Class Collaboration on TFA - Comparisons of Chapters

Comparisons between allocated chapters and Chapter 25:

Khierah -
Comparison of Chapters 8 and 25
What are the similarities and differences between the two chapters and what impact has this had on your understanding of the story and the overall invited reading?
There aren’t any similarities between the two chapters, except for fact that men are of a higher status compared to women. However this chapter only refers to the Ibo tribe and not the Europeans. Whilst this chapter is only about the Ibo tribe, and their respect for men and women. Men and women are seen as completely different people with different traits, which is the only similarity to the 25th chapter.
Comparison of Chapters 20 and 25
At the end of Chapter 20, Obierika points out that there is no way that the white man will be able to understand Umuofia’s customs without understanding its language. This idea mirrors one of Achebe’s purposes in writing Things Fall Apart: the book serves not only to remind the West that Africa has language and culture but also to provide an understanding of Igbo culture through language. Achebe shows us the extent to which cultural and linguistic structures and practices are intertwined, and he is able to re-create in English the cadences, images, and rhythms of the speech of the Igbo people. By the time things begin to “fall apart,” it becomes clear that what the colonialists have unravelled is the complex Igbo culture.


Julianna -
Comparison of chapter 12, 24 and 25:
The Ibo tribe and its members in chapters 12, 24 and 25 are seen as powerless and weak in comparison to the Europeans. In chapter 25, Okonkwo kills himself and Obierika is heartbroken. Okonkwo individually however was seen as brave and ready to battle and fight in chapters in 12 and 24. This is contrasted in chapter 25 because he kills himself and has to be “buried like a dog.” (Page183) Women are not mentioned in chapter 24 or 25 which shows a sense of unimportance and isolation. This is proved in chapter 12 because women are only used for cooking food for men to eat and to take care of the children whom they produce. Men on the other hand are seen as strong and full of fight. When Okonkwo kills himself it goes against this idea and he is seen as weak and somewhat evil even though he was a very important man in Umuofia.