Things Fall Apart is a novel written by Chinua Achebe, a Nigerian man. His book was published in 1958. The story takes place in Nigeria during a time when the British were expanding into the area of Umuofia. Okonkwo, the main character of the story, struggles with the change of his tribal religion and that of Christianity. In the Igbo society, to be a man is to be violent and strong. Okonkwo is known for having a bad temper and is also known as a man who willingly goes out to be rude to men who are not successful. He feels like he always has to prove himself. This seems to be because he was the son of a father who was viewed as a failure. His temper gets him in trouble a lot throughout the novel with people and with goddess’. In t
Upon returning, he finds that the white missionaries have established a school and taken root in his village. Okonkwo’s eldest son converts to Christianity and leaves his family for good. Okonkwo and many others begin to protest and are taken by the missionaries and beaten and shaved in captivity. Once they are let go, a group of tribesmen meet with Okonkwo to consider war against the missionaries. The British send a spy to these meetings and Okonkwo, in anger and frustration, looses his temper and kills the spy. He then realizes that no one wants to join him in his fight and receives no support whatsoever from his fellow tribesmen. Okonkwo then hangs himself.
Okonkwo is well liked by his Igbo society, and is respected by the socie
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