Things Fall Apart
Things Fall Apart
Essay Topics
Directions: Choose one of the following topics and write an essay explaining your topic. For each essay, make sure you explain your view clearly with specific examples from the story.
Topics:
1. Do you think that Achebe accomplished his goal of disproving Joseph Conrad’s (Heart of Darkness) portrayal of Africans and their culture? In what ways has he accomplished this? In what ways might readers still feel that the culture has many primitive qualities?
2. Think about the role of weather in the novel. How does it work, symbolically or otherwise, in relation to important elements of the novel such as religion? Are rain and draught significant? Explore the ways in which weather affects the emotional and spiritual realms of the novel as well as the physical world.
3. Women suffer great losses in this novel but also, in certain circumstances, hold tremendous power. What role do women play in Okonkwo’s life? Is there any difference between his interaction with specific women and his understanding of women and femininity in general?
4. Animal imagery abounds in the folktales and proverbs circulated among the clan members. What is the significance of some of the animals they discuss? What does the prominence of animal figures suggest about Igbo culture and about Achebe’s larger goals?
5. In what ways does the idea of progress shape the novel? If Unoka, Okonkwo, and Nwoye are symbolic of three successive generations, how does society in Umuofia change over the course of their lifetimes? Where does Ikemefuna fit into this picture?
6. Throughout the novel, drums, music, and the town crier’s voice punctuate the narrative at key moments. When does silence occur and what does it mean? Is there more than one type of silence? Can silence be characterized as a positive or negative occurrence? What are the implications of the fact that Unoka takes his flute with him to the Evil Forest when he dies?
7. Obierika is a foil for Okonkwo. That is, when compared to Okonkwo, the contrast between the two characters emphasizes the distinctive characteristics of Okonkwo. Compare the two characters—Obierika and Okonkwo.
8. Achebe suggests that Igbo culture is dynamic (constantly changing). Find evidence in the novel to support this notion.
9. In Things Fall Apart, Achebe includes stories from Igbo culture and tradition, proverbs, and parables. What is the significance of Achebe’s integration of African literary forms with that of Western literary forms?
10. In your opinion, what contributes most to things falling apart in Umuofia? Explain.
Essay Criteria:
You will need to turn in a rough draft and final copy (Yea! No pre-writing!).
The essay must contain the following:
1. points made with examples from the text
2. paragraph format (introduction with thesis statement, body and conclusion)
3. correct spelling, sentence structure and grammar usage.
4. typed final copy. We will do this in the computer lab on Thursday, February 21. You will only have one day to type!
Points Available:
Rough Draft: (25 points)
Final Copy: (40 points)
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