1. Things Fall Apart Presenters: Hilary Deuser, Shelby Ritchie, and Sam Watkins

2. Albert Chinualumogu Achebe  November 16, 1930: Born in Ogidi, Nigeria to Isaiah Okafo and Janet N. Achebe.  September 10, 1961: Married Christie Chinwe Okoli.  Four children  Parents were devout Protestants.  Christened him after Prince Albert.  Paralyzed from waist down in 1990.

3. Achebe  Attended Government College  Founder of new literature.  The finest of the Nigerian novelists.  Among the best novelists now writing in the English language.  Able to avoid imitating the trends in English literature.

4. Achebe  Believes any good story should have a message.  Feel for African context influence him.  First Nigerian writer to successfully transmute the conventions of the novel into African literature.

5. Ibo Background  SE Nigeria  1900-Protectorate of Southern Nigeria  Independence from Britain – 1960  Republic of Biafra – 1967  Civil War – thousands killed

6. Ibo Culture  Language  Niger-Congo  Kwa  Holidays  Family Life  Food  Employment

7. Impact of the Europeans  Laws and trials  Rituals  Marriage  Food  Leadership  Social status

8. Beliefs  Chukwu  Chi  Minor Gods  Mmo and Egwugwu

9. Beliefs  Titles  Marriage  Uri  Isa-ifi  Religion

10. Okonkwo  Leader  Fear of weakness  Tragic hero  “manly” vs. “unmanly”

11. Themes  Masculinity  Fate and Freewill  Tribal belief  Fear  Social Disintegration  Struggle between change and tradition

12. Role of Women  Perceived as weak lesser people.  Sadly oppressed with no power.  Terribly mistreated and beaten.  No respect outside of role as mother or wife.  Played an inferior role in society.  Priestess

13. Title  “The Second Coming” by William Butler Yeats  Chaos brought by European/Christian invasion  Change

14. Title “ 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.” https://www.youtube.com/watc h?v=CT3mxK-oVgU

15. Commentary  Why is it important?  World is changing  Learn to adapt  Need to adapt to survive  What makes it good literature?  Style-tragedy  Subject  How successful was Achebe in breaking the stereotype?  Gave African Americans a voice

16. Works Cited  “Background on the Ibo (historically Igbo) Culture.”4 Nov. 2008..  “Chinua Achebe (1930).”2002.4 Nov. 2008..  “Chinua Achebe’s Biography and Style.”4 Nov. 2008..  Hiatt, Kimberly.”The Role of Women in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart.”5 June 2006.4 Nov. 2008..  “Igbo.”World Cultures.2008.4 Nov. 2008..  Lystad, Robert A.“Ibo.”Encyclpedia Americana.2001.  “Major Themes.”GradeSaver.2008.5 Nov. 2008..  Papers on Things Fall Apart and European Influence and similar term paper topics.”AcaDemon.7 Nov. 2008..  “Things Fall Apart.”Sparknotes.2008.4 Nov. 2008..  “Title: Things Fall Apart.”2008.4 Nov. 2008..  “What is the Origin of the Term Things Fall Apart?”WiseGeek.2008.4 Nov. 2008..