PMCID: PMC1671775 Things fall apart Reviewed by Stephen Lock Copyright and License information Disclaimer Copyright notice Full text Full text is available as a scanned copy of the original print version.Get a printable copy (PDF file) of the complete article (1.1M), or click on a page image below to browse page by page.Images in this article p1072-a on p.1072 p1073-a on p.1073 Click on the image to see a larger version.
Things Fall Apart Online Text License Information DisclaimerAssociated Data Supplementary Materials Articles from The BMJ are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group. As it turns out, the man he speaks of has white flesh because of leprosy, which is highly contagious. The downfall of the main character is foreshadowed by events and themes brought out in the first two sections of the tale. Lines of dialogue, conversations between characters, single actions, objects, and even whole events or episodes can serve to make you, the reader, wonder what to expect as you read on. In addition, a particular concern or theme brought up early in the story might continue to be explored later, but generally with some sort of twist or reversal. Lets see how a few of these instances of foreshadowing work in Things Fall Apart. The Theme of Power and Control At the start of Achebes novel, the man Okonkwo is wealthy and powerful, although often harsh and unforgiving of the faults of others. Early in the story, the reader learns that Okonkwos extreme need for power and control springs from the fact that his own father was not a successful man in the Igbo culture, earning neither wealth nor power. Throughout the book, the readers awareness of Oknokwos hidden fear of being like his father increases our understanding of the actions he takes that lead to his downfall, such as beating one of his wives during the Week of Peace. Although Okonkwo takes measures to repent of his action, the community is shocked. The reader can begin to see that Okonkwos stern attitude may be his undoing. ![]() The man finds his son too effeminate and gentle; Okonkwos own attitude about affection is that it is a sign of weakness. When the boy Ikemefuna stays in Okonkwos family for three years, Okonkwo begins to feel attachment to the young man, although he never shows it. Here is an instance in which foreshadowing indicates a twist in the narrative. We might have hope, when we read about the relationship between the father and foster son, that Okonkwo will later soften in his fierceness, at least toward his family and friends. Ikemefunas Death Earlier in the book, the author describes Ikemefuna as ill-fated, but then things seem to going well for the boy in his foster family. Both the fictional characters and the reader are shocked when it is decided that the boy must be sacrificed. ![]() If you have ever been under peer pressure or fear of ridicule and done something you later regretted, you might have an idea of Okonkwos despair after this tragic event. Because they arrive at a particular time in the yam growing process, during which they will do no harm to the crops, it is also a happy event. For the observant reader, the locusts swarming and covering the village is a clever use of foreshadowing. Just as the locusts appear suddenly and cover the landscape, the white men from England begin to appear and, before the Igbo and other Nigerian tribes realize it, they have taken over. ![]() They begin slowly to convert Igbo people to the Christian religion, including Okonkwos son Nwoye; before long, it seems that the English religion and law have displaced Igbo traditional ways. Things Fall Apart Online Text Skin As WhiteAnother foreshadowing of the white mans arrival is when Obierika talks about a man with skin as white as chalk.
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