Chinua Achebe est l'un des écrvains africains qui, fondamentalement, a contribué à la remise en question de la négation de la culture africaine que prônait et ventilait les colonisateurs. Ainsi, Chinua, au lieu de condamner, a tout simplement amené chacun à découvrir non seulement l'existance des cultures africaines mais également la beauté de son organisation. Ceci peut tout simplement se constater dans son roman"Le Monde s'effondre" où nous avons, contrairement aux expressions idéalisées de façon raciste, une société Igbo qui présente une société très bien organisée dans toute sa structure. Que peut-on encore attendre de plus foudroyant? En tout cas, nous ne pensons pas que ce soit le canon du colonisateur pimenté de mensonge mais la lumière apportée par Chinua qui représente la sève nourricière de la vérité. Ainsi, ne dit-on pas que la vérité finit toujours par rattraper le mensonge? Et on peut très bien le constater aujourd'hui: la vérité s'est imposée.

Wabiy Salawu

I think Chinua Achebe is the perfect representative of post colonial writers. As in his 'Things Fall Apart" - we can see the perspective of colonized people about their rulers and how the next generation (son of Okunkwo) are becoming the hybrid generation. This novel is honestly revealing the culture of Igbo society as a very rich culture whereas the colonial novels would look at it as a primitive culture. Through this novel the writer has attempted to offer an insight into the African culture which was never focused in such a way before.

Thank you all . Wabiy I agree with you .I think ,especially in Things Fall Apart we see a corrupted African society which is full of blood ,war , abuse for women and children ,and illogical killings according to illogical Gods.I think he is not writing back but rather writing for praising the occidental culture.

I think Amneh Abu Al-Ssamen has brought up very good point. In Thing Fall Apart, we may sympathize with the feelings of deracination experienced by the protagonist, but we cannot think that all the changes brought by the colonial powers and the native missionaries are bad. The society in which we find ourselves at the opening of the novel celebrates violence, murders children merely our of superstition (all twins are exposed in the evil forest and a young man offered as a hostage is beheaded), treats violence against women as part of the natural order, and enshrines a rigid caste system, among other things. People sometimes talk of the novel as if it were a simple anti-colonialist screed—based largely on its closing sentences in which a District Commissioner thinks of the tragedy we have witnessed n all its complexity as something only worthy of a paragraph in "The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger." It is, however, a real tragedy, and with must see Okonkwo and his society is in the wrong—as we see Macbeth and Othello in the wrong—even as we pity his destruction.

Fine, I really thank you Brian for your ideas but I think you try to open another angle of Achebe strategy of presenting Igbo society, in the era, before independence. we can not judge, using the same approach like colonizers, a culture without knowing deeply the fundamental bases of that culture. To understand a culture as bad as it is, we must live in the context of the evolution of that culture. if not, all judgment can not be objective. If today, we are talking about a culture, saying that the concerned culture is violent, the question is to know what was representing violence in Igbo society at that moment ? We have to know the essence of each act related to igbo culture and try to feel it in the same context, before coming out with any judgment which could put us in a position of neocolonialism race. I respect any human culture because each culture with its context. The novel of achebe tried to present all Igbo culture aspect to avoid to behave like colonizers who were at any time show 1/3 part of their culture.

Finally I would like to know if my friend Brian could find Igbo culture violent if he were among them at that moment ,in the same circumstances, with a substantial knowledge and understand.

Wabiy Salawu

These are difficult questions. I was about to say that if I had lived in Igbo society at the time European colonizers arrived, I would have found its practices perfectly natural, as I found the practices of the society in which I grew up perfectly natural. But then I realized that I did not find all of them perfectly natural: I have even rejected or worked to change some of them. I would, however, have resented and resisted any attempt by outsiders to impose those changes on me. What I find so admirable about Achebe's work is that he does not let us romanticize the colonized people, even as we cannot abide the arrogance and ignorance of the colonialist. To answer more directly, had I lived in Okonkwo's society, I might not have objected to--or even thought about--things that strike me a violent when I read about them, just as Americans rarely even think about the violence involved in imprisoning a larger portion of our population than any other nation in the world. And I could have told you WHY that boy had to be killed, just as I could at least give you the arguments for imprisoning or executing so many offenders in contemporary America.

I am not sure that this question could be confidently answer because at that time I am not sure that the word "kill" should be used to qualify what happen to Ikemefuna. But, as unfortunately we are using the Language of colonizer to discuss about that action we will continue to ask WHY and particularly what is really the meaning of that act, then for the same actions, what was the gain of that society? These are questions that can help for further discussion. I think to answer, we must go to the Igbo root and investigate with the oldest person, it is not impossible, what could permit us to swim in the water you spread on the road.

A very deep and profound discussion .I like it .

Well , you guys arise another question in my mind , why did Achebe wrote Things Fall Apart exactly? Can you give me some clues to his intention? I wrote an article on this in last December but I am still editing it . I can benefit from your ideas to improve my article .

His views are after New World Order.

Achebe 's intention for writing Things Fall apart has been clearly spelt out by the author: he wrote the novel to counter colonialist images of Africa as exhibited especially in Conrad's Heart of Darkness and other texts like Joyce Carey's Mister Johnson. What critical reading has unraveled is that in doing that Achebe also unwittingly exposed the very weaknesses of the Igbo society that made it ripe for colonial intervention. Most critics who either support or denounce Achebe's corrective representation of pre-colonial society fail to realize that from Achebe's realist perspective, the colonialists did not just swoop on the Igbo society and took over everything by force; it was the natives who, having tasted of, and compared the values of the white man's culture to their own, decided to willingly convert from their blood thirsty and slave-selling native culture to the ways of the white man. Achebe realistically captures the dynamics of this conversion at the hands of the missionaries whose message of love and peace was judged superior to the violence and human sacrifice of traditional society. Western culture won over the hearts and soul of the common people not by force of arms but by the power of its appeal. Though Achebe wrote as an anti-colonial ideologue, the power of novelistic realism led him, in spite of himself, into showing why Africa was indeed due for a mighty civilizational change

I do agree with that, Chinua Achebe's 'Things Fall Apart' states the culture, history of The Ibo people. I really feel the heart breaking domination of European colonizers. Where people civilized , there people lost their culture.

I am totally surprise by Denis answer when saying colonizers did not took over by force. I wish my friend to read the real history of east around colonization era. It is so easy to say that before independences Igbo peoples tried to compare their own Culture to colonizers and they thought that it was good to follow the foreigners. Please could I say that it is insult for Igbo. It is not because Igbo were not DYNAMIC. But Igbo which were very organized peoples were also very proud, talking about their culture. It is why anywhere Igbo found themselves throughout the world they use, till now, to promote their culture. If colonizers took over by force, they have not been able to take over the essence of their Culture. In any side of the World we have any sort of human being. Bad and good one. We need to be fair. Though we think it is very ugly to kill, at the same time we have to go deeply into Igbo culture before judging with our Cartesian spirit.

Besides representing the cultural consequences of colonialism, it seems that Achebe here also concerns with the the central character's, Okonkwo's, oscillation between two sets of orders or traditions:one embedded in his whole being and existence (his ancestral, tribal traditions) and the other newly being offered to which his own child inclines too.In a parallel way, Achebe shows not only the impossibility or at least difficulty of transferring the traditions to new generation (for example to Okonkwo's own son) without any alternation or modification, but also the British colonialists' intention of institutionalizing their ideology there without taking into account the local realities. Thus, the narrative can be considered as a criticism of both manners.

I am glad to read your opinions.I think any colonizer , even if he brings a peaceful religion- will use some kind of force , if not physical , it will be intellectual by opposing his ideas on people. I know that Igbos have their own traditions and they are proud of them.However , I think Achebe did not present those traditions in a good way. I read Things Fall Apart as a book of violence which begins with wrestling and ends in suicide. When reading Bhabha's article "Of mimicry and man : the ambivalence of colonial discourse '' , one can understand the nature of such a novel by such a writer who was a son of Igbo converts and a student of missionary schools.Achebe , for example , could show Ikemefuna's death in a less tragic way that would show the reader the spiritual part of such an Igbo tradition.However , he wrote it in a way that seems to be a crime rather than a sacrifice for the ancestral spirits.

Whatever views contributors to this thread have about Achebe, I must say he has authored a milestone in Things Fall Apart. He says, in Hopes and Impediments, "I wrote the book...to show ...when the rain began to beat us." As a result, he is blushless when he makes Okonkwo strike Ikemefuna to death...that is the way he has been socialized into 'manliness' and if you carefully read the scene of the killing, you would realise that Okonkwo strikes a heavy blow such that Ikemefuna does not have to feel the pain. The first man who strikes Ikemefuna hurts him, he traumatizes the young lad and Okonkwo deftly kills his 'own son' in one blow. When you get to his suicide, it is Obierika who succinctly capture the onset of a new regimen of marginalization: "The white man has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart..." This is Obierika in the moment of mimicry...his words stand to compare with Yeats' "Turning and turning in the widening gyre...the falcon cannot bear the falconer...the centre cannot hold...and mere anarchy is loosed upon the world." Umuofia therefore is not Arcadia before Smith and Brown: it has its efulefu and its stalwarts...the egwugwu. And if the meetings were called to collectively decide on verdicts, then one had to be 'a man' and women had to 'sit like a woman.' This was the life in Umuofia...with the bad and the beautiful. The whites fomented the divisions...they converted the outcasts first and those who had been ostracized to live in Evil Forest. Nwoye is 'ashes' in contrast to Ezeulu who is 'fire that burns without faggots.' Hence his conversion and alienation from the 'blood knot.' I have a lot more to say, but suffice to submit that Things Fall Apart is an unparalleled masterpiece, a soulful realist narrative chronicling when the rain began to beat us.

There is a sentence in 'Things Fall Apart' which clearly shows TO WHOM things fall apart:

Okonkwo was deeply grieved. And it was not just a personal

grief. He mourned for the clan, which he saw breaking up and

falling apart…

As we (Babaii & Rashed, 2017, p. 159) have discussed:

‘things are falling apart’ in the eyes of Okonkwo, the failing hero, not for everybody. In fact, as reminded by Jeyifo (1990, cited in Whittaker & Msiska, 2007), there are low-status people within the hierarchical

system of Umuofian society for whom things certainly did not fall apart! The writer signals this subjective interpretation of the situation through highlighting Okonkwo’s agency and perception.

So, I think, Achebe was quite aware that the changes brought by the western civilization was not considered all bad by all the people .

I'm just curious what exactly the death of Okonwo implies. Does it really represent the end of Igbo existence?

I guess it means : no room for traditional native values in the modern society. You see how the young generation as well as opportunists had already adapted to the new rule. To some critics, this is a pessimistic view. But I doubt if the work permits a different interpretation.

Okonkwo kills himself. This is a significant personal decision: he does not allow himself to be arrested, arraigned and killed by the colonial (in)justice system. Okonkwo defies the intrusion. The tragic irony is that in killing himself, he shall be thrown into evil forest; he becomes, in death, the efulefu that he has decried all his life. He dies 'a woman's death' and his people, even his closest friend Obierika, cannot touch his body: it is defiled. I do not subscribe to the view that his death signifies the 'death' of traditional native views. What dies in Okonkwo are those uncompromising values that he embodies: quick to anger, beating his wife, a masculinisation of the home/village/Umuofia. His work ethic does not die with him. His stern views on consumerist culture remain a stubborn reminder that productive work is still the acme of (igbo) society. By extension, Obierika, who is his erstwhile friend remains alive at the end of the narrative. The bond between the two enables us to read Obierika's longevity as an extension of that which was good and enduring in Okonkwo to thrive in a contested landscape where the District Commissioner and the Kotma and the school are bringing in new challenges, new vistas and new problems. Remember, it is Obierika who remarks: "The white man has put a knife on the things that held us together...and now we have fallen apart." Perhaps, more than WB Yeats, Obierika understands those 'things' much more clearly, much more personally, much more enigmatically.

The implied meanings of the title, "Things Fall Apart", I think, are vividly revealed in the novel as all the life aspects of Igbo people, i.e social, economic, politic and religious lifes of Igbo people fall apart due to the coming of the colonizers. I think the death of Okonkwo may imply those aspects of life. However, from different perspective, we also see that Chinua Achebe personally acknowledged that collonialism had brought not only destructions but also contributions for Nigeria that it may be attributed as a redeeming evil. Therefore, from positive prespective, we can assume that the death of Okonkwo implies a start for the better life of Igbo people, and his death is only addressed to those who were unable to adapt the new changes brought by the white.

Although he rises to greatness at a young age, claims some of the best titles in Umuofia and occupies so great a position that sets him apart from his peers and, indeed, his father whose lifestyle he loathes, Okonkwo is not the ideal Igbo person(ality) and Achebe's position is clear on that. Okonkwo does not pass for any other ideal other than brute force, and I guess his metaphor in contemporary society is vivid. Whereas brute force appears to get those who use it results, these are just temporary, fickle, and bound to destroy them. Achebe, in the final analysis, may have set the story in Igboland, in Nigeria and Africa, its global dimension is what makes the work what it is: a classic of all time. Okonkwo's suicide at the end suggests the eclipse of brute force in the face of stubborn reality that always assert itself, whenever it becomes necessary. Need we relate this story to the Middle East, or anywhere else where brute force is glorified; and need we mention the "Okonkwos" of those clime and the "reality" that looms over them?

Chinua Achebe is undoubtedly the greatest African writer ever despite his inability to win Nobel Prize. He is not just an excellent writer, but he actively influenced both colonial and postcolonial discourses. He actively refuted the relegation and demonization of the African culture. One of such refutation came in form of the criticism of Conrad's Heart of Darkness, that is, the refutation of the nomenclature (savage), used by Conrad to describe Africans in his classic novel.

I am glad that the discussion is still continuous with the rich comments that each of you brings. As for Okonkwo, his suicide might reflect the weak reaction to the new reality. I read it as Achebe's way of warning his people not to follow such an example. In the face of forced changes, each society needs wisdom in choosing what to take and what to leave. Africa (and every colonized nation) needs strong people to fight for what they believe in. Change is the universal rule, however; cleverness occurs in turning it for the good of the people (a skill that nations are still learning).

In my opinion, Okonkwo's death could not be said "committing suicide" as "committing suicide" is a self-willed death", while Okonkwo's death is due to being forced. He preferred it to being excecuted by the colonizers. It is supported by the words of Obierika when he said ferociously to the District Commissioner, "you drove him to kill himself". The death of Okonkwo moves the readers to pity for one who must sacrifice his life for a great noble cause.

Exactly. He preferred to end a life without honor. To him, his traditional identity was honorable, though his conducts might be condemned if we adopt a modern perspective.

Isn't the issue precisely the tension between intrinsic ethnological perspectives, where ethnocultures and local civilizations are seen as fully coherent in their own terms, and comparative perspectives in which they are viewed in relation to other societies and life-ways within the expanding scale of international, transnational and globalizing civilization? What was taken as 'universal' in the ethnoculture turns out to be debatable and challenge-able in these expanding perspectives.

Chinua Achebe was the first Nigerian author to start decolonization by exposing colonial atrocities meted to natives.

Achebe is a dogged writer who in the face of global inter-cultural and muti-cultural assimilation, did not only find himself but also finds his people. His works (especially "Things Fall Apart) can be likened to Moses Commandment, where in the future can used it as a reference point to recall their past heritage.

I reckon Achebe had several agendas. First he wanted to disrupt the canon, specifically Conrad's depiction of black selves in that toxic narrative, Heart of Darkness. Then he wanted, in his own words, to re-imagine and show us where the rain began to beat us. In wrestling with the English language in the fashion of Amalinze the cat and Okonkwo himself, Achebe domesticated the language to carry the flavour and idiom of the Igbo people. Hence the impeccable idiomaticity and layerdness of his proverbs. In latter times, he was anxious about the 'problem with Nigeria.' That unflinching and abiding faith in Biafra and the vexations with the 'culture of military coups' gets significant attention in A Man of the People, Anthills of the Savannah and that inimitable short story he aptly called The Voter. So, yes, in many ways Achebe is the sage and proverbial griot who speaks to both the West (worst) and home, indicting and chastising...the writer as teacher and critic, the writer as the prophet that hardly gets recognition in their home.

Achieve is more of a historicist in the Hegelian sense of the word. He does not subscribe to some of the very flat narratives of postcolonial theory: us versus them. He has this sense that history is moving forward towards greater emancipation, contrary to Ayi Kwei Armah.

He is great, but I think his language resistance philosophy has not helped improve African intellectuals' English. I have never fallen for the idea of 'African English.' It is encouraged by Westerners to support their claims that Africans have a lower IQ and that we cannot properly learn a language as complex as English. It is a complex subject. Well, every author has their path in this post-colonialist era. Achebe's work should be appreciated, but African authors should create their own styles and branch out new philosophies. Give the really good ones a chance.

I thought I'd tell you about an article I am writing. I am writing a literary paper on a new story by an African author (probably the best we have had so far). However, I need someone with your knowledge to read the story. Let's discuss it here so I can gather ideas (literary devices, style, themes, etc.). The short fiction title is Bleeding Stubs (author: Donald Besong). It is the most exciting and enjoyable story I have read, set in Cameroon. You do NOT have to buy it on Amazon because the following magazine has a free copy for anyone to read: https://sites.google.com/view/marvelousliterarymagazine

Laurence Wright Okafor Williams etc. I strongly oppose the fact that my African brothers and sisters dump the tasks of a historian and an anthropologist to a novelist. That is dark. Achebe wrote Things Fall Apart in 1958. Can't we quote new African novelists almost seventy years on? Can we move forward? Are colonialism and language resistance the only ones our novelists can write about? I think we use Achebe as an excuse to avoid learning proper English and for the West to accept our writing leniently. Russia, Poland, etc were never colonised by the UK, and although they have their own writings, some of their novelists choose to write in English. They put all their effort into it because they do not write in Russian or Polish English. Only we Africans ask for such Affirmative Action to be bestowed upon us.

Thank you for sharing your perspective on the role of novelists in African history and anthropology. It is important to engage in constructive discussions about the representation and evolution of African literature. While I understand your concerns about the reliance on older African novelists such as Chinua Achebe, it is crucial to consider the broader context and complexities of African literary traditions.

Firstly, it is essential to recognize that African novelists, both past and present, contribute significantly to the understanding of African history and culture. While Achebe's "Things Fall Apart" is a seminal work that explores the impact of colonialism, it is not the only representation of African experiences. African literature is diverse and encompasses a wide range of themes, narratives, and perspectives. Many contemporary African novelists continue to explore and address various aspects of African society, including contemporary issues, cultural dynamics, and social transformations.

Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge that the choice of language in which African novelists write is a matter of personal expression and artistic freedom. While some African writers choose to write in indigenous languages, others may opt to use English or other languages as a means to reach a broader audience or engage in a global literary conversation. This choice does not diminish the value or authenticity of their work. Just as writers from non-colonized countries, like Russia or Poland, may choose to write in English, African novelists have the right to choose their preferred language of expression.

It is also crucial to avoid generalizations about African writers using Achebe as an excuse to avoid learning proper English or seeking leniency from the West. African writers, like any other writers, strive for excellence in their craft and work diligently to produce high-quality literature. The diversity of African literature should not be reduced to a single narrative or motive. African writers explore a multitude of themes and subjects, including but not limited to colonialism and language resistance.

However, the field of African literature is vast and continuously evolving. It is essential to embrace the diversity of voices, themes, and languages within African literature. By doing so, we can foster a more inclusive and comprehensive understanding of African history, culture, and society.

The choice of language is important for African novelists for several reasons:

Accessibility and Reach: Writing in a widely understood language such as English allows African novelists to reach a broader international audience. English is a global language that facilitates communication and enables African writers to share their stories and perspectives with readers from different cultural backgrounds. By writing in English, African novelists can increase the visibility and accessibility of their works, contributing to a more diverse and inclusive literary landscape.

Cultural Expression and Identity: Language is deeply intertwined with culture and identity. For many African writers, using their native language or indigenous languages provides a means to express their cultural heritage and maintain a connection to their roots. It allows them to convey nuances, idioms, and cultural references that might not be easily translatable into another language. Writing in their native language allows African novelists to explore and celebrate their cultural identity and preserve their heritage through literature.

Literary Tradition and Evolution: African literature has a rich tradition and a long history of oral storytelling. By choosing to write in African languages, novelists can contribute to the preservation and revitalization of indigenous literary traditions. This not only strengthens the cultural fabric of African societies but also encourages the development of a diverse range of literary forms and styles.

Decolonization and Empowerment: The choice of language in literature is closely linked to decolonization efforts. Writing in African languages challenges the dominance of colonial languages and reasserts African agency and self-determination. It allows African novelists to reclaim their narrative and challenge the historical legacy of colonization. By using African languages in their works, writers can contribute to the decolonization of African literature and empower local communities.

It is important to note that the choice of language for African novelists is a complex and personal decision. Some writers may choose to write exclusively in their native language, while others may opt for a combination of indigenous languages and a colonial language or write solely in a colonial language. Ultimately, the choice of language depends on the individual writer's artistic vision, intended audience, and the message they wish to convey.