International Journal of Research (IJR) Vol-1, Issue-9, October 2014 ISSN 2348-6848

Culture Clash in Things Fall Apart

Rahul Singh Sundram
Research Scholar
Department of English
Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar (Punjab India).
rahulsundram09@gmail.com

Abstract do not understand each other than the

Widely known as "the father of the African conflicts arises each other. Every single
novel in English," Achebe is one of the culture has its own traditions, habits,
most significant writers to emerge from religions, languages and many other
Africa with a literary vision that has common features. Crucial condition of
profoundly influenced the form and peaceful coexistence between various
content of modern African literature. cultures is a mutual respect and
Chinua Achebe (1930- 2013) published his willingness to accept the differences.
first novel Things Fall Apart in 1958. Otherwise, it elicits the cultural clashes.
Achebe wrote in response to European The purpose of this paper is to identify the
novels that depicted Africans as savages cultural clashes in postcolonial Africa and
who needed to be enlightened by the demonstrate its reflection in Achebe`s
Europeans. Achebe presents to the reader Things Fall Apart .The main objective of
his people’s history with both strengths the writing this novel is to acquaint the
and imperfections by describing for outside world about the Ibo culture
example, Igbo festivals, the worship of tradition as well as to make his own people
their gods and the practices in their ritual realize that their tradition culture contained
ceremonies, their rich culture and other much that was valuable which must be
social practices, the colonial era that was integrated with the new culture that was
both stopping Igbo culture and also coming into existence under the powerful
brought in some benefits to their culture impact of the western complex culture.
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
explores the coming of the white man and Things Fall Apart as Post-colonial Novel
its effect on the culture of the people of Post-Colonial Literature is a body of
Umuofia. The white men came with literary writings that react to the discourse
culture conflict and which was not of colonization. Post-colonial literature
significant for religion of Umuofia. The often involves writings that deal with issue
people of Umuofia believed on so many of de-colonization or the political and
god and goddess. culture independent of people formerly
subjugated to colonial rule. Post-Colonial
Introduction literature also attempts to critique the
Cultural clash is a conflict arising from contemporary post-colonial discourse that
the interaction of the people with different has been over correct times. It attempts to
culture values. When two people of a assimilate this very emergence of post
different cultural or background meet and

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colonialism and its literary expression cultures, ideas and expectations regarding
itself. hospitality, social and role of religion daily
After reading the novel we can life responsible for the misunderstanding
know that culture conflict rose from between English and Indians. At last this
misunderstanding between two different misunderstanding turned into a culture
cultures. The white men considered clash because the English people thought
themselves that they superior than black that they are superior than Indian.
people. And they thought that it is our Okonkwo returns after just seven
supreme duty to enlighten black people years of the exile to find is village almost
who believe on superstition. The white unrecongible. He finds his entire village
people have a notion that African people changed. The white people built churches
have no history and they want to make and schools. His Son Nowye changed his
their own history of civilization. Achebe religion and adopted Christian. Rushdie’s
should become teacher and guide of the novel Midnight`s children also portrays the
people and should use the novel as vehicle multicultural. At the beginning of the
to disseminate ideas and beliefs among the story, Salman Rushdie describes Adam
people. He suggested the people that the Aziz, Salem’s grandfather. He spent five
social function of the novel should be years in Germany, where he was studying
different from the European concept of to be a doctor. “Now, returning, he saw
idea. Human beings are both acted on by through travelled eyes. “Adam Aziz is
culture and act back and so generate new back at home but he doesn’t feel
culture forms of meaning. They undergo comfortable at his birthplace. He suddenly
change alongside changes in the economic, realizes that “the years in Germany had
social and political organisation of society. returned him to a hostile environment.”
With the change of their culture the Rushdie portrays a character that is
people of Africa forgot the importance ‘caught’ between the two cultures. Having
their tradition and values. They were experienced different life, different
following way and habits of white people European manners, culture and thinking,
which ultimately became the cause of their his doubts keep nibbling at his mind. This
destruction. Okonkwo is the main situation clearly illustrates the main
protagonist, who perished his life for the problem of many Indians and that is a
sake to defend his culture. searching of individual for his identity.
The main theme of the novel is That searching confronts Adam with a
culture clash or culture misunderstanding. dilemma whether to accept newly acquired
When white men came to Nigeria sowed experiences on the one hand or whether to
the seeds of Christian religion and stay deeply connected with the traditions
ultimately the misunderstanding started of his country on the other hand.
between two groups. Forster`s A Passage Achebe wrote novel to highlight
to India also depicts the conflict between the social and religious life of Nigeria.
the Indian and British. One can see that Things Fall Apart provides readers with an
English treat the Indian with lack of insight of Igbo society right before the
respect and the Indian seem to expect it. white missionaries’ invasion on their land.
Culture misunderstanding is turned into a He portrays the customs, habits, ritual and
major theme of the novel. Different social life of the Igbo people. Rushdie`s

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novel Satanic Verses provoked great the lives of people of every modern
controversy in the Muslims community civilized society.
for what some Muslims believed In the initial the missionaries came
were demonstrations in the United with Bible in their hands in the Umoufia
Kingdom. Rushdie was accused for region. Their objective was to destroy the
freedom of speech. As the controversy force that has kept the tribal society in
spread, the importance of the book was existence for centuries. The real process of
banned in India and Islamic countries. This disintegration began when the colonial
book was against the religion of Muslim power began to impose its own laws and
and fatwa was issued to Rushdie. completely ignored the tradition ways of
Following the fatwa, Rushdie was put their lives. The colonial powers set up its
under police protection by the British own administration, courts of justice and
Government also introduce trade and commerce. The
The novel can be studied at three different missionaries opened schools and those
levels: who finished education got job in the
1: It can be studied as the tragic and administration and some of them became
moving story of a proud clansman who priests and school teachers. With the
perished in the attempt to defend his introduction of trade and commerce
culture. ordinary persons became prosperous by
2: The novel is sociological or selling palm oil , palm wine , coca and
anthropological study of the Igbo culture. other product of land.
3: The novel can be studied as a clash Okonkwo says:
between two cultures; in fact this culture “I heard . But I have also heard that Abam
clash is the main theme of the novel. People were weak and foolish. Why did
The novel shows the life of they not fight back? Had they no guns and
Okonkwo a leader and the local wrestling matches? We would be coward to compare
champion in Umoufia one of the fictional ourselves with the men of Abam. Their
group of the nine villages in Nigeria father had never dared to stand before our
inhabited by the Igbo people. It describes ancestors. We must fight these men and
his family and personal history, the drive them from our land”.
customs and society of the Igbo and the Returning from exile Okonkwo
influence of British colonialism and finds his village changed by presence of
Christian missionaries on the Igbo the white people. He and other tribal
community during the late 19th century. leaders try to reclaim their hold on their
The Igbo culture is represented by the native land by destroying a local Christian
people of village Umuofia is primitive and church. In return, the leader of the white
traditional. They had no knowledge of the government takes them in prisoner. As a
plough and so it was its social result the people of Umuofia finally
organization. They had no contact with gather. However, Okonkwo was one of the
outside the world. In spite of few and perhaps one the only one who
backwardness, people were prosperous and went on believing the white man must be
they lived a happy and contented life. driven out by force. Only when he had
Their way as depicted in the novel is free killed the government messenger, he relied
from daily tensions, conflict that plague

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that as for as he was concerned, his fight fight against the slavery and abolish the
against the white man was over. rule of white from their land.
When the local leaders came to References
Okonkwo’s house to take him to court they [1]. A Passage to India: Forster, E.M.
found that Okonkwo has hanged himself. Penguin, Ltd. 2005. Print
He ultimately committed suicide rather [2]. Midnight's Children: Rushdie,
than he tired in a colonial court. Okonkow Salman. Random House. 2005.
`s action have ruined the reputation and Print
status as it is against the teaching of the [3]. Things Fall Apart: Achebe,
Igbo to commit suicide. Chinua. Penguin, Ltd. 2013. Print
Conclusion [4]. Things Fall Apart as Post Colonial
In the concluding lines we can say that novel: Shinge, Dattatraya, Jayanti.
Achebe wants to convey the African Seminar on Post modern Literary
people the value of their customs and Theory, January, 27, 2012, Nanda.
tradition. The value of African culture and [5]. The Satanic Verses - (Wikipedia)
tradition are more rich and vivid than Retrieved, Date 15 Sep. 2014
white people so they should preserve it.
Achebe encouraged the native people to

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