My first taste of African literature: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Things Fall Apart is a post-colonial novel written by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe in 1958. This was my very first taste of African literature. Before this I don’t think I’ve read so much as an article written by a native African. So needless to say, I was really looking forward to reading a book written by a person who is considered the father of African literature.
Things fall apart is a fictional story about a man called Okonkwo, an Ibo (tribe) leader in a village called Umofia. The book is divided into three parts, the first being the story of his past and of his family, the second and third talk about the influence that Christian missionaries have on the life of the tribal people.
The copy of the book that I got my hands on had a foreword/introduction that explained various traditions that the Ibo tribe followed like their religious beliefs, attire, marriage ceremonies, etc. If you’re planning on reading this book then I would strongly urge you that you get this edition because it sets the stage for the story by giving the reader an idea of all the traditions that are mentioned. For me personally it was amazing to learn about all these traditions and the logic behind some of them. These traditions do/did exist and for me learning about how people live in tribal society was definitely an eye opener.
As far as the story is concerned I didn’t find it all that interesting except for the second half when the Christian influence starts creeping into the society. The first half goes along at a normal pace describing some interesting events that happened in Okonkwo’s life. It’s interesting so far as the different traditions are concerned but nothing more than that. In the second half when the Christian Missionaries start influencing the society it becomes interesting because of the way in which it divides the society. After strong initial resistance the missionaries slowly introduce an education and justice system, which enables them to win some people over to their side. Once that happens society is torn apart from within to meet their objectives.
This book certainly did make me think about how Christian mission work can be carried out in tribal areas. In the book the missionaries impose their own traditions on the people by telling them that it is the only logical way. Some will obviously see the logic but what of those who don’t? Those that don’t see the logic of the missionaries will obviously revolt, leading to clashes. It is then that they introduce the justice system. Some villagers thought that their God was being threatened and hence they ended up killing some of the missionaries. This in turn led to England sending their warships to ensure that the missionaries were protected. Who is right and who is wrong? Deviating a little from the story on the book, here’s my take on it. If Christian missionaries go to tribal areas and get persecuted then they should have no reason to complain to the higher authorities. You’re willingly going into a society that has its own beliefs and justice system and you hope to go and impose your own traditions on them. If you face a backlash then it is your very own doing. The fact that all this was a ploy for Britain to gain control over African resources is an entirely different matter altogether.
Overall this is a good one time read. Being a Christian myself, it opened my eyes to how Christian mission work can be perceived in tribal areas. The book is also a great way to learn about life in some of remote locations in Africa. I’m certainly looking forward to seeing what more African literature has to offer. Recommendations as always are welcome!
My Rating: 3/5