Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe - Essay Example

Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe A thought that is ‘seeded’ into an author’s mind is outputted in his or hers work. That ‘seeding’ of thought could be initiated or influenced by the ‘system’, in which the author lives or lived. That is, the author observing the environment, culture, events etc, he/she faced or lived will ‘interpret’ it in a written or fictional form. So, number of fictions has been constructed using the author’s environments, happenings... as the subject matter. Likewise, Nigerian writer, Chinua Achebe had written the novel, Things Fall Apart based on the real happenings in his birthplace of Ogidi. So, the finer elements of those happenings like weather and gender identity were handled realistically throughout the novel, and this paper will look at those elements. The element of weather is interpreted in various forms in the novel, with weather representing the varied situations and emotions, the main characters go through. That is, the central character of Okonkwo after living a life of authority in his home village faces struggles in exile, with weather reflecting the changed fortunes. Okonkwo was respected as a great leader among his people due to many of his notable achievements, ranging from being a wrestling champion to a brave individual. But, that reverence slides down due to Okonkwo’s accidental shooting of a young tribesman, forcing him to spend seven years in exile. This is where; a range of weather comes into the picture reflecting the situation and moods of Okonkwo. In the fictional Umuofia, where the story takes place, Agriculture is the people’s lifeline as well as the symbol of their relationship between land and environment. So, Okonkwo at the start of his exile indulges in agriculture by borrowing yam seeds. But, it was not a smooth sailing for him with indifferent and harsh weather causing crop loses, and making it emotionally tougher for him. That is, after going through a lot of turmoil in his home village, Okonkwo wanted to start his life afresh here with a flow of good emotions. But, unfortunately after planting the seeds, the appalling weather conditions throughout the year caused loses. With loses in his first year itself, his emotional mindset also bordered on apathy like the appalling weather. But, he did not give it up easily, with the tough weather conditions actually strengthening him. “…since I survived that year, I shall survive anything” (Achebe 27). That is, when he overcame the terrible weather and the resultant crop loses with tenacity, he became emotionally stronger and went for further success. Thus, he earned more respect from his clan and was regarded as the rightful person for the throne. “from great poverty and misfortune to be one of the lords of the clan” (Achebe 28). The spiritual aspects can be seen in various parts of the novel because the culture of the people featured in the novel is more spiritually inclined. They see god in everything and do the duties dutifully. For example, they regard and worship their land, Ani as a goddess, who has a regenerative potency. Likewise, they also regard weather as god because of its importance in their lives. That is, as weather plays the crucial role in their livelihood of agriculture, they hold it highly. Also, based on the weather conditions only, most of theirs social and cultural activities are conducted. So, this importance given to weather made it into a god of the Umuofia’s people. In the parts of the novel, where agriculture is dealt, the weather component is given a lot of importance, with all the physical aspects of agriculture from seeding, shifting, cultivations etc, being based on weather. Even the physical and mental status of the characters is defined by the weather. For example, the loneliness of the characters is set in the backdrop of cold climate. The varying interpretations of masculinity and gender identity depicted in the novel could be seen through the character of Okonkwo. In the beginning of the novel itself, Okonkwo, leader of the Ibo tribe, asserts his masculinity and dominance both physically and through actions. Physically in the sense, he has a strong, well built physical body, which clearly exhibits his masculinity. That is, as he was a tall man with a muscular and solid body, he can intimidate anyone. “He is tall and huge, and his bushy eyebrows and wide nose [give] him a very severe look.”(Achebe 8). The intimidating and masculine look not only comes from Okonkwo’s well built body, but also due to his behavior and attitude. That is, in the initial stages of the novel itself, Okonkwo was portrayed as an aggressive and courageous man, who will take on anything. He is characterized as the one who like using his physical attributes like strong hands in the times of fights, instead of mouth for negotiations or compromise. So, he embodies all the strong values that are perceived as masculine by the Ibo tribe. So, combined with the strong body and aggressive mind, he participates in all physical combats from wrestling to fights between the tribes. That is, being a leader and a warrior are the two ways in which Okonkwo tries to assert his manhood among his clan and against the British as well. Participating in Wrestling contests and fighting in the tribal wars are the ways, through which the male of Ibo tribe will assert their manhood, and Okonkwo is no exception. Okonkwo even in his youth showcased his wrestling abilities by overthrowing a champion of seven years. That is, he defeated Amalinze the cat, the powerful wrestler in their locality easily, when both of them met in a wrestling fight. “As a young man of eighteen he had brought honour to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat.” (Achebe 3). To crown it all, he had taken two titles and had shown incredible prowess in two inter-tribal wars. Okonkwo’s exile, after being charged with killing a teenage boy, lead to further interpretations of masculinity. That is, at the new village deprived of his leadership, he becomes subdued, concentrating in agriculture only. But, when he hears about the British dominance and submission of his fellow men from his own clan in his native village, he shows his anger filled aggression. He criticizes them angrily for being soft and yielding like the women, instead of fighting the British dominance. “I mourn for the warlike men of Umuofia, who had so unaccountably become soft like women” (Achebe 183). He shows aggression and courage when he states that he is prepared to take the suppressing Britishers, single handedly, when his village avoids supporting him in the fight. So, from being a subdued agriculturist to an aggressive warrior, Okonkwo shows different interpretations of masculinity. Because of this masculine behavior of Okonkwo, the gender identity of women is not visible fully. That is, Okonkwo treats all his wives in a subjugating manner without giving any freedom of choice. They are ordered to follow all his diktats without raising any questions against it, and any protesting will lead to dangerous repercussions. Thus the interpretation of the gender identity of women, are not varied because it not clearly seen in any situations. For example, when Okonkwo brings Ikemefuna into his house, he tells his first wife to look after him, but when she asks the reason of his presence, Okonkwo takes it offensively, hitting and abusing her. “Do what you are told woman. When did you become one of the ndichie (meaning elders) of Umuofia?”(Achebe12). So, throughout the novel, Okonkwo due to his physical stature and social standing interprets masculinity in different stages and at the same time suppresses any varied interpretation in the gender identity of the female characters. Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Anchor Books. 1958 Read More