Things Fall Apart

Rating:
Summary: very interesting, but sad.
Review: I really enjoyed reading the book "things fall apart", but it was really sad when Okonkwo killed himself. i think that the missionaries should have stayed out of Nigeria and minded their own buisness. They may think that they are doing good, but many of the natives dont believe in god, so the missionaries should leave after as few days if they cant attract customers, instead of staying there and causing trouble. But overall, it was exellent, and i give it a ten out of ten.

Rating:
Summary: Original and unique
Review: The historical fiction novel, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, is a story about life within one of Africa's many tribal groups. Achebe writes of his culture's rich heritage, and how it was affected by the coming of the Europeans imperialists. The title of the book sums up the theme very well, about how the African way of life was disrupted by European conquest, and eventually fell apart. His simple writing style makes the book easy to read, but his use of Ibo language and phrases makes it interesting and unique.

Although Chinua Achebe's method of writing may have been very simple and bland at times, it was generally very effective. His knowledge of both Ibo and English language and literature is very apparent, and he manages to mix both very well into a wonderful story. His strong feelings against the imperialization of his home are widely expressed, but he manages to remain passive, with little real anger ever becoming obvious.

Achebe uses a very simple and 'matter-of-fact' style of writing, which proves very effective in describing people, places, and objects. He is able to create vivid scenes in the reader's mind with few, if any, adjectives. Often, more time is spent on explaining someone's or something's importance in society, rather than what it looks, sounds, or feels like. Personal achievements also seemed to be held in regard, rather than personality depth of character. Okonkwo, the main character in the novel, is first introduced among his famous feats, such as his skill at wrestling, rather than with his appearance.

Throughout the novel, Achebe includes short phrases and words in his native language of Ibo. This adds an interesting cultural flavor to the story, and serves to create a more realistic setting. For example, contempt for weak males in the society was shown by their being called agbala, or woman. Also, words which have no English translation are written in Ibo, and then described to their roughly English equivalent. An obi, which was a circular hut, was one such word.

According to scholars who have read and studied Achebe's work, the novel is -- culturally and historically --very accurate. His explanation of social status are very thorough, and include everyone and everything: from the highest village elders to the the locusts that fly in only once every several years. The roles of men and women are made very clear: nothing in such an African society was ever out of its place. Unfortunately for all of us, European empires sought out the lands and riches of Africa, and the culture has been declining ever since.

Rating:
Summary: It's a very good book
Review: I really like the book. The reason why I rated the book a 3 is because I don't really get the title of the story. It says, Things Fall Apart but I didn't get why and how did the things fall apart? Please give me explanaton because I want to really understand the book so I can help my little brother when it next year. Please send it. Thank you!

Rating:
Summary: HORRIBLE!!!
Review: I was forced to read this book for a class, and I can't believe that it didn't physically hurt me. It was just downright bad.

Rating:
Summary: A portrait of Ibo culture
Review: Chinua Achebe wrote this book because he thought that the tradition of story telling in African cultures should be preserved and made known to people from all over the world. Achebe, even though concentrating on one character, Okonkwo, brought the traditions and customs of an entire tribe. A person reading this book would realize that Achebe also concentrated on the role of women in African society. However, the main concentration of this book lies on the character of Okonkwo and his fear of weakness. He had spent all his life trying to prove himself more worthy than his father, who was a failure in the eyes of the tribe. Overall, the book succeeds in portraying the African culture, but it lacks the dynamic plot line.

Rating:
Summary: An Inspiring Rendition of Change!
Review: I read this book for my history class and I have to say it was inspiring. In this world which is ever evolving in all aspects, change, has been quiet a challenge to portray and be understood. Chinua Achebe did that in Things Fall Apart and I encourage anyone with the any interest in what is going on around him or her to read and be inspired!

Rating:
Summary: review guidelines
Review: This is a very wonderfull book because it covers all the information

Rating:
Summary: The point
Review: It seems that all of these reviewers have missed the point. This is not a novel about Ibo culture. It is a novel about the universal themes of identity and balance. Okonkwo is a universal character because his flaws exist, to some extent, in everyone. Things fall apart for him on a macrocosmic level because he lacks the ability to adapt; they do so on a microcosmic level because he cannot balance his "masculinity" with any wisdom. We can all see Okonkwo in our fathers and in our brothers. One should read this novel not because it is a captivating story of African tribal life, but because it is a story of fundamental humanity.

Rating:
Summary: Bad Book
Review: This book was simply horrible to read, and was drawn out too long. There were too many details, if you get a book like this, get the Cliffs Notes. Read those instead.

Rating:
Summary: Good portrayal of native american culture
Review: Although I was required to read this novel for my english class, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Having never been familiar with the whole culture difference, it opened my eyes to a lot of hardship as well as a lot of injustice. In addition, it vividly portrayed the huge seperation that occurred between the British and the indigenous peoples. Achebe paints a vivid picture that all ages can relate to and understand.