Things Fall Apart

Grade Levels

Excerpt

Proverbs are brief, popular sayings that convey a moral lesson (aphorisms).They are often found in folklore & in the Bible. In Things Fall Apart, Achebe writes, “Among the Ibo, the art of conversation is regarded highly, & proverbs are the palm-oil with which the words are eaten (10).”

Proverbs can come in many forms:

• Metaphor- “Don’t bite off more than you can chew.”

• Antithesis (Contrasting words or phrases in parallel structure)- “Man proposes, God disposes.”

• Play on words- “Forewarned, forearmed.”

• Rhyme- “A friend in need is a friend indeed.”

• Alliteration- “Better safe than sorry.”

• Parallelism- “Waste not, want not.”

Choose 2 proverbs from the following list and for each:

Explain the meaning.

Proverb #1

Proverb #2

Identify a situation (real or imagined) to which the proverb can apply, andexplain how that saying applies to the scenario.

Proverb #1

Proverb #2

• You can’t judge a book by its cover.

• Pride goes before a fall.

• A stitch in time saves nine.

• Haste makes waste.

• Beggars can’t be choosers.

• Don’t bite off more than you can chew.

• Actions speak louder than words.

• You’re barking up the wrong tree.

• Don’t put the cart before the horse.

• You can’t have your cake & eat it too.

• Waste not, want not.

• The acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree.

• Never put off until tomorrow what you can today.

About

An assignment designed to increase students' understanding and familiarity with the concept of proverbs. I chose commonly used American proverbs to introduce students to the term.