THINGS FALL APART
BUT THEY ARE GETTING BETTER
Fate vs. Free Will
In the Ibo society, social rank, titles, wealth, and personal success play significant roles in the lives of the people. The achievements of themselves and their families is what determines their destiny. However, we learn in the book thata person can change their fate with hard work and determination. An example of this is Okonkwo’s constant drive to succeed and his cursed fate holding him down.
Respect and Reputation
A strong reputation and a lot of respect in the Ibo society leads to power. The better known you are, the more the people respect you, and the more people respect you, the more successful you become. Reputation is the number one motivator for the men in Things Fall Apart. The reputation of the men is based on masculine merit such as bravery in war, skillful wrestling, and a successful yam farm. Okonkwo, is very driven to be the most respected man in Umuofia. His drive is so intense that his fear of never being good enough consumes him.
Fear
Fear plays a major role in almost all of the characters’ lives in Things Fall Apart. Everyone fears something or someone. The Ibo people feared the wrath of the gods, the British missionaries feared the natives, Nwoye feared his father, Enzima feared death, Ekwefi feared losing her daughter, and Okonkwo feared failure. The people in the story allow their fears to consume them and their fears are ultimately what leads to all of their downfalls in the end.
Themes
Gender
Everything in the Ibo society revolves around the genders. All of the Igo life is gendered, from the crops men and women can grow, to the punishments they receive when crimes are committed. Like many other cultures, women are seen as the lesser sex. Although they are seen as weak and less significant, they are still seen as valuable because of their ability to bear children. The ideal women in the Ibo society is a woman that gets married to an honorable man, becomes submissive wife, and bears his many children. The ideal man in the Ibo society is a man who provides for his family, skilled on the battlefield, and holds a lot of titles.
Written by Cayla Cambra
Edited by Micah Leval