Things Fall Apart

Things do indeed fall apart in the mid-20th-century world of West Africa when the British colonize the country, disrupting the ancient ways of life that have provided meaning and structure for the inhabitants of a rural Ibo village. The hero of the story is Okonwo, a revered community leader and the character Achebe frequently uses as a kind of "Everyman"--the brave tribesman who tries to cling to old ways in the face of encroaching western civilization. In this novel, Okonwo represents the rich traditional culture of the tribe, while his son Nwoye is attracted to the changes brought by the Europeans. Achebe's novel is a classic of African literature, suffused with his recognition of the losses that have accompanied the Europeanization of his homeland.