Things Fall Apart is a historical fiction novel written by Chinua Achebe. As his debut novel, Achebe focuses on the native population’s reaction during western imperialism in Africa.

Set in Africa and centered on the Igbo tribe, Achebe begins the story focusing on the main character, Okonkwo. Okonkwo was a man of title in his tribe unlike his father who had left him with nothing but embarrassment. Having worked from the bottom to get to the top, he held high expectations for the people around him. As the Igbo people valued titles, Okonkwo posed these standards on his children as well.

Besides being a man of honor, the Igbo people also valued their proverbs. Through proverbs, they would tell different morals and lessons. They also believed in multiple gods whom they believed would help them in their harvest and everyday lives.

Aside from their cultural aspect of identity, many of the indigenous followed a political structure. Law and order were determined by nine egwugwus who settled disputes within the village of Umuofia. 

Everything was normal until it was not.

Okonkwo had been exiled for doing an unexplainable crime, exiled to his motherland where poor news arrived to him of murder. European settlers had set foot on their land and were changing everything that was once theirs. Their original religions had been abandoned and many of the natives were converting to the western religion. Instead of the egwugwus ruling, it would be a new source of jurisdiction held by the settlers. 

Everything was in chaos. Tribe members were splitting apart from one another conflicted by their native and the new culture that was taught. Okonkwo, having finished his sentence, returned to Umuofia. Once a place he knew became a foreign destination. Okonkwo planned and tried to save Umuofia from being fully controlled by the colonists, but was it enough?

Things Fall Apart is a thought provoking novel which captures an idea that has often been forgotten. Looking through both sides. In many novels, only one perspective is shown, most of the time characters like the imperialists, but little truth and effort goes to capture roles such as the native people during imperialism.

Raised in Nigeria and witness to British imperialism himself, Achebe wrote this novel to convey the real perspectives and realities that many natives faced during imperialism. 

This work conveys the illustration of before and after. Images of what the Igbo civilization before imperialism and what it looked like after appeared in the words of Achebe. Achebe uses many cases of symbolism through actions of characters and settings to add to this perspective. 

To me this story conveys strong emotions of empathy and disappointment. The sadness felt by the Igbo civilization on the brink of destruction and the history behind what true native populations suffered through by imperialism was disappointing, but also in turn brought a new view. Not only would we remember the American perspective through many stories, but understand other stories from different nations.

I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a fast historical fiction read. The contrast in views from the two dominating sides of the story and conflicts within the own Igbo tribe really assists the story. Not only do the events in the novel add to the story, but also to knowledge of history. Achebe does a wonderful job bringing this story to life and it is definitely worth the read!

Check out Things Fall Apart at NBPL!