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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
the first half didn't get me, at all. i found the writing dry, coarse, and hard to swallow. narratively, it caught my eye quickly. fantastic interactions, but other than that, i didn't initially adore it. those last 70 pages, that last paragraphe, make the entire book worth reading again and again. couldn't have been happier to pull through.
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It took me awhile to become interested in this book. While I was interested in the historical details and the setting, I had no sympathy for the main character. The book's summary talks about Okonkwo's fall from grace, the clash of cultures, and the arrival of missionaries. All of that didn't happen until the second half of the novel and was wrapped up very quickly.
Achebe presents a fascinating look at everyday life in Nigeria. Unfortunately, the characters just didn't resonate with me. Still a worthwhile read.
Achebe presents a fascinating look at everyday life in Nigeria. Unfortunately, the characters just didn't resonate with me. Still a worthwhile read.
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, War
I re-read this book in preparing to teach it for my New Millennium Studies class this semester and enjoyed it still. I’m most interested here, however, to talk about the role of the title in shaping the book. Unlike many books I read, whose titles are more prosaic in describing the shape and action of the work (such as the other book I just finished, Endurance), Things Fall Apart creates a distinct environment for the novel. It’s a sense of dread and foreboding that might not exist were the book titled The Life of Okwonko or something similar.
I think this title stuff will be one way into the book for my class discussion. I’ve talked with my students of the new millennium about the value of titles in shaping the viewer/reader’s understanding of the work. In particular, when a student creates a piece of art with a more obscure pedigree, I push her/him to use a title that will help the viewer to leap the gap between the aesthetic experience of the project and the often complex set of associations and ideas the student is trying to convey. It’s Barthes’ lesson on photo captions — also taught by the associated press during Hurricane Katrina.
The book’s also really powerful for its mixed message about its protagonist. I dislike Okwonko quite a bit. He beats his wives and children and fears the world because he’s so afraid of failing. But at the same time, as the Europeans showed up and began running their kangaroo courts for a people they were suddenly governing, I would certainly have enjoyed a little vicarious thrill at violence against that unjust colonization–nevermind that my people directly benefitted from that colonization and the gathered wealth of that period still powers our cars and buys our lattes.
I think this title stuff will be one way into the book for my class discussion. I’ve talked with my students of the new millennium about the value of titles in shaping the viewer/reader’s understanding of the work. In particular, when a student creates a piece of art with a more obscure pedigree, I push her/him to use a title that will help the viewer to leap the gap between the aesthetic experience of the project and the often complex set of associations and ideas the student is trying to convey. It’s Barthes’ lesson on photo captions — also taught by the associated press during Hurricane Katrina.
The book’s also really powerful for its mixed message about its protagonist. I dislike Okwonko quite a bit. He beats his wives and children and fears the world because he’s so afraid of failing. But at the same time, as the Europeans showed up and began running their kangaroo courts for a people they were suddenly governing, I would certainly have enjoyed a little vicarious thrill at violence against that unjust colonization–nevermind that my people directly benefitted from that colonization and the gathered wealth of that period still powers our cars and buys our lattes.