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Summary: Interesting peek into African colonialization
Review: This is no guilty account of colonialization as written by an anglo author; this is the genuine article as written by a Nigerian native who's father was a converted Christian--Achebe sees things from both sides; he paints the English colonialists and missionaries as well as the tribal natives honestly, showing the virtues and faults of all parties. Thought provoking and eye-opening. Highly recommended.
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Summary: A "classic" that really is
Review: A thousand people have said this before me, but THINGS FALL APART is truly a wonderful piece of fiction. From the first pages, you are immersed in a beautiful, strange (to me, anyway), fascinating culture that comes through in every description, in the words that come from the character's mouths, in the conflicts between individuals and the clash of cultures, and especially in Achebe's direct, articulate, sparesely beautiful style. As other reviewers have noted, it's usually not the best when you're being forced to read it for a class. But look at it this way: most books aren't. If you're in that situation, try to get past the coercion factor and the problem of grades, and read this book for yourself. It's a "classic" -- that's why they're making you read it -- and no one hates "classics" more than I, but THINGS FALL APART is much, much more than a "classic" work of fiction. It is a tragedy, deeply felt, that draws an unerring portrait of human nature and especially human conflict. It is a good story, and one beautifully told. It is an education you owe to yourself. And if that's still not enough: it's short.
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Summary: ...some powerful ish...
Review: ...i'm jus no good at pickin up a 'simple' read...
i seem to thrive on difficulty...and this book was certainly difficult! but not because of how it's written or the language...this book challenges our pre-packaged assumptions of what "real" literature should be about...
the lead character omost has as many flaws as myself, but he is not an 'evil' man or even a 'wrong' man...he's jus someone livin his life within the realms and realities of where God has chosen to place him...
the culture clash will throw you to the floor! but not the obvious one between african and european societies...i'm talkin about the riot of forces existin within myself debatin, arguin and/or jus bein plain indignant as to which side of the cultural fence i really find myself on... revolutions within a society pale, falter and fail immensely in comparrison to those that occur within yourself...
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Summary: Achebe's Presentation
Review: Things Fall Apart is the first of the four African novels that I've read, and it struck me as a wonderful novel, concentrating more on the society more than character. Although the character development was thorough and in depth, the society becomes more important to the reader. Okonkwo is truly an intriguing character throughout the book, using his lazy father as a motivational device to be more than good in anything. Achebe stays true to the African perspective, but really is not biased in any way. It is for the reader to decide and determine their own feelings.
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Summary: Things Fall Apart
Review: This book has a lot to be learned off. I think that everyone should read this book. If you haven't you better start now.
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Summary: Great book to learn about some of the customs in africa
Review: Okonkwo is the main characther, one of the strongest warriors in his villiage, he never wants to be the weakling that he considered his father to be. Some of the rituals in the book was wrong, like for instance Okonkwo, killing a boy he considered his son because the clan just decided that the boy needed to be killed. To Okonkwo disappointment, his son Nwoye is not the tough guy he wants him to be. Things fall apart, lets you learn alot about some of the customs in africa, some good, and some bad, like the killing of innocent people. I throught it was nice to read something where you learn.
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Summary: The greatest
Review: I read this book as an asigned book in my High School Freshman English class. It was a great book. I taught alot about how to live and how people lived in different countries. I personally loved the book. I would reccomend it to anyone.
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Summary: Amazing...
Review: I found this book a extraordinary and profound piece of literature. It taught me many ways of the Ibo people in Nigeria. Many of their traditions and cultures were learned and taught as well as the effect of European imperialism. It tells a simple story of a man, Okwonkwo, and how he lived his life through many unexplanable emotions. Anger dominated him because of all the things that were done to him and his people. How many of the horrible things done to him to change who the Ibo were affected him. While telling the story Achebe seemed to put a profound and ironic way of how life was and still is for some of these people and what the domination of some men could do to other men and drive them to unexplainable things.
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Summary: A Powerful Window Into an African Culture
Review: The main character of this novel, Okonkwo, is a man who is haunted by the shame of his lazy and cowardly father. Even after earning fame and respect in all of the 9 villages of his homeland, he is still controlled by the fear of becoming weak like his father. This fear often causes him to be cruel to his family or to take strange and thoughtless actions. The story follows Okonkwo as he is faced with a series of troubles: caring for a boy from another village who is doomed by his own father's actions, watching his favorite daughter approaching death, and finally seeing the possibility of the destruction of all his beloved traditions when a group of Christian missionaries comes to the village. This novel introduces you to a culture that is so opposed to American culture that you will be amazed to find yourself appreciating their rituals and superstitions. By the end of the novel, I felt that I understood Okonkwo's way of life so well that I could see the Christian missionaries and their effect on the village from his point of view.
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Summary: Universal Truths or Culture Clash?
Review: Things Fall Apart written by Chinua Achebe in 1959 is a lasting study of how one man's strengths and weaknesses are universal qualities. So many of us vow to lead our lives differently than our parents and in that effort of identity and purpose allow the pendulum to swing too far in the opposite direction. Such is the case of Okonkwo, a proud Nigerian tribesman who is embarrassed by his father Unoka. While Unoka is popular, he is also lazy and fails to adequately provide for his family. Okonkwo is an African Horatio Alger who lifted himself up from the poverty his father left him with to become an influential and successful man in his tribe. Okonkwo is not without vanities and frailties. As he once lived in shame over his father's laziness and poverty, so now he walks in pride, failing to see his imperfections and need for guidance by others. He is rightly proud of his accomplishments and feels his achievements somehow put him beyond the rules and mores that guide the tribal life. This is a story about how social systems work to control personal behavior and the consequences for ignoring them. Things Fall Apart is and interesting and entertaining look at tribal life in pre and early colonial Nigeria. It details daily life in a tribe, carefully examining superstitions and laws which guide the day to day living. Throughout the book tribal myths and stories are interspersed to illustrate how a cultures mythology effects there everyday living. Things Fall Apart works on two levels. In part it is a character study which reveals universal truths for individuals living in any society and secondly it is a study of a society which existed prior to the colonization of Nigeria. Both levels make this book a valued one. It is a relatively short novel and a quick read. I recommend the book for anyone who is interested in learning about Africa and learning about human nature.
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