Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe - 1515 Words

Change is a natural process that triggers the evolution of human societies; it is the continuous eradication of traditions that are replaced by the new. Chinua Achebe’s ‘Things Fall Apart’ (TFA), a novel written in 1958, explores the gradual transformation of the Ibo culture as a result of colonialism and also the attitudes the people of Umoufia developed when exposed to foreign ideologies; the change was either accepted or resisted. Peter Skrzynecki’s ‘Crossing The Red Sea’ (CRS) and ‘Feliks Skrzynecki’ (FS) from the Immigrant Chronicle, a poetry collection published in 1975 depicts the evolution of the Australian society due to factors including migration, assimilation and different perceptions. These forces of change contributed to the†¦show more content†¦The representative ‘And at last the locusts did descend†¦Mighty tree braches broke away under them, and the whole country became the brown earth, colour of a cast, hungry swarm’ (Chapter 7, pages 39-40), highlighting to the audience how the influx of colonists is a natural occurrence, just like the appearance of locusts. The fracturing of the Ibo society along with their traditions by the new customs of the Europeans is also typified in this allegory. Similarly, the emphatic â€Å"The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion†¦ He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.† (Chapter 20, pages 124-125), conveys how the traditions of the Ibo people have been replaced by the values of the settlers; the society has been altered. The forces of change, especially colonization, disrupt and change the culture of the Ibo community through the introduction of religion, government and the ideals of colonialism. This is portrayed in the gradual decrease in proverbs as the novel progresses as well as the change in writing style; events occur chronologically in Pa rt 3 of the novel whereas the first two sections skip back and forth between events of different timeframes. Hence, change is a natural process that signals the end of conventions in society that are replaced by new values. Moreover, CRS investigates the natural process of change initiated the end of conventions