Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart

Learner resource 1: Social and historical context

Use a search engine or consults websites, such as:

Things Fall Apart (Wisconsin University)

http://humanities.wisc.edu/assets/misc/Things_Fall_Apart_Teachers_Guide_PRINT_VERSION.pdf

You can find contextual information, as well as other useful details and discussion on this site.

Questions:

 What does the title Things Fall Apart refer to?

 When was Nigeria colonised by the British?

Find out about:

Igbo religion:

 The god of the Evil Forest, the earth goddess and priests and priestesses
 Chukwu Supreme god
 Agbala and priestess Chielo, the tribe’s god / oracle

Igbo justice system:

 Retribution for murder / killing

 Twins – how they are regarded

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Things Fall Apart
 Igbo Agriculture:

 Palm-wine, kola nuts, yams, cassava

 Cowries as monetary system
 Locusts – how they are regarded

Igbo Customs & Ceremonies:

 The Week of Peace

 Feast of the New Yam
 Wrestling matches

What do these Igbo words refer to?

 ozo
 iba
 ogbanje
 iyi-uwa
 egwugwu
 chi
 kotma

For further research:

“The Novelist as Teacher” by Chinua Achebe

“Teaching Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe

“An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness” by Chinua Achebe

http://kirbyk.net/hod/image.of.africa.html

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Things Fall Apart