1. Why is it important to have a world view?
2. How can learning about other cultures affect me?
3. What does the past have to do with the shaping of a person’s identity?
While it offers a certain perspective on colonial history, Things Fall Apart
is not a strictly historical novel. Historical novels, by definition, fictionalize
historic events and bring them to life with invented details, characters,
dialogue, etc. And while Things Fall Apart does situate itself within a
specific historical context (Nigeria at the moment of colonization), it does
not attempt to recreate actual events or re‐characterize real historical figures.
In other words, while it is engaged with the historical theme of colonialism in
Nigeria and Igbo culture, it is wholly fiction. In addition, it is very important to keep
in mind the historicity of the novel itself: the book is set in the 1890s, but was first
published in 1958, 2 years before Nigeria was granted full independence from British rule.
This means that we are bringing a postcolonial sensibility and perspective to the
text and should bear in mind the many ways in which Nigerian politics, culture and
attitudes have changed in the last 50 years. So the novel is not wholly historical,
nor wholly contemporary, as much as it can help us learn about both the past and
understand themes of value to the present.
Teaching Points:
- 1958, first publication of Things Fall Apart
- Nigeria: British colony from end of 19th c. until 1960
- 1967‐70 Biafran War (Igbo secession)
- Major ethnic groups (70% of population): Hausa‐Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo
- Est. 2005 pop of Nigeria: 128 million
- Tumultuous political history since independence; many of Achebe’s other books confront
corruption in politics, social issues
B. Read and annotate "How to Write about Africa."
CClosing: Discuss satire and stereotypes.