Consider Things Fall Apart as a post-colonial novel

Consider Things Fall Apart as a post-colonial novel

It is an admitted fact that post-colonial literature is the literary work generated by people from previously colonized nations. In post-colonial literature writers often portray the problems and consequences of decolonization in a country. These problems are in the form of questions that often arise due to social, political or cultural disruption among the people who were earlier subjugated by the colonizers. In the post-colonial literature, the readers often find themes such as racialism, the trauma of atrocities by colonizers, migration, loss of identity etc. Chinua Achebe (1930-2013) was one of the most famous names when one talks about African literature. His novels mostly revolve around the tribal stories of Africa and how colonial power exploited the natives. At this point, one may recall the name of the novel, Things Fall Apart (1958). This novel explores the encounter between the British colonizer and the African colonized in 1850s.

Known as the magnum opus of African literature, the novel, Things Fall Apart revolves around the life of a brave, courageous, Igbo warrior named Okonkwo in pre-colonial Nigeria in. Being lazy, Okonkwo's father Unoka has not inherited any wealth and hence poverty prevails upon them. Through sheer hard work, Okonkwo gained prosperity and status in Umuofia society. It is a truism that Okonkwo often acts extra brave as deep in his heart resides the fear that he will resembles his lazy father. One day, Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna, a boy given by the Mbaino villagers to him as a peace settlement. Okonkwo treats this boy as his own son. But, to prove his manliness, he commits this murder.

begin to convert Igbo people into Christianity by giving them gifts and jobs. Being upset due to the hostile customs of his own community, Okonkwo's eldest son, Nwoye is converted to Christianity. Crisis in Okonkwo's life occurs as British administration and missionaries begin to tear apart the Igbo customs. To take revenge for the humiliation of his own society, Okonkwo invaded the church and killed the messenger of the district commissioner. But, when no Igbo members support his decision, Okonkwo commits suicide. He prefers to die rather than being hanged by the trials of the colonizers.

Things Fall Apart as a post-colonial novel

It is important to note that through the present novel, Achebe shatters the stereotypical European portraits of native Africans. He is careful to portray the complex, advanced social institutions and artistic traditions of Igbo culture prior to its contact with Europeans. Again, this novel is not one- sided in its portrayal of colonialism. It presents the economic benefits of cross-culture contact. Again, Achebe also creates the character like Mr. Brown who urges the Igbo to send their children to school because he knows that the colonial government will rob the Igbo of self-government if they do not know the language.

To recapitulate, Elleke Boehmer points out that post-colonial literature is not simply the writing that came after empire. Post-colonial literature is that which critically scrutinizes the colonial relationship. It is a writing that sets out in one way or other to resist colonialist perspective. In the light of the above observation, Achebe's Things Fall Apart is a resonant work that displaces imperial perspectives both territorial and literary to generate multiple perspectives on the colonial history of Eastern Nigeria of 1880s and 1890s.