Daniel Palma

Prompt: The personal history of an author can have a significant influence on the way meaning is constructed in his/her writing. Comment on specific instances of such influence in Things Fall Apart. Literature derives from the contextual background of an author, Things fall apart was a novel developed by Chinua Achebe taking place under post-colonized Africa, thusly in regards to the novel things fall apart, Achebe takes influence in the context of where he comes from and the setting in which this novel was written. This novel was written under the newly formed independent Nigeria. Born under the influence of Christianity and Igbo ideologies, Achebe's novel contributes to both cultural perspectives colliding with one another to produce conflicts and character development within the story. Achebe not only gives us many insights on the Igbo-culture given through the perspectives of the characters introduced in the novel but also gives different perspectives on the extremities of ea...

Okonkwo’s characterization: What is the significance of Okonkwo’s character? What does he represent or is symbolic of? Okonkwo, the main character of the story stimulates a lot of pride/masculinity in his character while being the major factor to the development of the plot, while exemplifying Igbo-culture as a whole, however displaying the extremes of the culture throughout his characterization. In many ways Okonkwo's character exemplifies Igbo-culture in a hyperbolic fashion as if Achebe is implying the assumptions of africans in western depictions through the character Okonkwo, where he takes these concepts and further exgurates them, Okonkwo exemplifies the cultural aspects of Igbo at the same time contradicting the culture. I.e Igbo Culture perceives that balance is important having femininity too balanced masculinity is important for transparency. Okonkwo is embedded with fear, the fear of being seen as his father, the fear that his perceives a perception...

Achebe was born in 1930. Eighty years since colonial governs and missionaries arrived in Igboland. Raised under the influence of both Christianity and Igbo culture, his perception is followed through his book Things Fall Apart. Achebe’s cultural background was intertwined with the influences of his father's transition to Christianity and the inheritance of his family's Igbo culture. The text starts without the mentioning of colonial governors and missionaries to exemplify the cultural and religious systems of Igbo culture. It contradicts the perception that Africans are barbaric creatures, removing the conventions of typical literary norms in western depictions, however, it's not so one-sided. Achebe presents the Igbo culture in various forms, mentioning the goods and flaws of its culture. The flaws being displayed through the main character Okonkwo, displaying the culture through acts of pride and masculinity. Achebe displays the flaws and limitation through colo...