A major theme of Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart is culture clash, or inter-cultural conflict generated by unprecedented interactions between two cultures. This theme is not only illustrated through the characters, syntax, diction, and plot of Achebe's piece, but also through the construction of the work itself.
In traditional Western literature, there are certain expectations of the novel as a literary form. Characters and plots are meant to develop in a sure, expected manner; details are meant to be linear, clearly and pointedly developing one after another.
This is sharply contrasted against Igbo cultural norms, which Achebe represents in his literature. Igbo culture, its proverbs, parables, and traditions, are perceived by Western characters, and indeed by many Western readers, as indirect, unnecessary, and frustrating.
By integrating Igbo tradition into a Western literary form, Achebe's novel embodies this major theme of his work, culture clash.
No comments:
Post a Comment