Farzane Oruji

Dr. Eslamie

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30 Dec. 2024

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe: a Critical Analysis Based on Empire

writes back model

What does the book Empire Writes Back Model refer to?

Basically, it's a way of looking at

post-colonial literature, books written by

people from countries that were once

colonized by other nations (like, say, Nigeria,

which was colonized by the British). These

writers weren't just telling stories; they were

actively responding to the colonial power that

had shaped their world. They're using the

colonizer's language (often English) but

twisting it to serve their own purposes. It's

about reclaiming narratives, challenging

stereotypes, and exploring the complex

impact of colonialism.
 What each of these literatures has in

common beyond their special and distinctive regional characteristics is that they emerged in their

present form out of the experience of colonization and asserted themselves by foregrounding the

tension with the imperial power, and by emphasizing their differences from the assumptions of

the imperial center. It is this which makes them distinctively post-colonial (Ashcroft et al. 2).

Things Fall Apart: A Literary Reversal of

Colonial Narratives

Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

is not merely a story of a fictional Igbo man,

Okonkwo; it's a powerful act of literary

decolonization that perfectly aligns with the

"empire writes back" model. Achebe

strategically uses the very language of the

colonizer, English, to construct a narrative

that challenges the dehumanizing and

simplistic representations of Africa often

produced by Western writers. Rather than

portraying the Igbo society as "primitive" or

"uncivilized," Achebe offers an intricate and

deeply human portrayal of the culture, its

Irele (2000) has also critiqued Things Fall Apart. He has comprehensively

discussed Achebe's portrayal of Igbo culture and society. It is a great and wonderful

study, but many of his positions and assertions, especially about the issues of colonial encounter

and the character of Okonkwo need to be re-examined and re-visited. Irele has referred to the

double cultural experience of Achebe, but has not said much about this as Achebe's major

limitation regarding his handling of the colonial encounter. He has focused on the artistic

achievements of Achebe as a novelist of great merit and the presentation of the novel as a

counter fiction and literature of resistance, which is very debatable.

Reclaiming the Narrative Voice

One of the most significant ways

Achebe "writes back" is by giving voice to

the Igbo people. He doesn't just show them as

objects of British conquest; he allows them to

speak for themselves, to articulate their

values, beliefs, and conflicts. This is a direct

rebuttal to colonial narratives that often

portrayed Africans as passive or incapable of

complex thought. For example, in the novel,

Achebe showcases the importance of

language, proverbs, and storytelling as central

“Among the Ibo the art of conversation is

regarded very highly, and proverbs are the

palm-oil with which words are eaten.”

(Chapter 1).

Here we see Achebe showing the

richness of the language and the importance

of how a person speaks in the Igbo culture.

This shows that there is indeed a very

complex system of thought.

This is also a clear example of how the

"empire writes back" since the colonizers

viewed the African people as simple,

unintelligent, and incapable of complex

thinking. Achebe provides an example of the

complex and sophisticated use of language by

the Igbo people to counter the colonizers

narratives.

"If a child washed his hands he could eat

with kings." (Chapter 6)

“When the moon is shining the cripple

By highlighting the eloquence of Igbo

language and culture, Achebe is asserting the

value and sophistication of a world that had

been dismissed by colonizers.

Innes (2007) has commented upon Things Fall Apart in the context of Achebe's

portrayal of pre-colonial Igbo history. His reading of the novel is done in comparison to

Conrad's portrayal of Africa (2005). Innes has highlighted the changes that take place in

Igbo culture with the arrival of the white settlers. It is a wonderful study and is expected to be

very fruitful for the comprehensive and exhaustive analysis and re-reading of Things Fall Apart

(Intro. 2014).

Challenging Colonial Stereotypes

The novel actively challenges the

stereotypes that were often attached to

African societies. The Igbo society, before the

arrival of the British, is not portrayed as a

land of savagery but as a complex and

structured society with elaborate traditions,

social structures, and value systems. Achebe

carefully illustrates the roles of family,

community, religion, and agriculture,

The complexity of Igbo society is

represented in all forms including their

religious system, their legal system, their

economic system, and even their sports and

entertainment.

“Okonkwo was a wealthy farmer and had two

barns full of yams” (Chapter 1)

“The drums were still beating, persistent and

unchanging. Their sound was no longer a

separate thing from the living village. It was

like the pulsation of its heart.”(Chapter 12)

This portrays a vibrant and complex

society, rather than the primitive society often

portrayed by colonial narratives. This is

Achebe's way of saying "you think we are

barbarians? Well here's an example of a

complex society and rich culture that you

completely ignore!"
 He is a great survivor and achiever. Okonkwo has brought honour and glory to his village.

Okonkwo occupies the central position in the narrative. This is typical of any postcolonial text,

as suggested by Ralph J. Crane (1992), a known postcolonial critic and theorist. This situates the

novel in the tradition of the postcolonial literature. However, unlike other postcolonial writers,

for example Narayan (2000), he presents the flaws of his protagonist instead of the colonialists

(3).

Furthermore, the character of

Okonkwo, while flawed, is shown as a man

shaped by his culture, not by some inherently

"primitive" nature. His strengths and his

weaknesses are a product of his society, and

he is not reduced to a simple stereotype.

Achebe shows how Okonkwo is influenced

by his personal experiences, his fear of failure

and weakness, which are relatable qualities

that show the reader the humanness of this

man.

“He was a man of action, a man of war.

Unlike his father he could stand the look of

blood. In this way Okonkwo’s character was

clearly different from his father’s” (Chapter

This quote clearly shows that

Okonkwo’s actions and personality are

developed from his culture and experiences,

and not simply that he is savage because he is

African.

Achebe also does not shy away from

showcasing the internal conflicts of the Igbo

people and the societal flaws, for example the

mistreatment of twins. Achebe does not

present a picture of a utopic society. Showing

the flaws is important to humanize the society

and give it dimensions of both positive and

negative attributes. This does away with the

colonial narrative of describing African

societies in simplistic black and white terms.

“Whenever twins were born, they were put in

earthenware pots and thrown away in the

forest” (Chapter 6)

The Tragedy of Colonialism

“Things Fall Apart” is not just a

scathing critique of colonialism. Achebe

masterfully depicts the destructive impact of

British intervention on Igbo society. The

arrival of the missionaries and the colonial

administration brings not just new religions

and governance, but also a clash of cultures

that leads to the disintegration of the

traditional social fabric. The missionaries,

while presenting themselves as benevolent,

are shown as agents of cultural destruction:

“They had built their church there, won a

handful of converts and were already sending

evangelists to the surrounding villages”

(Chapter 20).

British colonial administrators, provoked by missionaries on the one

hand and fears of native insubordination on the other, discovered an ally in English literature to

support them in maintaining control of the natives under the guise of a liberal education

(Viswanathan 1987: 17).

Achebe illustrates how the people who

and not the most influential members of

society.

“He had won a handful of converts, and had

built his church there” (Chapter 20)

And it’s not just about religion. The

imposition of a foreign legal system and the

undermining of traditional authority create

confusion, resentment, and eventually,

resistance. The tragedy of Okonkwo's

downfall is representative of the larger

tragedy experienced by the Igbo people under

colonial rule:

“He knew that Umuofia would not go to war.

He knew because they had let the other

messengers escape. They had broken into

tumult instead of action. He discerned fright

in the tumult. He heard voices asking, “Why

did he do it?” (Chapter 25)

This quotation illustrates that the

people were shocked by Okonkwo's behavior

applauding him. This shows that the system

has been changed, the people have accepted

the new order, and they have become weak,

unable to fight against the colonizers.

By showcasing the devastation wrought

by colonialism, Achebe compels his readers

to confront the uncomfortable truth of its

impact, challenging the often romanticized

narratives of colonial expansion.

A Post-Colonial Assertion

In conclusion, Achebe's Things Fall

Apart is a powerful example of "empire

writing back." Achebe reclaims agency by

using the colonizer's language to tell a story

from the perspective of those who were

colonized. He challenges the stereotypes and

dominant narratives that were propagated by

colonial power and asserts the richness and

complexity of African societies. His work

poignant portrayal of the devastating

consequences of colonization. Through this

text, Achebe not only shares his culture with

the world but makes a definitive contribution

to post-colonial literature.

Works Cited

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences (PJSS).

Vol. 34, No. 1 (2014), pp. 371-381

Ayub Jajja, Mohammad, and Mamuna Ghani,

and et al. Things Fall Apart: Chinua

Achebe Writes Back to the Centre