1. “I had to tell my own story.” Chinua Achebe and Postcolonial Nigerian Literature

2. Africa (Africabib.org)‏

3. Colonialism  “the control or governing influence of a nation over a dependent country, territory, or people.” (www.dictionary.com)‏ www.dictionary.com  17 th century: Britain begins to seek land and establish colonies.  The British controlled some African territories as late as the 1960s.

4. Imperialism the policy of extending the rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries, or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies. (dictionary.com)  Direct and indirect methods of control  Direct: through political control  Indirect: through economical control, such as through unfair trade rules

5. Things Fall Apart  One of the most influential African novels ever written.  Chinua Achebe decided to write TFA after reading several accounts of British Colonization of Africa (all written by Europeans). This includes the novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad.  Written to be an honest account of the way Chinua Achebe's people once lived and how their society was destroyed by the introduction of European commerce, religion, and law. (Glenco 2)

6. Things Fall Apart Continued  Themes to pay attention to:  The Dignity of Traditional African Culture  No Society is Perfect  The Humanity of the Individual

7. History of Colonialism in Nigeria  Middle Ages: tribal ruled kingdoms  17 th and 18 th centuries: slave trade  The 1900s began official control by Britain (Dennis 4)  Britain needed resources to maintain their manufacturing dominance and missionaries saw the opportunity to “save” African souls. (Glenco 10)  1914: “Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria”  1960: independence from Britain (Dennis 4)‏

8. Postcolonial Problems  Religious, political, ethnic strife leads to a civil war  Biafran resistance 1967-1970  Military rule  Economic hardship  Corruption (Dennis 8)‏

9. Nigerian People Today  Major ethnic groups: Yoruba, Ibo (Igbo), Hausa, Fulani  Muslims 48%  Christians 34%  Traditional religions 18% (Dennis 12)‏

10. Postcolonial Literature Recently independent nation + Scattered, shattered native peoples + Writers who wish to tell their people’s story =postcolonialism

11. Postcolonialism Continued: Characteristics Shows problems left by colonialism (racial, economic, etc.)‏ Seeks to redefine colonized people on their own terms Displays the struggle of those caught between two worlds

12. Chinua Achebe  Born Nov. 16, 1930 in Nigeria  Two cultures (under British rule, but Ibo traditions were in tact) Christian parents, but had family who worshipped traditional Ibo gods  University College at Ibadan  Social/political activist (Connections 237)‏ Felt that great literature shouldn't just tell a story, but should promote change. (Glenco 9) www.bartleby.com

13. Chinua Achebe’s Work  Things Fall Apart (1958)‏  No Longer at Ease (1960)‏  Arrow of God (1964)‏  A Man of the People (1966)‏  Anthills of the Savannah (1987)‏ (Dennis 8)‏

14. Things Fall Apart Literary Elements  Proverbs, brief sayings that express a general truth or superstition, are found in most cultures.  In cultures that lack written language, the spoken word preserves the literature, values, and history of the people. Proverbs form an important part of daily life in the Ibo world of Things Fall Apart. (Glenco 4)

15. Works Cited “Chinua Achebe.” Bartleby. 10 September 2005. “Colonialism.” Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 07 Mar. 2010.. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/imperialism “Connections.” Things Fall Apart. Austin: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1958. Dennis, Mary L. Things Fall Apart Teacher Guide. San Antonio: Novel Units, 2000. "Imperialism." Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 07 Mar. 2010.. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/imperialism “Map of Africa.” Africabib. 25 April 2005...http://www.africabib.org Yeats, William Butler. “The Second Coming.” Bartleby. 10 September 2005. www.bartleby.com/yeats/secondcoming

16. Ibo photo show  Ibo Photo Show - Google Video Ibo Photo Show - Google Video Ibo Photo Show - Google Video

17. “The Second Coming” by William Butler Yeats Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity. Surely some revelation is at hand; Surely the Second Coming is at hand. The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert A shape with lion body and the head of a man, A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun, Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds. The darkness drops again; but now I know That twenty centuries of stony sleep Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle, And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches toward Bethlehem to be born. (Yeats 185)‏

18. “The Second Coming” Yeats  Jot down ways in which the world might undergo a drastic change. Would you fear or welcome such changes? Why?  The poem's title refers to the second coming of Jesus Christ. Yeats's apocalyptic views are inspired by turmoil in Europe, particularly in Ireland after WWI.  Choose lines or images found in the poem that are striking or unusual. How do the passages contribute to the poem's overall effect and purpose?

19. Chapter 1 Questions for Things Fall Apart  Chapter One:  What are Okonkwo's main characteristics as he is depicted in the first few chapters? List as many as you can, being as specific as possible.  What were the characteristics of his father which affect him so powerfully?  Note how the ritual for sharing kola is described without being explained. Why do you think Achebe does this?  One becomes influential in this culture by earning titles. As with the Potlatch Indians of our region and many other peoples, this is an expensive proposition which involves the dispersing most of one's painfully accumulated wealth. What do you think are the social functions of such a system?

20. Chapter 2 Questions  Chapter Two  What effect does night have on the people? What do they fear? How do they deal with  their fear of snakes at night?  What is the cause and nature of the conflict with Mbaino?  Beginning with this chapter, trace how women are related to the religious beliefs of the  people.  What is the purpose of the taking of Ikemefuna? Note how Achebe foreshadows the boy's  doom even as he introduces him.  In what ways does Okonkwo overcompensate for his father's weaknesses? In what ways  is he presented as unusual for his culture? What is his attitude toward women? Why does  he dislike his son Nwoye so much?  In this polygamous culture each household is enclosed in a compound. Each wife  lives in a hut with her children, and the husband visits each wife in turn, though he  has his own hut as well. Children are often cared for more or less communally. What  do you think the advantages and disadvantages of this form of social structure are?  What seems to be Achebe's attitude toward this culture so far? Is his depicting it as an  ideal one? Can you cite any passages which imply a critical attitude?

21. Chapter 3 Quiz  What kind of death is unacceptable, and those dying from it are left in the Evil Forest?  Through what method did Okonkwo build up wealth to build his own barn?  What percentage of crops did he get to keep?  What crop was a “man’s crop”?  What killed all of Okonkwo’s first set of crops?  Why did one man hang himself?

22.  Get out a sheet of paper and put your heading on it. Assignment name: Chapter 4 Quiz

23. Chapter 4 Quiz  Who is Nwoye?  How does Okonkwo feel about Ikemefuna?  Why does Okonkwo get mad at his youngest wife?  What happens with Okonkwo during the Week of Peace?

24. Chapters 3, 4, 5, 6 quick review  Chapter 3: provides further background into Unoka's failure and Okonkwo's success. We are also introduced to the Ibo religion  Chapter 4: describes Ikemefuna's role in the family and Okonkwo as a father and husband  Chapter 5: describes the Feast of the New Yam and the preparations for the wrestling match  Chapter 6: describes the Wrestling Match which is an important social event in the village.

25. Chapter 7- describes the arrival of the locusts in the village and Ikemefuna's sacrifice on the instruction of the gods.  How long has Ikemfuna lived with Okonkwo's family and what influence has his presence had upon them?  What warning does Ezeudu give to Okonkwo on page 50?  What do you think of Okonkwo's actions in this chapter?  What effect does Ikemefuna's death have on Nwoye? (Important later)‏

26.  Find the passage which begins “The next day...” on page 51 to “He was afraid of being thought weak” on page 54.  How does the writer create tension and convey sympathy for Ikemefuna in this passage from the novel? Comment on:  The preparations for the journey  The way that the beginning of the journey is described  The way that Ikemefuna's feelings are presented to the reader  The way that his death is described in the final paragraph  Use quotations to support your points. Integrate your quotes and cite.  Eg: The reference to the “deathly silence [which] descended on Okonkwo's compund” is one way that Achebe hints at Ikemefuna's death (51). This gives the reader a sense of foreboding about the events that are to follow.

27. Chapter 8: shows the aftermath of Ikemefuna's death and introduces Obierika.  How does Okonkwo react to Ikemefuna's death?  What does Obierika feel about the part that Okonkwo played in the murder? What might this suggest about his character?  What do you learn about the customs involved in preparing for a wedding in this chapter?

28. Chapter 9: the description of Ezinma's illness and details of her background  Why is Ekwefi so worried when she discovers that Ezinma is suffering from a fever?  What does the story of Ezinma tell us about the customs and beliefs of this society?

29. Chapter 10: describes the gathering of the elders and egwugwu to resolve a dispute between husband and wife  What does this chapter show about:  The system of justice in this community?  The roles of men and women?

30.  Chapter 11 - describes Ekwefi's storytelling and Ezinma's visit to Agbala.   1. What is the message or moral of the creation story about the Tortoise and the birds? What  is Ekwefi's purpose in telling the story?  2. How is the storytelling interrupted?  3. Read from page 91 to the end of the chapter. How does the writer create a sense of  mystery in this description of Ekwefi's journey to Agbala's cave?  4. What different side of Okonkwo's character do we see in this chapter?

31.  Chapter 12 - describes the wedding feast for the marriage of Obierika's daughter.  Chapter 13 - describes the funeral gathering for Ezeudu and Okonkwo's disgrace.   1. What rituals and customs are involved in Ezeudu's funeral?  2. What crime does Okonkwo commit during the proceedings?  3. What punishment does he receive? Why is this necessary according to the beliefs of the  tribe?

32. At the beginning of the novel we are told that Okonkwo's 'fame rested on solid personal achievements' yet by the end of Part One he has been banished from his community. What do you see as Okonkwo's strengths and weaknesses and how do you explain his change in fortune?

33. Chapter 14: the beginning of Okonkow’s exile in Mbanta. He is helped by his mother’s kismen to build a new farm. His uncle, Uchendu has an important role in the chapter  What progress does Okonkwo make towards establishing his new farm in this chapter?  Comment on the following quotations. What do they show about Okonkwo and the way that his character has changed?  It was like the beginning life anew without the vigour and the enthusiasm of youth, like learning to become left-handed in old age.  He had been cast out of his clan like a fish on to a dry, sandy beach, painting. Clearly his personal god or chi was not made for great things. 4. What lesson does Uchendu try to teach Okonkwo when he calls the family together? What do we learn about Uchendu’s character from what he says?