In Chinua Achebeўїs Narrative Ў°things Fall Apartў±, Analyse How the Tribeўїs Culture and Tradition Are Broken Down

In Chinua AchebeЎЇs masterpiece Ў°Things Fall ApartЎ± the author illustrates the fall of the Ibo tribe during the period of colonization by white people which takes place in lower Niger during the 19th century. This novel can be likened to the idea of Wiliam Butler YeatsЎЇ Poem Ў°The Second ComingЎ± where he suggests that removal of important mechanism causes things to Ў®fall apartЎЇ. In Ў°Things Fall ApartЎ±, Okonkwo is signified as the centre of the Ibo tribe. There are certain events, both internally and externally, that eventually lead things to Ў®fall apartЎЇ. The events that contribute to the fall of the Ibo tribe are; OkonkwoЎЇs exile, the arrival of the Christians, the death of Royal Python, the death of an Egwugwu, the giving away of the Evil Forest, the titled men befriending Mr. Brown and the conversion of Nwoye.

The coming of the white man was the beginning of the end of the Ibo culture. Among the villages, there were set rules which were never broken, because no matter how disagreeable the rules, people followed them to show loyalty to their ancestors, gods, and other spiritual beliefs. The Christians came and claimed that there was only one God, who had created the world including man and woman. If we look at in chapter sixteen, the white man explained to the Ibo people, Ў°All the gods you have named are not gods at all. They are gods of deceit who will tell you to kill your fellows and destroy innocent children. There is only one true God and He has made the earth, the sky, you and me and all of us.Ў± For people who had always held a different set of beliefs this information brought confusion and mistrust contributing to the downfall of Ibo Tribe.

Things indeed start to Ў®fall apartЎЇ due to the absence of the TribeЎЇs most honoured man Okonkwo. He had accidentally killed Ogbuefi EzeudaЎЇs son which, Ў°was a crime against the goddess to kill a clans manЎ± (pg.89/ch7) and he was to be banished for seven years before returning to Umofia. This was a foreshadowing of the beginning of an end where the centre of stability was gone and so the tribe could no longer keep its unity and as a result it started to collapse. The absence of Okonkwo who led the people in Umofia with his great leadership was devastating. Other great leaders praised his decisions and his words were chosen as the final solution to problems. This is illustrated when Okonkwo takes part in the affairs of the motherland. In a meeting where titled men had gathered to discuss the white man, Okonkwo said, Ў°If a man comes into my hut and defecates on the floor, what do I do? Do I shut my eyes? Ў¦ these people are daily pouring filth over usЎ± (pg.115/ch.18) and another man answered, Ў°Okonkwo had spoken the truthЎ± (pg.115/ch.18) meaning that what Okonkwo had said was right and that something had to be done. This clearly shows how much people depended on his thoughts. With his idea of, Ў®something had to be doneЎЇ, it gives an idea to the reader that if Okonkwo had stayed in Umofia, he would have rebelled and conducted a war against the missionaries settling down in his village. OkonkwoЎЇs exile made conversion possible for the Christians and led to the downfall of Ibo tribe.

A main support that bound the Ibo people were their sacred spiritual beliefs. Their beliefs were sometimes rather harsh, for example the idea that twins are evil. These beliefs had built a primitive law among the tribeЎЇs people which was threatened when Christianity entered their minds. In chapter 17, the village leaders decided to give Ў°a portion of the Evil ForestЎ± (pg.107) for the missionaries to build a church. The Evil Forest was believed to be full of malevolent and dark magic. What the leaders expected was the death of white man within days. Their beliefs were rocked when this didnЎЇt happen. To quote Mr. Kiaga ,

Ў°Ў¦ they also said I would die if I built my church on this ground. Am I dead? Ў¦only the word of our God is true.Ў± (pg.114/ch.18). Afterward Ў°nearly all the Osu in Mbanta followed the Christian exampleЎ±. This is due to the creation a doubt in their belief and a feeling that what they followed might not be real. Again this leads to the tribe falling apart because it provides a gap for Christian to enter and distract their minds.

In Ibo culture, there were different levels of people of and Ў®Titled ManЎЇ had the highest rank among all other people. They were respected and praised by ordinary people. However this fact contributed to the conversion of the Ibo belief. Mr. Brown, a wise missionary man, befriends the local great man. A Titled Man had been a strong example