Things Fall Apart

I have to write an essay of 5 pages on this book.

There are so may essay topics to choose from. For starters you could do a comparison paper-such as that of Christianity versus the Igbo religion.

You could do a character analysis-for instance, Okonkwo-does he change throughout the novel? What instigates this change?

You could take a major theme from the novel and analyze specifics from the novel that illustrate the theme. A few examples would be custom and tradition, good and evil, or the clash of cultures.

Enotes has many esay topics. Follow the link below for more ideas.

I have several topics that I give my students when I teach this novel.  I have forgotten the original source it's been so long...teachers tend to borrow from each other often.

1. Many authors (like Shakespeare, for instance) use the weather to help the reader determine a character's inner thoughts and the earth's reaction to human events.  Think about the role of weather in the novel. How does it work, symbolically or otherwise, in relation to important elements of the novel such as religion? Are rain and draught significant? Explore the ways in which weather affects the emotional and spiritual realms of the novel as well as the physical world.

2. Animal imagery abounds in the folktales and proverbs circulated among the clan members. What is the significance of some of the animals they discuss? What does the prominence of animal figures suggest about Igbo culture and about Achebe’s larger goals?

3. In what ways does the idea of progress shape the novel? How is it significant? Is one or more characters effected?  How?

4. Throughout the novel, drums, music, and the town crier’s voice punctuate the narrative at key moments. When does silence occur and what does it mean? Is there more than one type of silence? Can silence be characterized as a positive or negative occurrence? What are the implications of the fact that Unoka takes his flute with him to the Evil Forest when he dies?

Good Luck!