Culture anthropology - Essay Example

Key Words Things Fall Apart, Umuofia, Okonkwo and culture Culture anthropology "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe Things Fall Apart account by Chinua Achebe depicts the life of a courageous, wealth and hardworking Okonkwo from the village of Umuofia. This is contrary to his father’s mode of life who was lazy and a coward where he is nobody to be esteemed of in the village of Umuofia (Tamilarasi 2). Hence, Okonkwo from his childhood started claiming his social status by defeating the only esteemed great wrestler besides having attained enormous wealth, which propelled him to his community’s eye.

Okonkwo despised his father’s status and character to the extent of not wishing his only son Nwoye to take after him, though, in a way seemed to be doing so, which angered him (Tamilarasi 2). Okonkwo’s courageous warrior character, contrary to that of his father who left numerous debts after his death, convinced elders to decide that he was the only person capable of housing Ikemefuna. Ikemefuna was a boy given out as a peace settlement token amid the two villages where the elders agreed Okonkwo to act a guardian or his surrogate father.

He assumes this responsibility where he loved the boy as his own owing to the exemplary and hero’s character Ikemefuna depicted, which was divergent to Nwoye’s (Tamilarasi 4). Okonkwo wished his son could take after him or Ikemefuna instead of his grandfather who was lazy. However, peaceful and harmonious living with Ikemefuna did not last long until the oracle according to the elders, demanded termination the boy. The oracle’s plan regarding the termination of Ikemefuna was the mandate of the elders but not Okonkwo’s since the boy called him father, hence being an abomination.

Conversely, during the exercise, the boy escaped and ran to the safety of Okonkwo’s who not wanting to appear inferior killed him while Ikemefuna calling him father for protection, hence committing an abomination (Tamilarasi 5). This act forced Okonkwo and his family to go for exile for seven years according the community’s statutes to cleanse him, where after they burnt his belongings. Afterwards, Okonkwo returned where to his dismay unveiled that the white missionaries had taken over the village and community with Christianity, hence derailing people to abandon their esteemed culture.

Okonkwo as the community’s warrior, tried to mobilize the then obedient masses to him in vain where while conflicting with the whites killed one of them (Tamilarasi 5). The community seemed to embrace the new Christianity culture; contrary to his own, which worshiped numerous deities thus, termed as idolatry. Okonkwo’s second killing renders him not being a hero but an outcast where the community seems to support the court’s side and results to forcing him face the law. He decides to escape where he committed suicide in his house prior the community bringing him to the utter wrath of the law.

Chinua’s choice of the title “Things Fall Apart” depicts how the hardworking and daring warrior’s effort in trying to manipulate circumstances comes to be a looser (Tamilarasi 1). Initially, Okonkwo does not want to be like his lazy and timid father where works hard besides emerging as a strong warrior. He is the strong and ardent supporter of his culture, which he is ready to protect despite what comes his way. Conversely, his manly ego in depicting the heroism he possesses plunges him to a life’s utter destruction.

This is via committing crimes that are abominations to the culture he protects besides new emerging Christian culture. Consequently, Things Falls Apart regardless of the efforts he employs to sustain what he wants where besides hating laziness, his son Nwoye he is like the grandfather. Work CitedTamilarasi, S. Resisting Change Through Individual Heroism - Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart. Language In India 8.9 (2008): 1-5. Web. 26 July 2012.