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Essay / Things Fall Apart: Change versus Tradition
Table of ContentsIntroductionTradition versus Change in Things Fall ApartConclusionWorks CitedIntroductionTradition and change are as much at war as people are in the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. The events that define this war center on and around the main character, Okonkwo, who finds himself unable to adapt to the changes taking place in his society. His refusal to change, contrasting with his society's desire for change, is both a personal and larger tragedy. The theme of tradition versus change in Things Fall Apart is used to highlight the tragedy of Okonkwo's isolation and the dissipation of his society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayTradition vs Change in Things Fall ApartTradition is an integral part of the society in which Things Fall Apart takes place. Okonkwo lives with his family in the Umuofia clan, one of nine collective villages that uphold the same set of beliefs and traditions. Their lives revolve around their belief in ancestral spirits, called egwugwu, and multiple gods who demand strict sacrifices and rituals in exchange for their guidance and prosperity. Many customs define daily life, such as the kola nut and palm wine that are presented at the company reception, and the spoken language that expresses thoughtfulness and respect. The religion, government and traditions of the Umofians keep the tribe united through the people. social ties. They all believe in the same gods and spirits, which supports their similar thinking. Their form of government also keeps everyone in line so that there are no troublemakers or outliers. The people of Umuofia live happily together through happiness. They enjoyed things together even though they can be negative like the large horde of locusts that invade their tribe. “Everyone was now there, talking excitedly and praying that the locusts could camp in Umuofia for the night.” - “Many people went out with baskets to try to catch them, but the elders advised to wait until nightfall.” (Achebe 56) All the Umofians appreciated the grasshoppers because it is a rare sight for them, sometimes even once in their life. Locusts are a delicacy for the Umofians who ensured that everyone was happy with the abundance of the insects. Many people came out with baskets to try to catch them. An interaction between Okonkwo's father, Unoka, and a man to whom he owed money illustrates the importance of language in their society: "Among the Igbo, the art of conversation is highly valued and proverbs are the palm oil with which we eat words” (Achebe 4). They do not appreciate plain language, but rhetorical and formal language which, although it may be ineffective, is a custom that demonstrates sophistication and respect. The metaphor of words for food is particularly important because it implies that language and communication are as necessary to life as food. Furthermore, it implies that these customs and everyday aspects of their culture are necessary to their lives in that they establish a community morality through which individuals can connect and grow as a society. In addition to these usual customs, there are commandments that determine one's place in society and coordinate a set of checks and balances. Achebe illustrates the importance of this system through the beating of hiswoman, Ojiugo, by Okonkwo, during peace week. Peace Week is a sacred part of Igbo culture in which people must live without violence of any kind for a week in order to receive a blessing for their crops from Ani, one of their gods. The priest of the earth goddess, Ezeani, tells him that "the evil you have done can ruin the whole clan" (Achebe 30) and that he must repent and pay a fine for his sins. One of the most harmful functions of Igbu customs is the separation of the osu from the rest of society. An osu is “a person dedicated to a god, a thing apart – taboo forever, and his children after him. He could neither marry nor allow you to be married by free-born people. He was in fact an outcast, living in a particular area of the village… wherever he went, he carried with him the mark of his forbidden caste: long, matted, dirty hair.” The osu are at the bottom of the social order, while the council of elders is at the top and sits to judge society. Every aspect of life is defined by tradition, from social classes to the language spoken. The Igbo people have lived by these customs for generations and they provide structure and regulation for each individual. However, as is often the case, the harsh nature of these beliefs creates gaps between the individual and the group. These discrepancies are what allowed the colonizers to flood in and convert such large numbers of Igbo to the new religion. When Christianity appears, it thrives precisely because it capitalizes on the weaknesses of society. The osu rush to the new religion because it welcomes them as equals, as well as many other individuals deprived of tradition. In Joseph McLaren's essay "Things Fall Apart: Cultural and Historical Context", he explains that "Achebe uses the abandonment of the twins by the Umuofians, which was a general practice among the actual Igbo, and their sacrifice of Ikemefuna, a demonstration of perhaps reciprocal justice, to show the vulnerability or susceptibility of Igbo culture to Christian conversion. The outcasts had lost all respect in their village, either through their own doing or through bad luck, and they saw the new religion as a way to escape their shame and humiliation. Eventually, even Okonkwo's own son, Nwoye, joined the Christians. Nwoye was never a sufficient son by Okonkwo’s standards; he behaved too much like a woman, which reminded Okonkwo of his lazy father, and because of this Okonkwo was particularly harsh on Nwoye. Okonkwo "had no patience with men who failed" (Achebe 2) and it is clear that Okonkwo frightened Nwoye into submission because Nwoye's attraction to Christianity initially came from the songs that depict “brothers who lived in darkness and fear, ignoring love.” of God.” Much like the ostracized members of the clan, Okonkwo's own son abandons his family and his faith to convert to Christianity in order to win his own freedom. After Nwoye betrays the clan, Okonkwo exclaims, “you have all seen the great abomination of your brother. I will only have one son who is a man, who will hold his head high among my people. If any of you prefer to be a woman, let her follow Nwoye.” Okonkwo is so disappointed in his son that he denies Nwoye the status of a son and degrades him to the status of a wife. Just as Okonkwo loses his son to the new religion, the Igbu people, along with their traditions, are lost to it. in the same way. Uchendu, Okonkwo's uncle who hosted him when he moved to Mbanta, said: “It's true that a child belongs to his father. But when a father beats his child, he looks for sympathy in his mother's house. Aman belongs to his homeland when things happen. are good and life is sweet. But when there is sorrow and bitterness, he finds refuge in his homeland. Your mother is there to protect you. Uchendu's aphorism is representative of the Igbu civilization which is losing members to the colonizers. The Igbu are the homeland and the colonizers are the homeland, while the child is representative of individuals in society who seek the freedom and security of the new religion. This revelation reflects not only the loss of Igbu tradition, but also the reason for this loss. The Igbu, especially the Okonkwo, refuse to doubt their beliefs to the extent that they view converts as "the excrement of the clan, and the new faith was a rabid dog come to devour it." the refusal of change only reinforces the temptation of freedom. The colonizers propose and accelerate the tragic loss of Igbu culture. The loss of Igbu culture is seen primarily through Okonkwo's perspective, which serves to highlight its tragic aspects. Okonkwo's father was not an upstanding member of his clan nor was he very successful, leading Okonkwo to do everything in his power to become an honorable and hardworking man. Despite his best efforts, even Okonkwo does not live up to all the standards imposed on him. He beats his wife in peacetime and participates in the murder of Ikemefuma despite Ogbuefi's warning. In Matthew Bolton's essay "'You Must Not Stand in One Place': Reading Things Fall Apart in Multiple Contexts," he argues that "like Oedipus and other tragic heroes of the Athenian playwrights, Okonkwo is an imperfect man. Yet he is destroyed not so much by these flaws as by the broad, impersonal forces of history. He had the misfortune of unreservedly adhering to Igbo culture at a time when that culture was being dismantled and abandoned.” Okonkwo's character is tragic both on a personal level and on a broader thematic level. His personal tragedies are mainly due to his overly ambitious compulsion to become a leader of his clan, which often backfires and gets him into trouble. One of these minor tragedies was the result of Okonkwo's participation in Ikemefuma's death. Ogbuefi warned Okonkwo not to strike Ikemefuma, but he still hit him in order to prove his manhood. Later, during Ogbuefi's funeral, Okonkwo's gun accidentally goes off and kills Ogbuefi's son, which can be seen as Okonkwo's punishment for hitting Ikemefuma. This accident is a minor tragedy in itself because not only was Ogbuefi's innocent son killed, but Okonkwo must spend 7 years in banishment. This punishment is particularly cruel for Okonkwo because “his life had been governed by a great passion: to become one of the lords of the clan” (Achebe 114) and his punishment alienates him from his clan. Okonkwo's character also presents the vast tragedy that the novel encapsulates: the loss of Igbo culture to Christian colonization. As Okonkwo strove to gain authority and respect in his clan, the lower ranks of his clan gradually converted. He is blinded by his devotion and can only see the limbs. "The members of his clan no longer feel the same attachment to their beliefs. It is only when he is the only rebel against the colonizers that he realizes that his tribe is lost, and his resulting suicide is his last tragic act. "It is an abomination for a man to commit suicide. It is an offense against the Earth, and a man who commits it will not be buried by the members of his clan. His body is evil, and only strangers can touch it” (Achebe 178). ). Okonkwo realizes that. 2014.