Themes in Things Fall Apart

1st Section: Fear of failure (pg 13, 61) *+ afraid of being thought weak. Fathers and sons (influence) (pg 33, 144, 149) Strength (pg 30) Patriarchal society Folk tales moral lessons Local tradition distinctive feature of culture Foreshadowing (not theme, but technique) Fate Okonkwos gun exploding Tragedy, responsibility for actions or fate, consequences of actions 2nd Section: Gender roles It was clear *+ the ceremony was for men. (pg 87) Wishes Ezinma was a boy (pg 64, 172) Family ties Superstition? 3rd Section: Reputation (pg 153 Roaring Flame) Social status (pg 123) Men are lords of the clan (pg 131) Men have wife do bidding (pg 134) Tradition yam festival, drums, wrestling, sacred python (dragging killer around), killing twins Unity Gun exploding tradition: must leave, cleanse land (pg 124) Calamity Influence of outsiders Religion validity of/ utilitarianism (its useful for one culture, but not for another) Church in forest (pg 149) Skepticism of missionaries, Nwoye questioning beliefs (skepticism, questioning of religion) Nwoye leaving (pg 144) 4th Section: Loss of unity Sense of belonging (pg 172)

Change in customs missionaries, python incident Tragic Hero: Flaw pride, greed, anger Aristotle (Big A) Error in judgment Sets in motion (fate) end Realizes error, but too late Faces death nobly Death is instructive to audience (catharsis) Okonkwo as a Tragic Hero: Flaws: anger, pride, fear of being weak Event that brings on his demise: missionaries Error in judgment: killing Ikemefuna, killing Christian messenger, suicide Killing Ikemefuna sets everything in motion Realizes his error: not really Faces death nobly: not really