Within a 3 page essay, write a detailed discussion of your choice of ONE of the following two topics from Chinua Achebe's novel,Things Fall Apart:
- Even as Achebe works to educate his readers about African culture and to combat demeaning stereotypes, he does not present Igbo society as ideal or perfect. The portrait of this culture on the eve of its "falling apart" in Part I of Things Fall Apart for example, is complex, sometimes contradictory and critical. What aspects of pre-colonial Igbo culture does Achebe seem to question or criticize? How does Achebe use characters like Obierika, Okonkwo, and Nwoye to offer such social criticism of Igbo society? How do the people of Umuofia react to change?
- Consider the impact of Achebe's use of "African English." Describe who Achebe's intended audience might be. Consider how Achebe's language choices contribute to the novel. For example: Achebe's use of Igbo words like egwugwu and iyi-uwa, untranslated in the novel itself, but briefly explained in the glossary.