THINGS FALL APART

NARRATION

NARRATION

Achebe uses a third person omniscient narrator mostly focused on Okonkwo. He does however frequently reveal the thoughts of other characters in the village. This makes it hard for the reader to see the Igbo people as a homogenous whole, but instead must recognize that they are diverse, opinionated, and have different perspectives. This adds to a reich tapestry of culture. It is poignant that the narration ends with an outside point of view. The is symbolic of the large social/ historical themes of the novel.

THINGS FALL APART

CHARACTERS

OKONKWO

As a reader, the omniscient narrator allows us a better understanding of Okonkwo than the people of his community, and indeed his family. This is because his emotions and feelings are often described as inwardly (important word). While the community see his exterior side, which is one of action, we see his inner-thoughts, insecurities, and motivations. This also makes him dichotomous in terms of our reactions. His behaviors make him unlikable to the reader, but his emotions make him sympathetic. It is understandable why other characters would not see him in a sympathetic light.

This effect in which the reader knows more about the character is in fact normal. We know much more about Offred than anyone else in her world. We understand Pecola and Cholly in a different way than Claudia. We know what the Old Man went through on his journey.

The exception is when we only know about a character through another character. E.g Claudias family, Serena Joy.
This refers to the idea of READER PRIVILAGE! As a reader we are privileged with certain information not available to others in the story. We also have READER DEPENDENCE. This is when we as a reader are dependant on a character to give us an insight to another character. This can be UNRELIABLE

 Okonkwo is a character defined by his father. He rejection of his father who was lazy, poor, and unfocused, inspired Okonkwo to be the opposite. This relationship of discord between parent and child can be seen in

HMT with Offred and her mother.

The irony of Okonkwo and his father is that both of their actions put them in conflict with their communities. Different approaches lead to the same result.

 Okonkwo is a tragic hero in the classical

sense: although he is a superior character, his tragic flawthe equation of manliness with rashness, anger, and violencebrings about his own destruction.

Nwoye
While he is flatter than Okonkwo he is

dynamic. Through him we see a transition of a character who goes from trying to please his father, to rejecting his father. He is also representative of those who are disenfranchised by the expectations and demands of Igbo life.

 He is an interesting example of the complexity of

Achebes work. As a reader we can see how his conversion to Christianity is not only a rejection of his father, but also understandable as it does provide him with answers that traditional culture does not. This shows that Achebe is not simply trying to exalt traditional life and present a romantic utopia, but instead shows a complex society

Unoka
Okonkwos father is told about in the past as

he lived outside the timeframe of the novel.

Okonkwos personality is a rejection of the

father. Tragically, Unokas and Okonkwos relationship parralels that of Okonkwo and Nwoye. Unoka is a outsider in his community. Despite this he is actually well liked for his easy manner.

Obierika
Obierika is Okonkwos best friend and also a

respected man in Umuofia. He often offers reasonable counterpoints to Okonkwos desire for rash action, although Okonkwo rarely takes his friends advice.
Obierika provides the reader with a balanced

view and insight into some of the complexities of life. He is an archetypal wise figure

Ezinma
Ezinma is Okonkwos favorite child as she

represents the qualities he values- As she is a girl, this leaves Okonkwo not pleased but sad that she was not a boy. She is interesting in comparison to Nwoye, as she chooses to adopt traditional life despite the fact she is not privileged in it, whereas Nwoye, the boy, rejects it.

SETTING

Setting
Setting is VERY important in this novel. The time setting is 1890s Nigeria. Through

Okonkwos story, we experience both the end of traditional life and the start of colonial life. Achebe puts in some parallels such as the two images of the justice system. Firstly, through tribal custom, and then through European courts.

 The description of the physical setting is just

as important. The description of the land, weather, and symbolic significance of places (evil forest) allow the reader insight into the life of the people and make it understandable. This is different from HMT which uses setting as primarily symbolic, with little focus on function.