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dnandrews797's review against another edition
2.0
I was severely underwhelmed by this book that many people consider a classic or foundational literature. While some of the cultural norms and depictions of daily life were interesting as vignettes, the whole book felt like more of a situation than a story with no real overarching narrative structure. I also disliked the main character Okonkwo intensely and found him completely unsympathetic because of his character. It seemed every other page he was either beating his wife, threatening to beat his wife, spoiling for a fight, or criticizing his existing children. He typifies the type of misogynistic and violent men that are too often glorified as heroes in literature.
The main conflict of the christians missionaries changing tribal society also didn’t enter the story until well over the halfway mark and felt rushed in fully explaining how deeply this changed tribal culture and the emotional impact on the people.
Overall, if the purpose of the book was to make me angry at the missionaries for corrupting African society, it failed. Both the missionaries had good (mr brown) and bad (James smith) among their ranks and in their value and understanding of another culture, but African society also had good and bad people and practices that made the whole novel feel more like watching two flawed ideologies battling each other for control of a population more so that the emotional lost of identity and cultural transformation I had assumed it was going to be going in.
The main conflict of the christians missionaries changing tribal society also didn’t enter the story until well over the halfway mark and felt rushed in fully explaining how deeply this changed tribal culture and the emotional impact on the people.
Overall, if the purpose of the book was to make me angry at the missionaries for corrupting African society, it failed. Both the missionaries had good (mr brown) and bad (James smith) among their ranks and in their value and understanding of another culture, but African society also had good and bad people and practices that made the whole novel feel more like watching two flawed ideologies battling each other for control of a population more so that the emotional lost of identity and cultural transformation I had assumed it was going to be going in.
ha_001's review against another edition
5.0
such a informative and educating text that gives a certain perspective of african culture before being touched by the colonizer and during the colonizer and the after effect of colonialism
talitha_k's review against another edition
challenging
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Wow, what’ a read.
Okonkwo was enslaved by his own warped sense of masculinity, that he often confused it with brutality.
People often think colonialism was a quick sweep cruelty, but the violence came later. As seen in the book, it starts as a parasitic infection, that slowly erodes the clan from within, shattering the foundations of what made them a people in the first place. Leaving a bed of doubt, in which to sow new seeds.
for a man who claimed to value his tribes customs, he often went against them:
- the iron fist treatment of his wives and children, that lead to him almost kill his wife.
- he killed his friends son, during a sacred time
- he hung himself, to be later buried as a dog.
Despite being a great man, the nature of his demise could be argued to be worse than his father’s. The man he spent his whole life hating.
Okonkwo was enslaved by his own warped sense of masculinity, that he often confused it with brutality.
People often think colonialism was a quick sweep cruelty, but the violence came later. As seen in the book, it starts as a parasitic infection, that slowly erodes the clan from within, shattering the foundations of what made them a people in the first place. Leaving a bed of doubt, in which to sow new seeds.
- the iron fist treatment of his wives and children, that lead to him almost kill his wife.
- he killed his friends son, during a sacred time
- he hung himself, to be later buried as a dog.
Despite being a great man, the nature of his demise could be argued to be worse than his father’s. The man he spent his whole life hating.
styxis's review against another edition
3.0
The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.
I only read Things Fall Apart for a seminar and wouldn't have chosen it based on my personal interests, as this is not a book I would typically read.
I am not a fan of Achebe's writing style and there was sadly no clear plot going on that managed to keep me interested. The last few pages were very powerful, but otherwise it was just an average book with an average story. What I did like though, is that it introduced me to the Igbo culture with its customs and traditions, which succeeded in piquing my interest for a bit.
I completely understand why this is regarded as a classic and why it is such an important part of postcolonial literature, but it sadly didn't do much for me in terms of enjoyment.
I only read Things Fall Apart for a seminar and wouldn't have chosen it based on my personal interests, as this is not a book I would typically read.
I am not a fan of Achebe's writing style and there was sadly no clear plot going on that managed to keep me interested. The last few pages were very powerful, but otherwise it was just an average book with an average story. What I did like though, is that it introduced me to the Igbo culture with its customs and traditions, which succeeded in piquing my interest for a bit.
I completely understand why this is regarded as a classic and why it is such an important part of postcolonial literature, but it sadly didn't do much for me in terms of enjoyment.
mitskacir's review against another edition
4.0
Mostly what I knew about this book going in was that it used to be required by my high school but they'd changed the curriculum by the time I got there because students complained it was just about yams.
Yes, the beginning had a lot of yams, and I did think this would be a challenging book for high schoolers since it doesn't have the same narrative structure as most western books and doesn't have a gripping plotline. So I'm glad I read it as an adult, although I think I would get a lot more out of it examining it in an academic setting. Even having a brief discussion about it with my partner who did read it in high school gave me a much greater appreciation for it.
The ending shocked me with its startling events and abrupt change in perspective. It really reframes how you think about the rest of the book, in a similar way that The Importance of Being Earnest did for me (although certainly with a different tone). I also reflected a lot on my judgments, reactions, feelings, and loyalties throughout the book and how they shifted from Okonkwo to the colonizers. It made me think about what outsiders would judge harshly in my own culture, and how righting perceived wrongs can perpetuate further wrongs if done without understanding and humility.
Yes, the beginning had a lot of yams, and I did think this would be a challenging book for high schoolers since it doesn't have the same narrative structure as most western books and doesn't have a gripping plotline. So I'm glad I read it as an adult, although I think I would get a lot more out of it examining it in an academic setting. Even having a brief discussion about it with my partner who did read it in high school gave me a much greater appreciation for it.
The ending shocked me with its startling events and abrupt change in perspective. It really reframes how you think about the rest of the book, in a similar way that The Importance of Being Earnest did for me (although certainly with a different tone). I also reflected a lot on my judgments, reactions, feelings, and loyalties throughout the book and how they shifted from Okonkwo to the colonizers. It made me think about what outsiders would judge harshly in my own culture, and how righting perceived wrongs can perpetuate further wrongs if done without understanding and humility.
bynanners's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
laurenmichellebrock's review against another edition
5.0
Strong writing and storytelling prowess. The narrative had an almost mythological feel. It gave me a lot of thoughts and emotions to sift through. Ultimately, infuriating and heartbreaking. Should probably be required reading for anyone who thinks about being a missionary.
sidharthvardhan's review against another edition
4.0
Called the father of modern African literature, Chinua Achebe is widely respected in Africa. Nelson Mandela, recalling his time as a political prisoner , once referred to him as a writer “in whose company the prison walls fell down”. He has inspired some big names in literature including Tony Morrison, Margret Atwood etc.
‘Things fall apart’ despite its ridiculously simple story is very aptly recognized. It involved breaking new grounds – the very choice of language of colonialists over any of domestic dialects was a major decision – Achebe thought English was the only language that can be used to communicate all over Nigeria; rather than country's multiple dialects. There was an effort at creating a common dialect but the common dialect ‘just didn’t sing’.
Set in Nigeria of 1890s, Things Fall Apart (Title is taken from a poem of W.B. Yeats) doesn’t wave any Tolstoyan worlds or tries to go into the depths of individual psyche like James Joyce. What TFA does is that it breaks new grounds; puts a dot of light in that undiscovered plane, which was so far summed up by colonial mentality as ‘dark continent’. The strange use of words and phrases, description of religious practices and marriages in TFA are an effort to extend boundaries of English language to create an African voice. They may fail on many of us, but they worked really well on me – may be because I have seen Indian writers openly using phrases from regional languages in English to accommodate local thought.
TFA is read in schools across Africa and being in English, it has gain popularity all over world, giving people a perspective to look at Africa that is different those colonialists (Joseph Conrad) or in present times, from Discovery-Channel-Men-in-wild way .
Masculinity
Set in Nigeria of 1890s, where people were entirely involved in Agriculture, with almost no division of labor except priests and farmers, the society is divided into small inter-fighting villages, no education to talk about, women being given as trophies for victors in wrestling matches; TFA points from very beginning to a society where physical strength is the sole virtue that can lead to success (wrestling and hunting are only sports mentioned). Thus being strong is good and manly; and being weak or so much as display a little emotion is being like a woman. A successful man can marry as many times he wishes to, a warrior takes pride in drinking from skull of the enemy he killed etc are common ways of recognizing honor.
Before we start judging this society, we must remember life was hard to these people. There is so much of talk of dying children - a few of women have lost multiple children. Add to that no education and the fact that lack of division of labour wouldn’t allow any art to prosper (except community songs and dances). It is almost imposible for these people to think in any way different from old ways.
An exemplary citizen
Okonwho, the protagonist, is one of best citizens of this society. Along with above mentioned socializing factors, there is also his repulsion from his considered-weak-and-not respected father to try to be more masculine.
He is the strongest in the village but also he has to maintain an appearance of being strong. He makes no display of emotions – not even in private to his family. The whole family is scared of him. He is too close minded to share any of his thoughts with his family. It is ironical that in effort to maintain his appearance of strength, he won’t protest against villagers’ decision to kill his adopted son. Again, carrying his masculinity to another extreme, he scolds himself for feeling sorry for loss of his son. However, after losing his honor due to a few tragedies he commits suicide – completing his tragedy. Too strong to live ,Uh!
Illiteracy and Oratory
One of effects of illiteracy, is that there is too much of superstation and religion in lives of people (Okonwho killed his son because of such superstations) ; another and more interesting thing is great stress given on oral language.
Proverbs and stories are widely used among people – as a kind of oral books. They are only way to remember anything wise, also only way to explain an otherwise inexplicable physical phenomena. It seems that art of oratory among masses suffers with an advance of education - you won’t see too many proverbs used in societies where literacy levels are high. Story telling must also had been a sort of entertainment – a beautiful skill killed by television. Of course even in oratory, there is no specialization, and thus these stories are so small. Bards like Homer and Valmiki can nourish only in larger civilization than a mere village.
Anyway here are some of proverbs:
sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel under them.
As the elders said, if a child washed his hands he could eat with kings
an old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb.
The lizard that jumped from the high iroko tree to the ground said he would praise himself if no one else did.
A child's fingers are not scalded by a piece of hot yam which its mother puts into its palm.
‘It is like Dimaragana, who would not lend his knife for cutting up dogmeat because the dog was taboo to him, but offered to use his teeth.’
‘As our people say, 'When mother-cow is chewing grass its young ones watch its mouth.'
…. as the dog said, 'If I fall down for you and you fall down for me, it is play'.
Looking at a king's mouth," said an old man, "one would think he never sucked at his mother's breast."
Eneke the bird says that since men have learned to shoot without missing, he has learned to fly without perching.
As our fathers said, you can tell a ripe corn by its look.
The white People
Why 1890s? Because that is when first western contact was made. Achebe fictionalizes the history of Nigeria from then on in his tri series. The first effect is that social outcasts (those not macho enough or those who are victim of some superstations) convert to Christianity. There is advent of schools (education and religion must go hand in hand) which offered great career opportunities. There is not enough opposition in beginning because there is a chance for local people to have a wider market. Later, when opposition is made – they are threatened by force. The book ends at point when these cultures are still clashing.
‘Things fall apart’ despite its ridiculously simple story is very aptly recognized. It involved breaking new grounds – the very choice of language of colonialists over any of domestic dialects was a major decision – Achebe thought English was the only language that can be used to communicate all over Nigeria; rather than country's multiple dialects. There was an effort at creating a common dialect but the common dialect ‘just didn’t sing’.
Set in Nigeria of 1890s, Things Fall Apart (Title is taken from a poem of W.B. Yeats) doesn’t wave any Tolstoyan worlds or tries to go into the depths of individual psyche like James Joyce. What TFA does is that it breaks new grounds; puts a dot of light in that undiscovered plane, which was so far summed up by colonial mentality as ‘dark continent’. The strange use of words and phrases, description of religious practices and marriages in TFA are an effort to extend boundaries of English language to create an African voice. They may fail on many of us, but they worked really well on me – may be because I have seen Indian writers openly using phrases from regional languages in English to accommodate local thought.
TFA is read in schools across Africa and being in English, it has gain popularity all over world, giving people a perspective to look at Africa that is different those colonialists (Joseph Conrad) or in present times, from Discovery-Channel-Men-in-wild way .
Masculinity
Set in Nigeria of 1890s, where people were entirely involved in Agriculture, with almost no division of labor except priests and farmers, the society is divided into small inter-fighting villages, no education to talk about, women being given as trophies for victors in wrestling matches; TFA points from very beginning to a society where physical strength is the sole virtue that can lead to success (wrestling and hunting are only sports mentioned). Thus being strong is good and manly; and being weak or so much as display a little emotion is being like a woman. A successful man can marry as many times he wishes to, a warrior takes pride in drinking from skull of the enemy he killed etc are common ways of recognizing honor.
Before we start judging this society, we must remember life was hard to these people. There is so much of talk of dying children - a few of women have lost multiple children. Add to that no education and the fact that lack of division of labour wouldn’t allow any art to prosper (except community songs and dances). It is almost imposible for these people to think in any way different from old ways.
An exemplary citizen
Okonwho, the protagonist, is one of best citizens of this society. Along with above mentioned socializing factors, there is also his repulsion from his considered-weak-and-not respected father to try to be more masculine.
He is the strongest in the village but also he has to maintain an appearance of being strong. He makes no display of emotions – not even in private to his family. The whole family is scared of him. He is too close minded to share any of his thoughts with his family. It is ironical that in effort to maintain his appearance of strength, he won’t protest against villagers’ decision to kill his adopted son. Again, carrying his masculinity to another extreme, he scolds himself for feeling sorry for loss of his son. However, after losing his honor due to a few tragedies he commits suicide – completing his tragedy. Too strong to live ,Uh!
Illiteracy and Oratory
One of effects of illiteracy, is that there is too much of superstation and religion in lives of people (Okonwho killed his son because of such superstations) ; another and more interesting thing is great stress given on oral language.
Proverbs and stories are widely used among people – as a kind of oral books. They are only way to remember anything wise, also only way to explain an otherwise inexplicable physical phenomena. It seems that art of oratory among masses suffers with an advance of education - you won’t see too many proverbs used in societies where literacy levels are high. Story telling must also had been a sort of entertainment – a beautiful skill killed by television. Of course even in oratory, there is no specialization, and thus these stories are so small. Bards like Homer and Valmiki can nourish only in larger civilization than a mere village.
Anyway here are some of proverbs:
sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel under them.
As the elders said, if a child washed his hands he could eat with kings
an old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb.
The lizard that jumped from the high iroko tree to the ground said he would praise himself if no one else did.
A child's fingers are not scalded by a piece of hot yam which its mother puts into its palm.
‘It is like Dimaragana, who would not lend his knife for cutting up dogmeat because the dog was taboo to him, but offered to use his teeth.’
‘As our people say, 'When mother-cow is chewing grass its young ones watch its mouth.'
…. as the dog said, 'If I fall down for you and you fall down for me, it is play'.
Looking at a king's mouth," said an old man, "one would think he never sucked at his mother's breast."
Eneke the bird says that since men have learned to shoot without missing, he has learned to fly without perching.
As our fathers said, you can tell a ripe corn by its look.
The white People
Why 1890s? Because that is when first western contact was made. Achebe fictionalizes the history of Nigeria from then on in his tri series. The first effect is that social outcasts (those not macho enough or those who are victim of some superstations) convert to Christianity. There is advent of schools (education and religion must go hand in hand) which offered great career opportunities. There is not enough opposition in beginning because there is a chance for local people to have a wider market. Later, when opposition is made – they are threatened by force. The book ends at point when these cultures are still clashing.
frankiepooh's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
eilisrowan's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0