Things Fall Apart : Themes
Things Fall Apart is a notable literary work by Chinua Achebe. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of Things Fall Apart.
Themes
Themes
Culture and Change: The novel shows how traditional Igbo culture collapses under the pressure of colonial rule and Christianity. The white missionaries destroy the clan’s unity, replacing its customs, beliefs, and justice with foreign control.
Fate versus Free Will: Achebe explores the tension between destiny and human choice. Though Igbo belief holds that a man’s chi shapes his fate, Okonkwo’s downfall shows that rigid pride can defeat free will and bring self-destruction.
Betrayal: Betrayal runs deep in the story. Okonkwo betrays Ikemefuna by killing him, his clan betrays their ancestors by accepting the missionaries, and Nwoye betrays his father by abandoning the Igbo faith.