"The effect of colonialism in The Things Fall Apart"

Topic- The effect of colonialism in The Things Fall Apart

Name- Sonal Baraiya

Class- M.A. Sem-4

Paper No.- 14-The African Literature

Submitted to- Smt.S.B.Gardi, Department of English,                                                            MaharajaKrishnakumar Sinhji Bhavnagar University.

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"Things Fall Apart"- Chinua Achebe

“Turning and turning in the widening gyre

The falcon cannot hear the falconer;

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.”

W. B. Yeats, ‘The Second Coming’

The title is taken from the poem of W. B. Yeats’ “The Second Coming” and it is very much connected to the novel also. Here falcon is in the form of colonized (black people) while falconer is in the form of colonizers (white people). On the first step they aren’t clearly visible the planning steps of white people but while it is clearly visible that time it is too late to remove the colonialism on the head of black community. It is all about the basement because if the basement is strong enough no one can harm it but if the center is not strong enough then anybody can used it and playing with that. That’s what may be Achebe trying to say through this text.

Author:  Chinua Achebe

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Publication Date:  1958

Introduction:

Things Fall Apart is a post-colonial novel written by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe in 1958. This novel is about the history of African culture, community which was suppressed one. Likewise this novel separated into three parts such as:

First section, it is describing his family and personal history, the customs and society of the Ibo.

Second section and Third sections, it is introducing the influence of British colonialism and Christian missionaries on the Ibo community.

This novel is conflicting between the internal affairs in Ibo tradition. Moreover it also conflicting between internal to external affairs.

Okonkwo is the protagonist with having three wives and eight children. He is a brave and rash Umuofia (Nigerian) warrior and clan leader. The division of this novel into three sections it can be read into the way that the first part described as the atmosphere of the Ibo culture and its people’s way of living life while the other two can be seen as it is the description of the effect of colonialism on the tradition of Ibo society. Apart of that is can be seen how colonialism has affected people and has managed to pull them apart in many directions that it even eventually destroyed relationships of families, friends and tribes.

But first let us talks about that what the Ibo society is before the arrival of British colonialism.

First, it is begin with the description of Okonkwo and his culture depicted into the first part –

It is describes that how beautiful culture they have with some bad rules and regulation also. The bad rules and regulation also can be considered as a part of their culture. It can be also seen that the “bad culture” is also the view of outsider. They tried to differentiate through their perceptions. Rules and regulations can be considered such as- Man can have multiple wives and children, bride price, the New Yam Festival, celebration of women’s uri, believe in personal gods and goddesses is known as “CHI”, ritual sacrifices punishments for crimes and so on. The examples are here:

“Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievements. As a young man of eighteen he had brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat.”  Okonkwo has three wives and eight children. He got this position out of great struggle.

The Feast of the New Yam was approaching and Umuofia was in a festival mood. It was an occasion for giving thanks to Ani, the earth goddess and the source of all fertility. Ani played a greater part in the life of the people than any other deity. She was the ultimate judge of morality and conduct. And what was more, she was in close communion with the departed fathers of the clan whose bodies had been committed to earth. (Pg, 27-30)

The example of bride price-

Uzowulu stepped forward and presented his case.

That woman standing there is my wife, Mgbafo. I married her with my money and my yams. I do not owe my in-laws anything. I owe them no yams. I owe them no coco-yams. One morning three of them came to my house, beat me up and took my wife and children away. This happened in the rainy season. I have waited in vain for my wife return. At last I went to my in-laws and said to them, “You have taken back your sister. I did not send her away. You yourselves took her. The law of the clan is that you should return her bride-price.”

The entire neighborhood wore a festive air because Okonkwo’s friend, Obierika, was celebrating his daughter’s uri. It was the day on which her suitor (having already paid the greater part of her bride-price) would bring palm-wine not only to her parents and immediate relatives but to the wide and extensive group of Kinsmen called umunna. Everybody had been invited-men, women and children. But it was really a woman’s ceremony and the central figures were the bride and her mother.

The only course open to Okonkwo was to flee from the clan. It was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman, and a man who committed it must flee from the land. The crime was of two kinds, male and female. Okonkwo had committed the female, because it had been inadvertent. He could return to the clan after seven years.

So, these are the examples of the living styles of African people before the arrival of Ashy-Buttocks.

Now let us talk about the entrance and the collision of Kotma on the culture of Ibo. So first it can be considered in both the ways viz, positively and negatively. Therefore let us first discuss the positive point of the Christian colonialism. It is trying to erased some communal sanctioned violence like ritual sacrifices, punishment for crimes, and some other which are certain practices had by them. Instead of these, it is also brings the economical progress, it is trying to diminish the standard level of ignorance of the clan and the opening of the new possibility of knowledge.

The effect of colonialism started through the second part with Chapter Sixteen, where it is noticed that-

The missionaries had come to Umuofia. They had built their church there, won a handful of converts and were already sending evangelists to the surrounding towns and villages. That was a source of great sorrow to the leaders of the clan; but many of them believed that the strange faith and the white man’s god would not last. None of his converts was a man whose word was heeded in the assembly of the people. None of them was a man of title. They were mostly the kind of people that were called efulefu, worthless,empty men.

On the other side they are also came with very brutal and negative rules and regulations which are imposed or in a way forcefully accepted as a good by Kotma. It can be considered as how the missionaries and the European officers have completely stripped the identity of the tribe.

How the “TRUE CULTURE” or “IBO TRADITION” erased by the Christian colonizers?

How is it knowingly and with planning destroyed relationships of families, friends and tribes?

How is it affected the life of people like Okonkwo and resulted to his death.

No doubt that they have some kind of rituals which are not considered as a good but it is their culture. With this culture their emotions and feeling are connected. In the form of erasing their communal sanctioned violence or bad rituals (the name imposed by the missionaries), they try to erased their heritage, their wealth of tradition and beliefs. What missionary trying to do is that they aren’t just stripped their cultural practices but them trying to overpower on them. They are trying to put themselves as a best. They see themselves as a white and “White” as a “Superior”, while “Black” as a “Devil”.

“Mr Brown’s successor was the Reverend James Smith, and he was a different kind of man. He condemned openly Mr Brown’s policy of compromise and accommodation. He saw things as black and white. And black was evil. He saw the world as a battlefield in which the children of light were locked in mortal conflict with the sons of darkness.”

Thus, in a way black people are considered as a devil and evil instead of human being. They also are trying to put themselves as superior in front of black people. Their religion is the best religion and only their god is the “TRUE” and ultimate god in the world.

“The new God, the Creator of all the world and all the men and women. He told them that they worshipping false gods, gods of wood and stone. He told them that the true God lived on high and that all men when they died went before Him for judgment. Evil men and all the heathen who in their blindness bowed to wood and stone were thrown into a fire that burned like palm-oil. But good men who worshipped the true God lived for ever in His happy kingdom. ‘We have been sent by this great God to ask you to leave your wicked ways and false gods and turn to Him so that you may be saved when you die’’. 

“At this point an old man said he had a question. Which is this god of yours’, he asked, ‘the goddess of the earth, the god of the sky, Amadiora of the thunderbolt, or what?’’

‘‘All the gods you have named are not gods at all. They are gods of deceit who will tell you to kill your fellows and destroy innocent children. There is only one true God and He has made the earth, the sky, you and me and all of us.’’

‘‘If we leave our gods and follow your god,’ asked another man, ‘who will protect us from the anger of our neglected gods and ancestors?’’

“Your gods are not alive and cannot do you any harm,’ replied the White man. ‘They are pieces of wood and stone.’’

“When this was interpreted to the men of Mbanta they broke into derisive laughter. These men must be mad, they said to themselves. How else could they say that Ani and Amadior were harmless? And Idemili and Ogwugwu too?”

“Let them laugh,’ said Mr Kiaga. ‘God will laugh at them on the judgment day. Why do the natios rage and the peoples imagine a vain thing? He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh. The Lord shall have them in derision."

“Before God.’ He said, there is no slave or free. We are all children of God and we must receive these our brothers.’’

In this whole description of the black god and White God, Achebe tries to highlight some point rather criticizes some points such as: In this description White tries to make superior themselves. They are trying to make their God superior over the gods and goddesses of black. But the interesting thing here is that in this whole description of god, Achebe tries to capitalized the God of White while doesn’t capitalized the god when Achebe introduced the god of black. It is not indicates that the black gods and goddesses are really inferior in front of White God. And the God of White is real True God and superior. Rather Achebe tries to make satire on that that God is God. There is nothing like superior and inferior. But how people make their god superior and also try to make other god inferior. They try to impose that the True god is ours only. There is only one god in the world. They not only introduced their god but they tries to introduce their god with fear that if they not follow the one true god then they must be punished on the Day of Judgment. So, they trying to imposed the idea of superior god with fear. The people of Ibo not familiar with the name “fear” and “harm” which is coming from the god or on the other way they are real in their way of believe in God because if they are really the son of god, how they would harm by their gods and goddess. How can father harm their lovely sons? But here White people putting the point that god also can harm if they are not choose and follow the true god on the judgment day. Even they neglect that the gods and goddesses of black are not the gods and goddesses. Here how Achebe makes satire on the way of telling the things by White man is that on the one side he says that our god is superior but not accepted the black gods and goddesses as inferior rather neglect as a god. Second is that on the one side he make point that they all are the children of one ultimate god and they all are brothers but on the other side how is it possible that if they are really brothers then how one can be good and other evil. How it is possible that one is superior and other is inferior if they are really brothers.

Likewise, the White are not only came with the religion but also with government. First they trying to imposed the religion and through that they overcome with rules and regulation or the government. So they used religion as a weapon and try to control the people of Ibo community. Achebe pointed this point very beautifully that how they overcome on the people of Ibo community slowly and steadily because while they came they came with the idea to built a church and through that they trying to remove the idea of gods and goddess of Ibo people. . Moreover they trying to govern people on the grounds of their ignorance and make them foolish. But in reality they are not fool or illiterate rather it is their ways of living life. All the communal rituals are wrong in the eyes of White men. But it is very nature to Ibo people. But these all the things imposed on them with gigantic META-NARRATIVE.  If they trying to wipe out their religion and what not, in a way they not just wipe out their religion but through these they trying to remove their individual attachments, their feelings and emotions and pride of individual.

They are playing with their blind faith and through that White are trying to prevail over their beliefs because there is one scene which shows the loose stone of black culture. It is very well used by White colonizers and becoming something extraordinary in the eyes of Mbanta culture. When first they came with the wish to built the Church and Mbanta people believe that there is nothing wrong to given the Evil Forest. The reason is that that they believe that Evil Forest was alive with sinister forces and powers of darkness. Likewise they also believe that whosoever goes there they not come back. But they are wrong.

‘‘They want a piece of land to build their shrine,’ said Uchendu to his peers when they consulted among themselves. ‘We shall give them a piece of land.’ He paused, and there was a murmur of surprise and disagreement. ‘Let us give them a portion of the Evil Forest. They boast about victory over death. Let us give them a real battlefield in which to show their victory.’ They laughed and agreed.”

‘‘The inhabitants of Mbanta expected them all to be dead within four days. The first day passed and the second and third and forth, and none of them died. Everyone was puzzled. And then it became known that the White man’s fetish had unbelievable power. It was said that he wore glasses on his eyes so that he could see and talk to evil spirits. Not long after, he won his first three converts.’’

White people used their blind faith and make fun on their blind faith. Here Achebe also make satire on their own culture that on what ground first black people laugh, on the same ground now White laugh on black. They make themselves foolish in front of White. Black also considered them as unbelievable powerful people. But on what silly matter they seemed them as an extraordinary people. It is they who first give chance to them to triumph over them. But who knows that if somebody good today, not be evil tomorrow. Who knows what happen tomorrow. So, here they give the piece of land and as time pass White people controlling everything.

But here one man clearly visible everything that what going on in front of his eyes. He observes everything critically. He tries to evaluate what happening in an around him. He could sense of the effect of foreign people.

“He sighed heavily, and as if in sympathy the smouldering log also sighed. And immediately Okonkwo’s eyes were opened and he saw the whole matter clearly. Living fire begets cold, impotent ash. He sighed again, deeply.” 

First he sighed and putting his hands in front of this critical invisible circumstances but then he collect the strength and also collecting people against this unbearable movement. But some people also lost their power to fight with white colonizers. He raises some very good questions in frontage of reader. And perhaps this is the loose stone of becoming the colonized of white people because at the end they become weak in front of white. And on this parameter Achebe tries to criticize his own people that they are responsible for their own down fall. They are not able to answering their own questions at the end. Such questions are:

What is it that has happened to our people?

Why have they lost the power to fight?

What are the reasons of fallen down in front of White colonizers?

Why are we following them?

Does the white man understand our custom about land?

“It is not our custom to fight for our gods,’ said one of them. ‘Let us not presume to do so now. If a man kills the sacred python in the secrecy of his hut, the matter lies between him and the god. We did not see it. If we put ourselves between the god and his victim we may receive blows intended for the offender. When a man blasphemes what do we do? Do we go and stop his mouth? No. We put our fingers into our ears to stop us hearing. That is a wise action.’’

“Let us not reason like cowards,’ said Okonkwo. If a man comes into my hut and defaecates on the floor, what do I do? Do I shut my eyes? No. I take a stick and break his head. That is what a man does. These people are daily pouring filth over us, and Okeke says we should pretend not to see.’’

“We must fight these men and drive them from the land. It is already too late. Our own men and our sons have joined the ranks of the stranger. They have jointed his religion and they help to uphold his government. But what of our own people who are following their way and have been given power?’’

Does the white man understand our custom about land?

“How can he when he does not even speak our tongue? But he says that our customs are bad; and our own brothers who have taken up his religion also say that our customs are bad. How do you think we can fight when our own brothers have turned against us? The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.’’

Achebe putting very interesting questioning phase which is drown attention towards the fault of his own people. Where are they wrong? What was the mistake done by black people? It is they who accept them first. They also mentioned that they are very clever because slowly and steadily they dropped out everything from black people and now they become the object. But they trying to remove these invisible critical circumstances which were already take place at the bottom level. It is the effect of colonialism from that now the people of Ibo community suffer a lot. But now it is really too late. All are putting their hand accept Okonkwo. Okonkwo tries a lot to remove these circumstances but now he is not strong enough to fight. It is because the things are changed or the concept of bravery changed after the arrival of white people because before man can judge through their power of muscles. Important thing is that Achebe describes very successfully and crucially the effect of colonialism that on what ground it is effect on the Ibo culture. Even it is thrashed out the identity of that people, their pride, emotions, feelings and what not. The essential thing for human being is “HOPE” is also beat out by White Colonizers.  It is not a matter that whether such customs and traditions are true or not but what matter is that a person practices ethical customs and traditions that does not beat away the basic human right of anybody. Achebe very well put the description of the effect of colonizers on colonized and how their way of living life destroyed by White people.

“It was the time of the full moon. But that night the voice of children was not heard. The village ilo where they always gathered for a moon-play was empty. The women of Iguedo did not meet in their secret enclosure to learn a new dance to be displayed later to the village. Young men who were always abroad in the moonlight kept to their huts that night. Their manly voices were not heared on the village paths as they went to visit their friends and lovers. Umofia was like a startled animal with ears, sniffing the silent, ominous air and not knowing which way to run.”

“Okonkwo’s compound was like a deserted homestead. It was as if cold water had been poured on it. His family was all there, but everyone spoke in whispers. His daughter Ezinma had broken her twenty-eight day visit to the family of her future husband, and returned home when she heared that her father had been imprisoned, and was going to be hanged.”

“Okonkwo and his fellow prisoners were set free as soon as the fine was paid.”

It shows that now the time came while in their own village they become prisoners and they supposed to be paid the fine. Okonkwo remembering his old days and sigh on present days.

“Worthy men are no more,’ Okonkwo sighed as he remembered those days. Those were days when men were men.” All our gods are weeping. Idemili is weeping. Ogwugwu is weeping. Agbala is weeping, and all the others. Our dead fathers are weeping because of the shameful sacrilege they are suffering and the abomination we have all see with our eyes.’ He stopped again to steady his trembling voice.”

It is shows the effect of colonialism on the culture of Ibo community. Due to this they lost their smiles, their religion, their hope and moreover their identity as an Ibo people. And ultimately it takes the life of that man who was one of the greatest men in Umuofia.

Conclusion:

This novel is the feather on the hat of African literature. Why is it so famous novel? It is famous because may be it shows the main reason or the fault of their own people that where are they wrong. This novel is goes deep and dig out the reality or the fact. But here the effect of colonialism can be considered two ways that positive and negative. Though the positive effect lies there negative effect become more danger for them because it is totally destroyed the identity of black people. It is effect on that ground that people aren’t ready to accept their own culture, tradition. Only the effect of colonialism is responsible for the broken down the relationship, families, friends and tribes. Moreover they lost their smile and happiness under the curtain or the name of modernization and capitalism. It is affected on that ground that the life of the protagonist destroyed and came out as a result of his death. At the end he becomes helpless and weak in front of White colonizers. On the ground of economic and social, religion and tradition, knowledge and information they trying to exploit the clan people.






Notes: 

From this below link I pickup some point and others are from my class notes. Based on that I prepared my whole assignment.

http://criminology-articles.blogspot.in/2012/09/colonialism-in-things-fall-apart.html