My Pre-reading Predictions
Background
The Scramble for Africa
The Big Question: After colonialism, who belongs and who doesn’t? Is it
possible to return to “before”?
1874-1914 New Imperialism
Invasion, Occupation, Colonization, and Annexation
Prompted by Industrialization and Capitalism: specifically gold, copper, rubber,
cocoa leaves, and cheap labor
Interactions between Africa and Europe date to 15th century during slave trade
Dutch colonized Cape of Good Hope in 17th century
French conquered Algeria in 1830 & colonization lasted through the 19th century.
King Leopold II of Belgium
--Henry Worten Staley explored in the name of Leopold
--David Livingstone another early explorer
Berlin Conference (1884-1885) set ground rules for partitioning of Africa
Big players: Great Britain, France, Germany, Portugal
Medical advancements allow for the fighting of diseases encountered during
colonization
Things Fall Apart Study Guide rev. 4.14.15
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Background cont.…
Ibo (Igbo) Culture
Translates to “The People”
2nd largest group living in SE Nigeria
1960: Independence from Great Britain
1967-1970 Involved in Biafran War
Culture is 2000 years old; some bronze sculptures date back 1200 years.
No common tradition story of Ibo origins.
Believe word is populated by people, spirits, and the unborn. Also believe in
reincarnation.
Diaspora—people of Ibo descent live everywhere in the world
Supreme God (Chukwu) watches over people but seldom interferes (deism)
Polygamous culture—a man will take as many wives as he can support
Women are 2nd class citizens with few rights
Today high crime rates (higher in urban areas but still affects rural areas)
attributed to civil war and military coups, drugs, etc.
Arranged marriages take years to finalize.
Yam is the primary crop.
Chinua Achebe
Born in Ogidi, Nigeria Nov. 16, 1930; Died in Boston, Massachuesetts on Mar. 21, 2013
First name is Albert but goes by traditional ibo middle name: Chinua
1958: Things Fall Apart published
1990: Paralyzed in car accident
2005: The Chinua Achebe Center for African Studies is established at Brown
University
2007: Man Book Prize
Major Works: No Longer at Ease, Anthills of the Savannah, Arrow of God, & Things
Fall Apart
Literary focus is emergent Africa and African issues. He had a vision of a
transformed Africa and a transformed world.
Things Fall apart (the novel)
A narrative on European colonization
Archetypal African novel written in English the colonizer’s language rather than
Ibo to target westerners and show them Nigerian cultu7re from a different
perspective
Story narrated by a Nigerian who seems almost sympathetic to the western
viewpoint
Set in 1890s pre-colonial/colonial Nigeria
Placed at the turn of the century in
the 1890s among the lower Nigerian villages of Umuofia and Mbanta
Features cultural and religious conflict
A novel of tragedy of the individual and of society
Written in opposition of the “savage” Africans depicted by European writers such
as Joseph Conrad in Heart of Darkness.
Presents a complex dynamic society to a western society who perceived African
society as primitive, simple, and backward
Summary: Okonkwo and the Ibo Culture Exile and return
Can he be reintegrated
into society?!
Title comes from “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats
Religion, commerce, technology, and government: All are explored in the novel.
Motifs: gender roles, family, respect, reputation, free will, language, and
communication
Things Fall Apart Study Guide rev. 4.14.15
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