Alteration of Tribal Religion and Ethnicity in African Society to Christianity
Introduction
Chinua Achebe’s book gives a story of a clash that was between an African community and the white regal government in Nigeria. It focuses on the clash between the ethnicity of the two groups. The book is about the fall of a culture, Igbo and a central character by the name Okonkwo. The lead character is a powerful leader thus highly respected by his community. The Igbo community’s location is somewhere in eastern Nigeria. He earned his through defeating Amalinze in a wrestling much. Okonkwo is eminent for bringing honor to his village soon after his fame and peculiarity (Shea, p 43). As a leader, he has the determination to achieve titles, become prevailing, as well as a prosperous man. Unlike his son, Unoka, Okonkwo’s father was lethargic and uneconomical.
Background
The author brings out the theme that point out the complexity of the Igbo community. They had traditions and rituals that they followed which make their customs seem complicated especially before the white colonialists reached their land. In the story, the author mentions a detailed explanation of the Igbo justice code plus a trial occurrence. As one reads the book there are scenes where family and social ceremonies appear in details. The Igbo marriage traditions, method of cookery, as well as preparation are revealed in the book. Another aspect that contributes to the complexity of the community is the distribution of headship, religious values and practices, and the window for an opportunity to every man to be successful through his own efforts (Shea, p 22).
Another theme that the writer focuses on is the clash between the Europeans and the Igbo community. The collision is evident from a personal perspective to societal point. During the collision of the two groups of people, there was culture misunderstanding since both groups had their own ways of life. One group was more traditional, yet the other was more urbanized. The Reverend Smith has view concerning the Africans that exclaims them being people who believe in many gods yet on the other hand, the Igbo people condemn the missionaries as being foolish. The Africans’ had a misperception concerning the Europeans’.
Chinua Achebe was one among many Africans that had knowledge of the European way of life. He managed to write the book because of the knowledge acquired from the European system (Shea, p 26). Printing of the book was as an act of penitence with Achebe’s past existence, the sacrament return as well as reverence of the community’s prodigal son. He appears to be the community’s bright light thus, the result of the collision between the two societies. Personally, he has a strong influence to his society and plays a key role in the inspiring of the Africans who had knowledge of Western edification.
Different characters in the story contributed to the downfall of the community’s tribal religion, in addition to the cultures practiced. The book contained a number of characters who played different, significant roles in the Igbo community (Shea, p 73). One of the most focused on character who plays the key role is Okonkwo. He is son to an effeminate thus lazy man in the community, by the name Unoka. Okonkwo portrays a positive picture as hard working and ambitious than his own father. He becomes a husband of three women and father to many children. He projects plenty of positive aspects about himself that the community loves him more for his determination.
Okonkwo was at odds with some of the communal values, which is a similar attitude to his father’s. He finds it difficult to adapt to the changes after the white Europeans tagged along to the livelihood of the Umofians. The community learns how to survive with the White men, but Okonkwo finds it challenging. Compliance seems to be the best option instead of aggression. He later realizes that with transforming society he is more of an artifact than a leader (Shea, p 73). His collapse gets influence from antagonism, violence, and the equation of masculinity with recklessness. Okonkwo was a character with brusque at different instances though not always. In addition to his temper, he faced difficulties articulating the way he felt.
Okonkwo had an elder son named Nwoye who struggles hard in the footsteps of his father. He has different interests as compared to his father thus projects likes of his grandfather, Onoka. He goes through lots of beating just to impress his father yet his interests a based on a diverse area. He meets Ikemefuna who plays the role of an older brother by educating him on wiser ways of flourishing masculinity. With the help, Nwoye began appealing to his grudge approval. His father eventually backs off after the son’s achievement (Shea, p 78). He stays inconsistent despite pleasing his father, he reminisces the stories told by his mother.
Ikemefuna dies, which leads Nwoye to getting back to his real personality thus losing focus and changing for the worse to be find him forever changed (Shea, p 90). Nwoye turns against his own father because of his ways of doing things. He regains his hope and faith the moment the missionaries step foot in Mbanta. He decides to join forces with them since he is against his father. Okonkwo’s disappointment turns his attention to his lot to curse them for giving him an effeminate for a so. Nwoye’s father disowns him, which makes him feel free from oppression by his father harshness.
Ezinma is Okonkwo’s desired daughter, and she happens to be the only child to one of his wives. Her mother bears the name Ekwefi. Ezinma displays different characteristics when judged against Nwoye because she is audacious in approaching people and has the audacity to contradict her father at given occasions. Her father’s impression with her personality lives wishing that she would have been born a boy. The father gets impressed with her potentiality to address certain issues and confidence in her (Shea, p 77). Her father even compliments her for having a masculine spirit. With these impressive personas, she earns her father’s affection, awareness, as well as respect, which is ironic bearing in mind that she is female.
Ezinma and her father are more of kindred spirits since they had an extraordinarily concrete bond between them. The bond between them makes her more self-assured and precociousness. Ezinma matures to a gallant gorgeous woman who decides to put aside marriage waiting for the return of her family, which is on exile. She is willing to assist her beloved father reclaim his political powers on his return from banish (Shea, p 77). Her potential to assist her father is an influence by the bond between them and the unquestionable love for him. This is a similar character to her father’s putting strategy as the first priority then emotions come second.
Mr. Brown is a character by Achebe who portrays a positive figure among the white European missionaries. One, Reverend Smith who is enthusiastic, rancorous, small minded, hence, has a manipulative behavior, succeeded Mr. Brown. Brown, on the other hand, is absolute, munificent at all times if not beneficent. Some of Mr. Brown’s achievement in the Igbo community is he managed to captivate a substantial number of individuals. He manages to achieve this due to polite approach and better interaction methods with the locals of the community. He listens to the locals, tries to understand their values and gets views on various aspects in his interaction (Shea, p 96). One facet about Mr. Brown is he acknowledges all converts without choosing whom he likes disregarding those that he dislikes.
Conclusion
The book focuses on the struggle people of two different societies had a deal with the change in traditions. There are characters who adapt positively to the change yet some find it a little hard to fit in. Some might have had all the qualities to be prosperous in their society but faced various challenges in the transformation to adapting the new changes. The white people brought change to the way Igbo community overthrowing their rights and traditions. To create a perfect relationship between they had to learn their way of life first then influence them into Christianity. Language plays another key aspect in the change of tradition on the Igbo society. The characters contribute equally to change with some being against the missionaries yet others agree to its establishment. The coming of the European missionaries leads to fall of many things in the African society.
Work Citations
Shea, George. A Reader’s Guide to Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, 2007. Print.
