Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a book about a violent man called Okonkwo. Okonkwo struggles with the fear of becoming his father or the people around him, like his son, Nyowe, becoming his father. Okonkwo's father, Unoka, was lazy and improvident.
The author, Chinua Achebe, grew up with parents who were stuck between the traditional African culture and the new Christian influence. Chinua Achebe was originally called Albert Chinualumogo Achebe. Chinualumogo means "may God fight on my behalf" which is a prayer on divine protection and stability; his five other surviving siblings have similar names.
I like the book so far. The first four chapters are setting the scene for tragic events by developing the character's personalities. Giving Okonkwo a hard childhood allows the audience to sympathize with him even though he's a cruel character. The title even foreshadows future hardships, Things Fall Apart. I predict that this book will not end in happiness.
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1 comment:
Abi,
This is a thoughtful and interesting post to read. I really enjoyed your factoid on Achebe's childhood and the reference to his name.
I also liked your ideas on why the author is spending so much time developing Okonkwo as a character. It is impressive that you are sympathizing with him despite his obvious imperfections. Very mature and insightful.
Keep up the good work.
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