Milly's Lang and Lit Blog

Write a full introduction including a well-crafted thesis statement that establishes an argument in response to the following prompt.  Include 3 topic sentences that signal the literary focus of each paragraph while developing the argument you established in your thesis statement in response to the prompt.  The personal history of an author can have a significant influence on the way meaning is constructed in his/her writing. Comment on specific instances of such influence in Things Fall Apart. Thesis, Introduction  The novel "Things fall apart" written by Chinua Achebe during a the colonial revolution Nigeria in 1958, provides the story of the protagonist Okonkwo, who is a proud Igbo man and a victim of colonization. Achebe uses his own personal beliefs as a proud Christian but is clearly influenced by his Igbo heritage which influences his decision to write this revolutionary of novel.  Revolutionary in the sense capturing the story of both the white co...

What is the significance of Okonkwo’s character? What does he represent or is symbolic of?  What is the purpose of Okonkwo’s character within the text?  How does Okonkwo’s character contribute to big ideas? In the novel “Things Fall Apart” written by China Achebe, the protagonist Okonkwo is characterized initially characterized as a strong masculine character that lacks emotion. This is evident by his physical strength, known as a great wrestler beating Amalinze the cat when he was eighteen. Despite his lack of compassion he is a hard worker who provides for his family. Okonkwo leads the story as the plot line follows the events and experiences of his life through the European dominance over Africa. He is symbolic of the traditional Igbo culture and the single story. Okonkwo at first is portrayed as the stereotype that the Western nations have made Africans out to be, characterized as someone who beats his wives and commits murder.  However, as the story de...

Okonkwo Borrowing Yam Seeds This is an important part of the novel as Yams is a very big part of Igbo culture and this shows the characterization of Okonkwo. He is struck with the fear of becoming like his father so he goes to great lengths to be the opposite of him. His father was a lazy man and often let his wives and children go hungry.  Since the crops failed, Okonkwo needs to provide for his family in other ways and by growing his own yams this symbolizes masculinity and provision. The masculinity and provision his father was incapable of. Nwoye Converting To Christianity This event is very significant as it conveys some of the positive sides to white Colonialism.  Nwoye joins the church as a result of him feeling like does not fit into the Igbo society.  He was an example of one of the outcasts (osu), the people who could not relate to Igbo culture. Nowye joining the church shows the conflict that exists between him and his father, due to him n...

The novel “Things Fall Apart” written by Chinua Achebe follows the story line of white colonization in Africa. Achebe’s aim is to provide an accurate representation of his culture in English Literature by depicting the story of the protagonist Okonkwo and the Igbo tribe in Nigeria. Achebe was raised in a Igbo society but claims himself as a proud Christian, a product of colonization giving him an interesting perspective on his countries history and the impacts of Colonialism. The first half of the book is focused on introducing the audience to the Igbo culture and traditions. It shows a functioning society yet ruthless for our modern western standards. The main character, Okonkwo is characterized as a well respected man but with massive internal conflict of fear which leads him to committing inhumane acts of beating his wife and killing a boy he sees as his own son. The other half of the book depicts the colonization of the tribe and how Okonkwo and his people are effected both posit...