Hello Class,
Things Fall Apart Essay
You will organize and write an essay that conveys your understanding of one of the themes present
in Things Fall Apart. A strong essay has clear and fluid sentences, cohesive organization, and an
insightful purpose. A completed essay will have all of the following elements:
 An introductory paragraph to set up your argument and chart your course by
establishing a clear, thoughtful, and well-organized thesis (using subordinate clause)
that ties to the novel and serves as a foundation for the entire essay.
 Well-structured topic sentences (with subordinate clause) that relate to the thesis and
provide a focus for each of your 3 body paragraph
 Seamlessly integrated quotes from the novel to support your thesis and topic sentences
(at least one per body paragraph)
 Thoughtful analysis that sheds light on the topic sentences and goes beyond a surface
understanding of your chosen theme.
 A concluding paragraph to wrap-up your points and express the relevance of your topic
outside of an academic setting (how is this significant in the real world? why should
someone outside of class care?)
 Formatted through MLA guidelines and submitted on time to turnitin.com. Remember
that quotes from the novel will have a parenthetical citation with only the page number
(23).
 Don’t forget to indent your paragraphs, double space your lines, and type in 12 point
font.
Choose one of the following prompts:
1. How does Achebe’s portrayal of Okonkwo fit with Aristotle’s idea of a tragic hero? Even though
Okonkwo is a physically powerful warrior, Achebe portrays him as a weak and frightened protagonist?
(Be sure to include the terminology Aristotle uses such as peripeteia and hamartia.)
2. Analyze the relationship between men and women in the African culture as Achebe presents it.
Explain how this relationship is similar or dissimilar to the Western view of the relationships between
men and women. Focus on both the positive and negative aspects of the relationship. What comment
is Achebe trying to make about the dynamics of the relationship in the Ibo culture?