Things Fall Apart Study Guide and Discussion Questions

'Things Fall Apart' Study Guide and Discussion Questions Things Fall Apart is a famous novel by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. Its considered an important work in world literature, albeit a controversial one. The book has been banned in some places for its negative portrayal  of European colonialism. The book is split into three parts showing the reader the negative effects of colonization on the main characters tribe. It also shows how Christian missionaries work to convert the African population helped to forever alter their culture. The book was written in 1958 and became one of the first books from Africa to become world renowned. It is seen as an archetype for the modern African novel. This is a recommended book to read in a book club because of the depth of the work. Plot Summary Protagonist Okonkwo becomes a successful farmer and earns titles and respect in his community, even though his father, Unoka, was seen as lazy, making him a disrespected laughingstock. His father is a source of shame for Okonkwo, whos strived to be everything his father has not. Hes domineering over his family as a result, and his overarching desire to always seem manly leads to his downfall. He takes in a ward, given to him to care for as a peace offering to avoid war with the neighboring Mbaino community. An oracle says the boy must be killed, but Okonkwo is advised not to do it. He does it anyway. But its after the accidental killing of a leader in his community that he and his family are exiled for seven years. When they return, they find that much has changed in their community because of white missionaries coming to town. Theyve set up a prison, a European-style court of law, a church, school, and hospital. Okonkwo doesnt understand why the people havent revolted against these oppressors. Then, the benevolent Mr. Brown is replaced by a strict reverend who isnt interested in the peoples existing culture. Violence eventually ensues, and the local leaders are eventually taken down by the colonizers. Okonkwo cannot cope and ends his own life. Main Characters These are the main characters in the novel: Okonkwo: protagonist whose fatal flaw is his inability to adapt to change and his reverence for needing to appear tough and manlyIkemefuna: clever, resourceful boy, ward of Okonkwo, whom he kills to not appear weak; given to Okonkwo to avoid warNwoye: son of Okonkwo, who becomes a Christian, a sensitive boyEzinma: daughter of Okonkwo, bold, her fathers favorite; the only surviving child of EkwefiEkwefi: Okonkwos second wifeUnoka: Okonkwos father, whom Okonkwo strives to be the opposite of; Unoka is lazy and enjoys music and conversation; is gentle, cowardly, and not ambitious; thus, he doesnt have the respect of the townsfolk.Obierika: best friend of OkonkwoOgbuefi Ezeudu: the elder of UmuofiaMr. Brown: missionary to Umuofia and Mbanta; patient, kind, respectful, open-minded person who builds a school and hospital in Umofia and encourages people to become literate to keep up with the rest of the world; represents colonizationthe Rev. James Smith: missionary who contrasts with Mr. Bro wn in that Smith is strict and doesnt compromise; has no interest in the native peoples culture; also represents colonization Major Themes In addition to the themes of the effect of colonization on African society and how cultures clash, there are personal themes as well. Readers can also examine how peoples character leads to their outcomes, such as in the case of how adaptable they are to change or inflexible (character is destiny). An examination of the book can look at human emotions and find commonalities and universals (people are people). The destiny theme can also be examined on a societal level. Achebe illustrates the complexity of the Igbo society and how it functions- unlike the authoritarian encroachers- without a strong central government. Is it destiny for the people to have been conquered, then? You can also examine how the community and people interact to find balance and function as a society. Historical Impact Things Fall Apart has become one of the most important books in African literature, as it was among the first major works to bring the African perspective to a worldwide audience and launched the continents modern literature. It even made Western anthropologists realize theyd been getting the story wrong and led them to a reexamine their methods and scholarship on Africas history and peoples. Though controversial to write a novel in the colonizers language, the book was able to reach more people that way, and Achebe was able to work untranslatable Ibo words into the telling so that people would be able to understand them through context as they read, rather than have a translator not achieve adequate subtleties of meaning. The book awakened pride in history and community for people in Africa and led them to realize that they could tell their own stories and that they were valid. Discussion Questions What is important about the title: Things Fall Apart? Is there a reference in the novel that explains the title?What are the conflicts in Things Fall Apart? What types of conflict (physical, moral, intellectual, or emotional) are present?How does Chinua Achebe reveal character in Things Fall Apart?How do the storys themes relate to the plot and characters?What are some symbols in Things Fall Apart? How do they relate to the plot and characters?Are the characters consistent in their actions? Are they fully developed characters? Are some characters more fully developed than others? How? Why?Do you find the characters likable? Are the characters persons you would want to meet?What is the central/primary purpose of the story? Is the purpose important or meaningful?  Do you think the novel is meant to be political? What point was the author trying to make? Did he succeed?Why is the novel so controversial? Do you think the book should be censored or banned? Should it be taught in schools ? How essential is the setting to the story? Could the story have taken place anywhere else?What is the role of family and community in this novel? How does it change with the arrival of Europeans? How does it change when the missionaries arrive?Does the story end the way you expected? How? Why? What point do you think the author was making with the conclusion of the novel? Does your perspective change knowing there is a sequel?Would you recommend this novel to a friend?How is religion portrayed in this novel? Do you think the Christian missionaries had a positive or negative impact on the characters?Whats important about the time period the novel is set in?Why do you think the authors decision to write the novel in English  rather than his native language caused controversy?What point is the author trying to make about the African identity? What problems  does the author outline? Does he offer solutions?

The Importance of Relevance in Writing an Essay

The Importance of Relevance in Writing an EssayIf you're a student or teacher, you'll want to make sure you know how to explain your subject's relevance in writing an essay. Your essay will come across as well written if you demonstrate your knowledge in the topic on which it's based.Some students may use the topic and choose the least relevant topic to illustrate the purpose of the subject. Others choose the most popular topic to be used, but not necessarily the topic that has the highest relevance. But no matter what you do, the topic of your essay should have relevance.The importance of relevance in writing an essay is very important. It's not enough to select a topic that's popular and most likely to be understood. You need to show readers what the topic is really about by demonstrating its relevance.As with all things, there are many rules of thumb to follow, but for the sake of clarity, I've listed here my own rules. However, there are no hard and fast rules to follow when it c omes to writing an essay. Most students would find these helpful.Essay topic must be based on a subject or topic that is of interest to readers. While this sounds like an obvious point, it's often forgotten when the topic is chosen without having thought about how the reader would relate the topic to the reader.You don't need to dig too deep into your topic in order to have relevance. Just go with the flow of the essay. Use the subject as a jumping off point to make the topic more appealing and presentable.Research is important for good writing. But this does not mean that you have to spend hours searching the net for 'how to researchan essay' e-books. Instead, you can set up a system that enables you to spend as little time as possible searching and gathering information.Once you have found relevant information about the topic, make sure you take the time to organize and outline your essay. When you use this method, you have a much higher chance of getting your essay finished in a short amount of time.

Research Paper Topics on Memory

Research Paper Topics on MemoryThere are lots of research paper topics on memory that you could use to help you write an impressive paper. The following article is going to explain to you the best topics to use so that you can give your writing a bit more substance.When it comes to memory, there is a lot that is just plain wrong. Memory and knowledge are not the same. Let's look at memory first, and then we'll talk about knowledge and how they relate to each other.The brain is a complex organ that is affected by chemicals in the brain. You need to know about how the brain remembers and processes information. The more complicated your brain is, the more important it is to understand its power. Many people have been told over again that they have a problem remembering.So if your memory is in good shape, and if you have been told that you have problems with memory, what do you do? This is a tough question because for some people it is worse than others. It might be a good idea to ask yo urself 'Why do I suffer from poor memory? '.Many people have had to admit that they suffered from memory problems as a child, or as a teenager, or even as an adult. People do need to understand how this happens, and why.There are a few theories out there on how memory problems arise. These theories may be correct, or they may be inaccurate, but let's take a look at some of the more accurate ones.One common belief is that you lose certain memories as you get older. This is probably true, because children often learn differently than adults. Some people will also remember things wrong, or they can't seem to recall things right, so the world is always changing.Sometimes bad memories, such as poor verbal and numerical skills, is an indication that you are having memory problems. If this is the case, then you might want to try reading up on ways to make your memory better. Having a good memory doesn't mean that you have to suffer from memory problems, but you should know what to do if yo u do.

Can I Use I Statements As Essay Writing?

Can I Use I Statements As Essay Writing?I recently heard a question on a college admissions interview from a student who had never used i statements before. In her case, she had never used statements at all when she was in high school.Let's say that your parents took you to the store and bought you some candy. It turns out that you have a love of sweets. What would you write on a cookie sheet in your bedroom? You may be tempted to write 'my favorite candy'my favorite sweet'.What about chocolate chip cookies? Can you imagine your mother writing something like 'I know how much you love your chocolate chip cookies'?Well, that is not the best way to show affection for someone, and it is certainly not going to be very helpful if you are asking for an admission letter or an academic scholarship. In fact, if your future employer reads your essay, he or she is more likely to call you and ask what kind of teacher you were!For example, what would you write if you were discussing social intelli gence or reasoning or logical constructs? How about the facts that your parents left you the most important key to open the door for your chance at a good school, and that no matter what you did, it is never too late to take steps to change your future? Or that a study shows that much of the intelligence that you use comes from reading? You may want to include those facts.And what if your teacher sent you a statement from the child development center and asked you to take a test? Would you include that? Those are valid questions, and they are best left for your teacher to ask you.The more positive statement that you include will make your essay much more persuasive to admissions committees and teachers alike. The less positive statement will go unnoticed by your potential employers. Good luck with your life and essay writing!