The decimation of a Community is an important aspect of how stability and control are lost in both Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart (1958) and Richard Wagamese’s Indian Horse (2012). In these culturally unique texts, both protagonists experience the transition from being a part of a community to being unwillingly pushed away from it and seeing it slowly being destroyed. The result of both protagonists being forced out of their beloved communities causes them to go down a spiral path thereby losing control and stability in their lives. The progression in which stability and control are possessed and then lost in both novels forces the characters to adapt to the changes at hand.
In both novels, the unanimity between the characters and their communities provide them with a sense of stability and control. In Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo is closely affiliated with, “a fight which the old men agreed was one of the fiercest since the founder of their town engaged a spirit” (Achebe 1). Similarly, Saul and his family are also related to the founding of their island to the extent that, “only the Indian Horse family can go to Gods Lake” and that it is their “territory” (Wagamese 20). The fact that both protagonists are associated with the origin of their living accommodation evokes a sense of oneness between the characters and their communities. Moreover, the sense of belonging both communities instill into the characters further implements the notion of stability and control. In
Identity is a prize possession that defines the foundation of a character's values, beliefs and language. In the story Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, Saul faces many disheartening challenges in understanding who he is and where he belongs. Both, the priests and nuns at St.Jerome's and the ‘white’ people who live in Canada negatively influence Saul’s ethnicity as an Indian Horse. The identity of the aboriginal is at great risk and is being impacted within the multiple settings of the residential school and outside world.
Change is a reoccurring theme throughout history. It destroys and creates. It displaces and introduces. It can cause death and life. The movement of imperialism in Africa brought great change to the native tribal life. Forcing the indigenous people to turn away from their century-old traditions caused violent rifts between the European settlers and the tribes, as well as internal problems between once amiable members of the Ibo culture. With the introduction of the foreign Western Society in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, the tribe’s life and ideals are drastically altered as the new ethics and principles collide with the old traditions and laws, causing the members of the society to either adapt or be crushed underneath the foot of colonialism. Achebe’s character, Okonkwo, was impacted immensely by the cultural collision, as his previous way of life was pulverized before his eyes, and he found no reason to live any longer.
Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, presents the result of colonization of the Ibo people by the European missionaries. The Ibo culture is threatened to change by the European influence. Villagers are divided between resisting a new lifestyle or embracing it for better opportunities in society. The struggle to keep Ibo traditions alive is reflected in Okonkwo and Obierika’s relationship to one another. Okonkwo represents the resistance of change by keeping traditional values in high regard while, Obierika signifies the openness to opportunity by questioning the current Ibo values. The arrival of European missionaries persuades the exchange of traditional Ibo methods, customs, and community for Christianity, resulting in the community to fall apart.
Indian Horse, a novel by Richard Wagamese, is a realistic and tragic story of a First Nations child named Saul who is taken to residential school. Saul Indian Horse goes through a multitude traumatic experiences at a young age; experiences consisting of losing his family, experiencing sexual abuse, and violent racism. In the novel, a theme the reader is always brought back to is Saul’s connection to, and longing for the land. Saul’s relationship with the land is meaningful to his character because it helps him understand his family history, connects him with his culture, and comforts him in times of need.
Adversity to give a person a valuable opportunity. Only the person who stands the test environment can be really strong. In the novel Indian Horse written by Richard Wagamese, the main character Saul Indian Horse is an Indigenous Canadian. He was forced to be separated from his family and sent to the residential school. There Saul was treated unfairly.
Indian Horse, written by Richard Wagamese tells the life story of a man named Saul Indian Horse and he describes his many years at residential school and how they affected his life. From the 1870s to the mid-1990s Indian residential schools were put in place to “civilize” the Indian child; the primary goal of residential schools was to take the Indian out of the child. Richard Wagamese’s, Indian Horse sheds light on the different horrors that aboriginal children were forced to endure while at residential school. Aboriginal children were severely physically abused, psychologically abused, and girls as well as boys were forced to perform physically demanding and often dangerous tasks during their time at these institutions
In Richard Wagamese's Indian Horse, the main character, Saul, experiences certain traumas that would normally launch him straight into adulthood. Instead, Wagamese shows the transition from the innocence of childhood to adulthood and how Saul is able to come to terms with his past by using certain motifs and symbols such as his vision, hockey, alcohol and circles.
Inner conflict plays an important role in both works. In Things Fall Apart, the main character, Okonkwo, battles with conflict within himself. As a child, he witnessed the constant failure of his father and vowed to be completely opposite of him and successful in everything he does. This drives him to the point where he despises
Things Fall Apart Thematic Essay How could only a few people move into a village and tear it apart. This what happens in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Okonkwo was famous and lived a good life in the village of Unoka until one day Europeans came and brought on Christianity.
The connection between one's family is based on admiration and gratitude, not solely a kinship. In the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, family is not of considerable significance to the protagonist Okonkwo. The novel takes place in Nigeria, and enlightens the reader on the Ibo people. Okonkwo’s family does not support him because he treats them poorly and disrespectfully. He lives his life trying to be the complete opposite of his father.
In “Things Fall Apart,” CHinua Achebe describes the life of Okonkwo, a village leader, and displays how the altering world around him affects his decisions. In order to do this, he first had to establish the things that were tradition so that he could show was being altered. Achebe’s use of literary items assists in revealing their traditions and it challenges.
Every author writes a book to depict a lesson or meaning. Things Fall Apart talked about the various things that cease to exist. There were two main things that fell apart in this book: the main character Okonkwo and religion. The meaning of this book was to show that life is full of conflicts and if they are not confronted or solved correctly, something or someone will collapse. Several scenes of violence were found in this book. These scenes existed to contribute to the overall meaning of the complete work.
Novels are an invitation into a distant world that mirrors aspects of modern culture and often shares the same underlying issues in current society. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe provides a unique perspective of western imperialism from an African’s view. The novel allows readers to delve into the sophisticated culture of the Igbo people and their complex social structure. Through Okonkwo, one of the former leaders of the tribe, Achebe conveys the violent clash of cultures and the disintegration of traditional Igbo beliefs instigated by British colonization. In spite of its historical setting, Achebe manages to effectively establish connections in his novel with issues relevant in today’s world.
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe are two novellas written to make a statement about the struggles of early societies. Both stories stir up moments of hope, anger, disappointment, despair, and enlightenment in an attempt to inform the reader of the injustices and societal differences during the 1800’s. Heart of Darkness tells the story from a European Colonist perspective while Things Fall Apart illustrates the outlook of the African tribe member being colonized. Throughout this piece I will investigate these unique texts in hopes of revealing the symbolism behind the trying stories. I will compare and contrast the narratives and decipher the outlooks so that the reader can learn to appreciate and
In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, tells two stories that are interlaced with each other both centering on the main charter Okonkwo. The first story is that of conflict between the individual and society. This story outlines Okonkwo’s fall from grace with the tribal world. The second is a story is a clash of cultures, and the disappearance of Okonkwo’s world when aggressive missionaries arrive.