Things Fall Apart | Things Fall Apart

At a glance:

Author: Chinua Achebe
First Published: 1958
Type of Work: Novel
Type of Plot: Tragedy
Time of Work: The late nineteenth century
Setting: Umuofia, an Ibo society on the lower Nile River
Genres: Long fiction, Social realism, Postcolonial literature
Subjects: Culture, Africa or Africans, Tradition, Politics, Colonies or colonization, Race, Suicide, Nineteenth century, Exile or expatriates, Missions or missionaries, Religion, Villages, Law or legislation, Christianity, Death or dying, Rulers, Egypt or Egyptians, Government, Modernization
Locales: Nile River, Umuofia, Africa

Okonkwo (oh-KOHN-kwoh), the protagonist, one of the leaders of the Ibo community of Umuofia. He struggles from humble beginnings to achieve high status yet is still haunted by feelings of insecurity associated with his former lack of status. He is now a great warrior and wealthy farmer, with two barns full of yams, three wives, and two titles; he is also a lord in the clan. This string of successes is interrupted when he accidentally kills a man and is forced into exile for seven years. His plans for advancement are of necessity put on hold, and he chafes...

Things Fall Apart | Things Fall Apart

At a glance:

Characters Discussed

Join eNotes