Colonialism in Things Fall Apart

In the landscape of postcolonial literature, few works have captured the devastating impact of colonialism with the same power and nuance as Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart." Published in 1958, this groundbreaking novel presents a profound examination of how colonialism in Things Fall Apart serves as both a historical force and a metaphor for cultural destruction. Through its rich narrative, the novel reveals the complex ways in which colonial intervention systematically dismantled traditional Nigerian society, affecting everything from religious practices to social structures.

The Author's Vision and Purpose

Nigerian author named, Chinua Achebe, authored a novel which was entitled as Things Fall Apart,' which was published in the year 1958. The novel was an attempt by the author to present the true image of the African society, through the literature, which has always been depicted as an uncivilized and backward society in the literature of the foreign languages. The author included the story, as well as the transition of a Nigerian tribe from the traditional society to the colonialist society, after the arrival of the English men in the area.

This narrative choice was deliberate and powerful, as the depiction of colonialism in Things Fall Apart serves to counter generations of Western literature that had portrayed Africa as a dark, primitive continent. Achebe's work stands as a testament to the complexity and sophistication of pre-colonial African societies, making the subsequent destruction all the more poignant.

The Impact of Colonial Intervention

Colonialism has been one of the major themes in the story of Chinua Achebe, as he attempts to show that the Nigerian society had its own distinct culture, which was declared as uncivilized by the Englishmen. The colonial era, depicted in Things Fall Apart,' may have attempted to show the changes in the Nigerian society; however, it highlights the fact that white men robbed the natives from their traditional practices, religion, and political and economic supremacy.

The representation of colonialism in Things Fall Apart is particularly striking in how it portrays the gradual but inexorable way that European powers undermined indigenous authority. The novel shows how colonial forces didn't just impose their will through direct violence, but through more subtle means of cultural and spiritual subjugation.

Traditional Practices

Chinua Achebe, in his novel, depicted the Nigerians society which had it won traditional practices; however, colonialism put an end to them. In Things Fall Apart,' Achebe has described the story of an old man, who worked hard in his whole life, to show to his society that he was strong enough to take major decisions for the supremacy of their traditions and society. To prove his masculinity and strength of his character to his tribe, he even killed his adopted son; however, it resulted in his exile from his land. The people of that area believed in several gods and goddesses, however, when he came back to his land, the people had forgotten their traditions and were being influenced by the practices of the white men.

The theme of colonialism in Things Fall Apart becomes most apparent in these moments of cultural collision, where traditional practices clash with new colonial impositions. The novel masterfully illustrates how colonial powers didn't just change external behaviors, but fundamentally altered the psychological landscape of the colonized people.

Achebe described the arrival and influence of the white men over the native people in words, "The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together, and we have fallen apart" (Chinua, 73).

The Role of Language and Communication

He described that the white men started interfering in the daily life of the native people and stopped them from practicing their traditional beliefs, as it did not match with their beliefs. It is also one of the major reasons that they declared the people of African region as uncivilized because they were unable to understand them due to the communication barrier and lack of understanding of language. Due to their unique ideas and belief, they attracted the local community and made them act against their own people by following the commands of the white people.

The language barrier described in the novel serves as a powerful metaphor for how colonialism in Things Fall Apart operated on multiple levels. The inability or unwillingness of the colonizers to understand local languages reflected a broader dismissal of indigenous knowledge and wisdom.

Religious Transformation

Colonialism impacted the religious practices of the African society and made the people convert to Christianity. Achebe has shown through his novel that the white society looked down upon the African people because of the differences of their religion. African tribes worshipped several gods and offered their sacrifices to them. On the other hand, the white people became the part of the African society and started preaching their religion of believing in one god. Achebe included the description that “New churches were established in the surrounding villages and a few schools with them. From the very beginning, religion and education went hand in hand (Chinua, 75). The white men were not able to understand the value and importance of the native people, due to lack of understanding of local language, so instead of trying to know their religion, they declared it wrong and started preaching their religion and educating the people from their perspective. The religion which was a binding force for the naive people became a dividing factor, causing havoc in the society.

The novel's portrayal of religious conversion reveals how colonialism in Things Fall Apart operated through spiritual warfare, using Christianity as a tool to fragment traditional social bonds. The missionaries' arrival marked not just a religious change, but a fundamental restructuring of social hierarchies and cultural values.

Economic and Political Dominance

Colonialism also impacted the political and economic situation of the African tribes. Instead of supporting the traditions, culture, and practices of the local people, the white men criticized them and declared them as backward. Achebe mention in his writing, “The white man, had indeed brought a lunatic religion, but he had also built a trading store, and for the first-time palm-oil and kernel became things of great price, and much money flowed into Umuofia (Chinua, 73). They changed the political and economic practices of the native people and gradually took control of the society in their hand, by dividing the local people over the conflict of religion. In one of his articles, Achebe mentioned that the white society wanted to prove the African societies as savage and uncivilized, just because they wanted to capture their land and resources. He mentioned that, Quite simply it is the desire — one might indeed say the need — in Western psychology to set Africa up as a foil to Europe, as a place of negations at once remote and vaguely familiar, in comparison with which Europe’s own state of spiritual grace will be manifest (Achebe, 14).

The economic aspects of colonialism in Things Fall Apart demonstrate how material changes served to reinforce cultural domination. The introduction of new trading systems wasn't merely an economic innovation; it represented a complete restructuring of social values and power dynamics.

Cultural Destruction

The west wanted to explore other areas of the world and declare its supremacy in the whole world. If they would have tried to take control by force, it would have wasted their own resources, so they used the strategy of trading and creating conflict based on religion and became rulers by dividing the public. Although, the white men created conflict, however, some native people also supported them as described by the author, The destruction and crumbling down of Igbo life is not totally due to the intervention of colonizers through their religion and government. Many Igbo willingly join the religion brought by the colonizers as they find that some certain customs prevailing in their society are irrational evils (Purwarno, and Suhendi, 674). The native people, who killed the twins to get rid of evil, started accepting the beliefs of Christianity that life and death are in the hands of God. The religion which had united the people played an important role in dividing them and roots of conflict were sown by colonialism in the African societies.

Conclusion

The examination of colonialism in Things Fall Apart reveals the multifaceted nature of cultural destruction under colonial rule. Through Achebe's masterful narrative, we witness how colonial powers systematically dismantled traditional societies not through force alone, but through a complex web of religious, economic, and social interventions. The novel's enduring relevance lies in its ability to show how colonialism operated not just as a political system, but as a force that fundamentally altered the psychological and cultural landscape of entire peoples. In today's post-colonial world, the themes and insights presented in "Things Fall Apart" continue to resonate, offering valuable lessons about cultural preservation, identity, and the lasting impact of colonial intervention.

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