Effects of Colonialism in Achebe's Things Fall Apart Essay Example

Understanding the effects of colonization is not an easy task. When the missionaries arrived in Africa in the 19th century, they wreaked havoc on the local’s tribal cultures. While many sources attempt to provide multiple viewpoints and varying reactions, few are successful. The novel, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, portrays the consequences of colonization in a unique and realistic way. It provides insight into the life of a member of the Ibo tribe, Okonkwo. Although a successful man, he had a difficult childhood, leaving him with a lasting hatred for the weak. Ultimately, his distaste for anything less than strength strongly affected his familial relationships and much of his later life. Despite the connection they formed, Okonkwo chose to kill Ikemefuna, his son-like figure, to avoid appearing weak. This refusal of weakness greatly impacted his oldest son, Nwoye. Because of this and the forced masculinity pushed on him from his youth, their relationship became intensely strained, later contributing to Nwoye’s conversion. While many of the Ibo reacted negatively to the eradication of their culture, Nwoye welcomed Christianity into his life. Nwoye’s quickness to incorporate Western ways affects the novel by emphasizing the element of change. It expresses that while change is inevitable and can be extremely destructive, things are rarely one-dimensional.

Following a falling out with his father, Nwoye is left vulnerable and resentful of the standards he was held to, therefore making him more receptive to the ideas of Christianity. Initially, Nwoye was merely curious about the stories he heard of white men preaching. Eventually, the missionaries reached Mbanta, bringing their gospel with them. Despite being ridiculed for their beliefs, “the missionaries burst into song. It was one of those gay and rollicking tunes of evangelism which had the power of plucking at silent and dusty chords in the heart of an Ibo man”(146). Although previously not well-received, the missionaries' use of words spoke to a select few, effectively planting a seed of interest in their minds. It wasn’t until he saw them for himself, that Nwoye felt his attitude shift. He became drawn to the hymns they sang and the stories they told, further distancing himself from his father’s beliefs. As Nwoye listened, “the words of the hymn were like the drops of frozen rain melting on the dry palate of the panting Earth. Nwoye’s callow mind was greatly puzzled”(147).  His response to these new ideas highlights his search to ease his grief and his eagerness to separate himself from his father.                                                                                                                                      

Prior to the betrayal, Nwoye accepted his father’s conditional love. The introduction to Christianity made him feel more at home than he ever had, conflicting him. Previously, he only sought to placate his father and tried not to stray from what was asked of him, even beginning to sacrifice his personal preferences to cater to societal beliefs. In regards to stories about “effeminate” things, “This was the kind of story Nwoye loved. But he now knew that they were for foolish women and children, and he knew that his father wanted him to be a man. And so he feigned that he no longer cared for women’s stories”(54). This demonstrates the lengths he went to garner his father’s approval, even concerning such a minute detail. When Ikemefuna arrived, Nwoye looked up to him as a masculine role model, but one who could still be gentle. They had a very close bond, one that Okonkwo ruined, and for that, Nwoye could not forgive him. After Ikemefuna’s death, he felt their tie was severed and no longer strove to please him. When the presence of Christianity could no longer be ignored, Nwoye found himself on the side of the missionaries. 

His previous behavior was replaced with defiance, choosing to flee from his father’s toxicity and join the evangelists. Even though he continued to be civil with his family, they no longer comforted him the way Christianity did. His identity as a sensitive and gentle man felt affirmed by the Christian faith. Their words began to clarify some of his inner confusion, specifically, “The hymn about brothers who sat in darkness and in fear seemed to answer a vague and persistent question that haunted his young soul—the question of the twins crying in the bush and the question of Ikemefuna who was killed”(147). This hymn draws a parallel between the relationship between the brothers and their biblical stories. The act of killing one’s family is depicted as a harsher misdeed, validating Nwoye’s emotional response. Their words resonated with him, giving him the closure he desired. 

As Nwoye became captivated by the word of God, he began to secretly attend the preacher's sermons, unbeknownst to Okonkwo. When Okonkwo was alerted, he reacted violently, resulting in Nwoye’s indefinite departure. Considering the conditions of Ikemefuna’s death, Nwoye blamed his father’s ideals for the execution of his brother and the lack of empathy shown afterward. For this reason, Nwoye’s grudge against his father heavily contributed to his decision to convert, using it as a way to effectively rid himself of those beliefs.  Nwoye even confirmed, “‘I am one of them,’”, feeling it was necessary to completely remove himself from anything concerning his father(144). His conversion to the Christian faith represents the final detachment from his father, essentially disowning him. Realizing the effect of Okonkwo’s actions is crucial in comprehending Nwoye’s responses. Still, had the missionaries not been present, Nwoye’s identity would still be intact. Their principles and moral standpoints called to him, blinding him to the erasure of his culture. As he found himself enamored in their ways, Nwoye even chose to relinquish his past self, changing his name. The change from “Nwoye, who was now called Isaac,” marked the end of his association with the Ibo, giving up the last piece of his culture(182). It was the completion of his transition to Christianity and an accurate depiction of the cost of colonization.

Nwoye’s story is the one colonizers dreamt of, the story of the boy waiting to be saved, wanting to assimilate. It is the one they used to justify their actions, making this a biased perspective. People seldom tell of the countless others stripped of their customs and their dignity, forced to convert. They never speak about the cultures ruined and the heritage lost. Those that are considered less than are given little regard. It is infrequent that people like the Ibo are given the chance to reconstruct their ways and are instead forgotten in time. This is the reality, and this is the harm of a single story.