"Achebe is trying to remind his own people of their past and to assert that it had contained much of value. All too many Africans in his time were ready to accept the European judgment that Africa had no history or culture worth considering" (Brians, 1994). While Achebe is an example of a person who stood up for his country's beliefs, he believed that many Africans were nevertheless persuaded that western values were still superior to their own. An example of the Africans" struggle between their own culture and the European culture can be seen in examining Okonkwo, the main character. .
"Things Fall Apart" is not necessarily about the past. It is about the human struggle. Achebe tells the story in such a way that the time and place is very accessible to readers. Though his aim is to show that Africans are not the uncivilized people they were portrayed as, it can be said that this aspect of the story merely accompanies the true story, which is that of Okonkwo's. .
Okonkwo grasps the readers" attention because Achebe has portrayed him as a real and complex person, rather than a limited stereotype of what may be considered to constitute a male member of an African tribe. Okonkwo struggles with his fears and often contradicts himself in his attitudes and behavior. He is a paradox because sometimes he will take risks in order to defend his beliefs, and other times he will not. For example, consider the time when the priestess took Ezinma to see Agbala, a God. Okonkwo defies the rules of his tribe to follow his daughter and his wife and ensure their safety, even though this is at direct odds with the wishes of Agbala and could result in a brutal punishment. However, he assists in the murder of Ikemefuna so the other tribe members will not think he is weak. It is odd that despite the Ibo peoples" unimaginable fear of the Gods, Okonkwo seems more afraid of his fellow humans. It indicates how complex Okonkwo is.