Peyton Wilhite

Ms. Cairns

English 2H Red 1

2 December 2016

Achebe's Got Style

What makes a story worth reading? An author can bring a story to life by infusing it with

their words and style and creating a world which the stories plot takes place. In the novel, Things

Fall Apart, author, Chinua Achebe, not only surpasses simplicity through his descriptions and

depictions of characters, but also thrives in creating an evolving tone throughout the novel.

By portraying certain characters in different ways, Achebe gives readers a deeper look

into the lives of the Ibo people and expresses his notable talent through his writing. Achebe

describes Okonkwo, He had a slight stammer and whenever he was angry and could not get his

words out quickly enough, he would use his fists. He had no patience with unsuccessful men. He

had had no patience with his father" (Achebe 6). Throughout the book, Achebe goes into detail

when describing characters, and gives readers the background of their lives. Achebe uses the

characters in the book to develop the plot and bring the whole story together. "He would use his

fists", demonstrates Okonkwo's violent nature and foreshadows his actions later in the book.

Achebe portrays Okonkwo as vicious, fearful, and prideful, and develops his character through

passionate words and a unique approach on the novel. Achebe excels in his writing by

incorporating the culture of Okonkwo's tribe, giving readers a deeper understanding of the

African traditions and lifestyle. Nwoye takes charge of his life, Nwoye did not fully understand.

But he was happy to leave his father. He would return later to his mother and his brothers and

sisters and convert them to the new faith (Achebe 202). As the novel progresses, Achebe

succeeds in developing characters and creating plot twists. In the beginning, Nwoye, the fearful
young boy, relied on his father and was incapable of making a decision on his own. But by the

end of the book, Achebe depicts him as a strong individual who stands up for what he believes

and ultimately ends up leaving his family and following his faith. Achebe uses his writing skills

and powerful phrases to show how Nwoye evolved from an uneducated boy to an opinionated

man. By creating interesting characters and developing a tone throughout the novel, Achebe

brings his words to life and intrigues readers.

Achebe shows his writing style in the way that he illustrates the overall tone of the novel.

Achebe explains an important tradition, "The Oracle was called Agbala, and people came from

far and near to consult it. They came when misfortune dogged their steps or when they had a

dispute with their neighbors. They came to discover what the future held for them or to consult

the spirits of their departed fathers" (Achebe 23). To readers, the beginning of the book showed a

lighter, happier tone than the end. Achebe describes the traditions and ways of life of the Ibo

people. He uses proverb and different words to show the importance of their culture to them and

how big of an aspect it was in their lives. Achebe writes about "the Oracle called Agbala" to

richen the depth of their culture and demonstrate the significance of this factor in their daily

lives. By incorporating their language into the novel, readers feel as if they are in the time era

and a member of the tribe. Okonkwo and the tone grows darker, In a flash Okonkwo drew his

machete. The messenger crouched to avoid the blow. It was useless. Okonkwos machete

descended twice and the mans head lay beside his uniformed body (Achebe 292). Towards the

end of the novel, Achebe's tone of writing changed and became more sorrowful and violent.

Because of the violent actions taking place towards the end of the book, the overall tone changed

from light to dark. When the author writes, "in a flash Okonkwo drew his machete," he is using

suspense in his words to keep the readers alert. Achebe ties in many different elements in his

writing to deepen the readers understanding of what is occurring and keep readers intrigued.
 In the book, Things Fall Apart, author Chinua Achebe depicts characters in certain ways

and showcases the tone by using his unique witting abilities throughout the book. Achebe excels

in portraying the theme of family and importance of togetherness though the powerful characters

he created and the exciting plot that accompanies them. His unique approach on the history and

bond of the tribe demonstrates his personal style as a writer and expresses his talents. " Every

secret of a writers soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in

his worksVirginia Woolf.