Things Fall Apart

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Things Fall Apart

• Chinua Achebe
• (CHIN-oo-ah ahh-CHAY-bay)

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Meet Chinua Achebe

• Born in 1930 in Nigeria
• His parents were Christian Ministers
• Graduated from college in Nigeria and began a
  career as a broadcaster
• Spent some time in Nigerian government, then
  became a teacher working at US and Nigerian
  universities
• His first novel was Things Fall Apart, published
  in 1958.
• Has published several novels since then including
  two sequels to TFA

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Key Terms

• Missionaries Christians who travel and work to
  convert the local population.
• Colonialism When countries conquer other
  territories and claim them as their own. Example
  the United States and Britain

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Colonialism An Overview

• England colonized Nigeria in the 1890s
• The official language of Nigeria was English
• Universities and colleges were only open to
  English speaking students
• Nigeria gained independence in 1960

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NIGERIA
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Overview of the Novel

• Things Fall Apart takes place in a village called
  Umuofia during the 1890s.
• The novel tells about the Ibo people, one of
  three major tribes, or ethnic groups in Nigeria.
• The plot of the novel revolves around the main
  character, Okonkwos, life and problems,
  specifically what happens when Missionaries
  convert his village to Christianity.

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Main Characters in the Novel

• Okonkwo main character very feared and
  respected leader terrified of looking weak
• Unoka Okonkwos father a weak and lazy man
• Nwoye Okonkwos oldest son a gentle, weak boy

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• Ikemefuna a boy given to Okonkwo to take care
  of very strong and smart, Okonkwo wishes he were
  his actual son
• Ekwefi Okonkwos second wife, mother of Ezinma
• Ezinma Okonkwo daughter his favorite child
  she is strong and smart

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• Obierika Okonkwos closest friend
• Chielo a priestess of the village very close
  with Ekwefi and Ezinma