Conflict in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Literary Analysis Essay Sample

In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe the narrator Okonkwo lives through and reacts to the colonization of his people by Europeans. The Historical and Cultural settings of the story negatively influence the development of Okonkwo. He reacts to the cultural collision between Western ideas and Ibo culture with violence. His reaction creates conflicts in the plot.

The historical and cultural settings negatively influence the development of Okonkwo. The time period of this novel is the late 1800s when colonialism started in Nigeria. After one of Okonkwo’s sons left to join the colonizer’s religion a, “sudden fury rose within him and he felt a strong desire to take up his machete, go to the church and wipe out the entire vile and miscreant gang” (Achebe 152). The historical setting influences Okonkwo’s actions leading him to be angrier than he used to be. When anger fuels a person it controls them and they become impulsive and violent. His anger stems from his fear of losing his home, family, and culture to other people. The fear he is experiencing leads to him making bad decisions and acting in ways that are not appropriate. Okonkwo’s actions and thoughts that arise because of the historical time period he is in negatively develop him. They turn him into a person to fear, instead of a person to respect. When a group of messengers sent by the District Commissioner came to the clan and told them to stop their meeting, Okonkwo feels threatened and kills one of the messengers. Afterward, he realizes “Umuofia would not go to war. He knew because they had let the other messengers escape” (205). Okonkwo’s clan had always been one of warriors and fighters. When missionaries and Christianity came to them and started to influence their decisions and culture he realizes he is the only one left who is willing to fight. The change in cultural setting pushes Okonkwo into making rash and impulsive decisions. He is developing as a character but not in a good way. His bad attributes are being brought forward because of the change he is experiencing. He does not accept change and because of that, he is spiraling downwards. Okonkwo has given up, and because of his cultural and historical settings, his negative attributes have been further developed instead of his positive ones. 

The cultural collision of Western ideas and Ibo culture is met with violence, which leads to conflicts in the plot. After one of the church members kills one of the clan’s spirits, they leave “the red-earth church that Mr.Brown had built [in] a pile of earth and ashes”(191). The collision between the two different religions is met with violence. The clan feels disrespected by the church and they react in a way they see fit. This violent reaction that Okonkwo is involved in leads to him and the other leaders of the clan being kidnapped. Even when his decision is the cause of a conflict Okonkwo does not see any wrong in his actions. He is headstrong and believes that what he does is right. He often does not think his violent actions through, this carelessness leads him into bad situations. When one of the messengers reached the clan he was met with “Okonkwo’s machete [that] descended twice and [his] head lay beside his uniform body”(204) When met with fear and uncertainty violence is a common reaction. Fear for the incoming change from the collision of two different cultures is expected. However, the amount of violence that Okonowo participates in, in reaction to his fear is extreme. The unacceptance between the Ibo culture and Western ideas leads to feelings of not being in control. When people feel like they are not in control they get nervous and lash out. Violence in stories leads to conflict which further develops the plot and continues the story. This story is no exception to this and with the violent response of Okonkwo, the District Commissioner comes to see him. Okonkwo knows that his people no longer want to fight and that consequences will be coming his way. He once again does not think through his violent actions. He assumes that his people will back him up but he is wrong. Okonkwo does not fully grasp the idea of what his people are thinking until it is too late. He finally accepts that things have changed and kills himself to save the last bit of pride he has left. Had he not killed himself the District Commissioner would have. The clan’s reaction to his last act of violence was the fuel for the conflict in his head. 

Okonkwo’s violent reaction towards the collision of Western ideas and Ibo culture leads to conflicts in the plot. His development is negatively influenced by the historical and cultural settings of the story. His violent nature, impulsiveness, and lack of thinking things through all eventually lead him to his final conflict.