Things Fall Apart Essay

2/27/2011
Literary Thinking 3
TFA Essay
Community

In the book, Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, Community is the foundation that affixes Igbo society. In order to survive, the indigenous Igbo must join together and form a pact of trust and fellowship so that they can all survive the brutal conditions of Nigeria. Achebe Writes, “All this anthill activity was going smoothly when a sudden interruption came, it was a cry in the distance: Oji odu Achu ijiji-o-o! (The one that uses its tail to drive flies away!) Every woman immediately abandoned whatever she was doing and rushed out in the direction of the cry.” (114) The Igbo woman all immediately help because they know that if something bad happened to them, the others would help them thus proving that the Igbo need each other.
Hard Work

Hard work in the Igbo society overrules indolence and failure of close relatives such as Okonkwo’s father.   Achebe writes “When Unoka died he had taken no title at all and he was heavily in debt. Any wonder then that his son Okonkwo was ashamed of him? Fortunately, among these people a man was judged according to his worth and not according to the worth of his father (8)”. Reputation in Okonkwo’s clan isn’t inherited.   The reputation in the clan is based on how much you work and how much you are man. This is very important to Okwonkwo because he wll not be judged for his fathers indolence, but yet he will be judged for his own acheivments. There how much hard work you do over rules indolence and failure of close relatives. But why is hard work important? Achebe writes “During the planting season Okonkwo worked daily on his farms from cock-crow until the chickens went to roost”. (Chapter 2) Okwonkwo has to work hard in order to survive the brutal conditions of Nigeria. During the planting season, Okwonkwo must grow as many yams (Or money) as he can so that he is wealthy and had respect among the people of Okonkwo’s Motherland. Therefore, Hard work in the Igbo society...