe with the aim of portraying an inferior tribe in Nigeria. The book is exciting because it tells about the Igbo society.

Chinua Achebe uses Okonkwo when giving a detailed account of Igbo society. Okonkwo was a focused man who wanted to avoid his father's mistakes. Unlike his father, who spent his entire life racking up debt, Okonkwo was a focused man who aimed to improve his life. The book tells the importance of connecting with the Igbo culture.

Therefore, through the use of language and images, a reader can connect with society. For example, the back cover of the book includes a glossary of Ibo words that have been used throughout history to emphasize cultural and traditional values. In addition, Chinua uses literary devices such as irony, symbolism and imagery to shed more light on the British colonization of Nigeria. Achebe addresses several themes including colonialism, ambition, social integration, belief in and fear of Igbo society. His excellent use of command language is evident throughout the book. Achebe uses descriptive descriptions, sayings, and other stylistic devices to convey the book's message to the reader. In addition, the book provides an overview of the economic and social benefits of colonialism in Igbo society.

Thesis: The linguistic and literary dimensions of culture used by Chinua Achebe make it clear that language plays a central role in the everyday life of the Igbo. Society used the language in all aspects of their lives, including religion, punishment, and depictions of gender inequality and patriarchy.

Therefore, the article discusses how the Igbo people used the language in different areas of their lives.

Language is an essential element in the daily life of Igbo society. Despite existing clichés among Europeans that Africans are quiet, Achebe explains that there are still oral traditions in the Ibo culture. Occasionally the author has used Ibo words to emphasize proverbs. When settlers arrive in Ibo society, they find it difficult to interact with members of the society due to language barriers. Also, translators are unable to solve the problem. In a certain situation, the translator confuses the words "my buttocks" and "myself" (Chinua 147). This situation may symbolize the ridicule of British invaders who thought they could easily take advantage of Africans because of their illiteracy. Europeans had the perception that Africans could not communicate effectively. However, upon entering Nigeria, they became victims of the language as they could not connect effectively with the Ibo speaking people. Achebe manages to show that the Ibo society had a language and an oral tradition like that of the Europeans. A European must therefore be prepared to have problems understanding a foreign language just like an African. The Ibo people use the Ibo language in daily interaction, both harvesting and performing religious rituals. They were proud of their language, which helped keep them together despite the incursion of Europeans. Eventually people made fun of Mr. Brown as it was different from their language. In addition, the Igbo language has created a sense of identity among the Igbo people. The cohesion thus created enabled them to withstand the growing pressure from Europeans to understand English.

In addition, the novel focuses on the linguistic dimensions of culture. In it she addresses issues of religion, gender inequality and punishment in Igbo society. Gender inequality and patriarchy are major issues in Igbo society. In the first chapter it becomes clear that Okonkwo associates affection with weakness, which in turn is associated with femininity. This was because he considered his father pathetic as he did not take care of his family. Therefore, in Okonkwo's opinion, he does not qualify as a man. Also, the word Agbala is often used in the novel to infer a male or female who had no titles. This is not a coincidence since the two ideas share a similar word. This shows that men, where the man dominates the Ibo culture without power or title, are compared to a woman. Achebe says: "Even as a boy he resented his father's failures and weaknesses, and even now he recalled how he had suffered when a playmate told him his father was an Agbala" (Chinua 13). The novel also focuses on the idea of ​​patriarchy, in which men are seen as providers and heads of households. A man should enjoy all rights, including the privilege of being in power. Through the use of Agbala, Achebe demonstrates to people how male dominance in Western and European culture is still evident in Ibo society today.

The novel fully emphasizes the building of a society. Ibo society has diverse social elements compared to European society. These elements include cultural values, language and religion. Due to the British-Christian colonial invasion, the Ibo have no specific form of worship. They believe in the forest of evil and the oracle representing hell and heaven respectively. They also converse with their ancestors and use their inner chi to guide them in their lives. Efforts by the colonialists to build more churches and to preach other religious beliefs to the Ibo were unsuccessful (Chinua 133). The Ibo found these views difficult to understand as they viewed Christianity from a literal perspective. They therefore continued to practice polytheism, the belief in many gods.

In addition, the Ibo had a similar approach to crime as Western civilization. They often held ceremonial meetings representing the courts in judging a particular crime. For example, Okonkwo is banished from the community for seven years after murdering a clan member. On his return, Okonkwo killed a colonist and hanged himself before he could be tried (Chinua 172). This justice system shows that the African culture did not develop like that of the Europeans. Although they share the same belief system, they employ different traditions in practicing the belief.

The novel is exceptional in that it depicts how the Ibo people struggled and prospered during colonization. Initially, the Ibo were able to maintain their culture or religion, punishment and vices of gender inequality until things fell apart. Their language was crucial because it gave them a sense of identity, which in turn helped maintain cohesion in society. Achebe used Okonkwo's story to show how Africans can overcome stereotypes about Europeans. In the end, the Ibo were forced to abandon their culture and adopt a new way of life and government as dictated by the colonialists. During this phase, the rich African heritage was destroyed by the introduction of a new regime. Therefore, the book Things Fall Apart brings good lessons about the history and development of African culture.

work cited

1. Chinu, Achebe. 'Things fall apart.' CH Achebe (1958): 1-117.