Things Fall Apart Analysis In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe employs imagery, symbolism, and themes to reveal the story of Okonkwo.
Throughout the novel he weaves in these things to really tell us the tale. With imagery, Achebe really is able to set the setting and the feel of the scene even deeper. “ The drums rose to a frenzy. The people surged forward. The young men who kept order flew around, waving their palm fronds. Old men nodded to the beat of the drums and remembered the days when they wrestled to its intoxicating rhythm. (Page 47) There is a lot of excitement here, everyone is really showing how they all enjoy the show. Achebe makes the mood a happy one and he even talks about the old men who used to fight as well, it’s all a big enjoyable thing before the big fight.
Which can be compared to the many other instances where the scene goes from happy to sad, or vice versa. “ The drums beat and the flutes sang and the spectators held their breath. Amalinze was a wily craftsman, but Okonkwo was as slippery as a fish. Every nerve and every muscle stood out on their arms, on their backs and thighs, and one almost heard them stretching to breaking point.
(page 1) There is a lot of tension in this part and Okonkwo is in the middle of the event that would shape the rest of his life. With the imagery used, it makes it easier to really picture Okonkwo and kind of just be there with him while he overthrows the man that everyone fears. It helps get inside his head and see what he’s seeing. Achebe also uses symbolism to disguise important meanings. “ Okonkwo was popularly called the “ Roaring Flame. ” As he looked into the log fire he recalled the name.
He was the flaming fire. ” (Page 153) Okonkwo himself uses the fire to represent himself. He thinks of himself as powerful, terrifying, and violent. There is deeper meaning though, there is always the possibility that maybe Okonkwo does not think of himself as such and maybe he’s more scared of ending burned out one day. He fears he won’t be the powerful man he once was, who was able to overthrow the biggest fighter in his days. “ As soon as his father walked in, that night, Nwoye knew that Ikemefuna had been killed, and something seemed to give away inside him, like the snapping of a tightened bow. “(page 61) The bow represents the tension that was finally broken the moment that Nwoye ealized the betrayal from his father.
That was the breaking point for Nwoye, it was when he realized how much he did not want to be like his father, nor did he actually want anything to do with him or his culture and ways. The big thing that Achebe utilizes is the use of major themes. “ Nwoye did not fully understand. But he was happy to leave his father. ” (Page 152) Nwoye decides that leaving his father is him growing up and finally having his life. In his eyes, he has become a man and he finally is free of his demanding, terrorizing father. “ Okonkwo was very lucky in his daughters.
He never stopped regreting that Ezinma was a girl. ” Throughout the book, Okonkwo makes sure the line between men and women is clear. He, like the rest in his culture believe that a woman is nothing compared to the males. There is a lot of gender inequality in the text. Even though he is proud of his daughter he would never dream of treating her as an equal or he would never leave her anything as he would with the his male sons. It’s sad to hear that regretted his daughter.
Achebe tells us this story through examples of imagery, theme, and symbolism. He combines it all to tell us the story of Okonkwo and his struggle.
