"Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe.

The novel, Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, describes a traditional village in Africa called Ibo. Achebe is trying to tell the outside world about the little village and to remind the people of its own traditional values. In those days, many Africans were just willing to accept that there culture as nothing and full of rubble, as the European influence grew. In this novel Achebe will enlighten the reader with fascinating descriptions and idea of the people's way of life.

The Ibo tribe has a strong tradition, which determines the things that are done and held together. Okonkwo, who is the protagonist in the novel, appeared to be the Ibo heroic character. In traditions of the Ibo, age is respected but achievements are revered. Okonkwo was clearly cut out for great things, for example, won his fame by throwing of the Cat in a intertribal event, wrestling. The Cat was nicknamed that because his back would never touch the ground, and had been unbeaten for seven years in the nine villages extending from Umuofia to Mbaino.

English: Montage of Igbo people which include: Ola...

A spiral stack of copies of the 1994 Anchor Books ...

English: Chinua Achebe speaking at Asbury Hall, Bu...

Okonkwo achieved many other highly regarded things such as earning two titles, showing great fearlessness in battles with neighboring clans, two barns full of yams, and had married his third wife. His father, Unoka, in his day was very lazy and incapable of repaying the debts he owed every neighbor. As an adult he was a failure, his wife and children had barely enough to eat. Others described him as idler for example, "People laughed at him because he was a loafer, and they swore never to lend him any more because he never paid back." Okonkwo had no patience with his father's failure and the fear of becoming like his father made him a hard worker and a strict parent. Fortunately, for...