Few books have had as resounding an impact on my worldview as Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe’s 1958 magnum opus. It has cemented itself as one of the foremost works of post-colonial African fiction by expertly weaving together its themes, which center around the destructiveness of hyper-masculinity, sudden cultural and societal upheaval, and 19th century colonization of Africa by Europeans. The brilliantly-written, melodic narrative follows the tragic protagonist Okonkwo, who bears the weight of these themes as they drive him and his people down a path of ruin.

Okonkwo is a tragic character, though he may not seem so at first. We are introduced to him at his peak; a wrestling phenom, a well-respected leader, and an obsessively hard worker, Okonkwo is the paradigm of his people. Yet it is through these strengths that his faults become apparent, and his incessant goal to be the strongest, most masculine man he can be sparks his downfall. He is a traditionalist who represents both the strengths and faults of Ibo society, and, when the British come with guns and Bibles, they “put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.”

Things Fall Apart is the landmark novel of modern Africa, one that laments the destructive clash of cultures caused by the greed of imperialism. It is mournful; a microcosm of an Africa that will never be as it once was. It is a saga of the African colonial experience by one of Africa’s greatest writers. I believe that anyone who picks it up will both struggle to put it down as well as gain some much deeper insight. It is a work that still holds great relevance today. For more book recommendations and reviews like this, check out the Bexley Public Library blog.

For more book recommendations and reviews like this, check out the BPL Blog!