Tradition And Modernity in Sub-Saharan Africa: Insights from Achebe’s Things Fall Apart

Abstract

Things Fall Apart is a fascinating novel written in an elegant style that offers a lot of original insights into the Igbo society (Nigeria) from which the author, Chinua Achebe, originates. Two such insights deserve special mention. First, the detailed description of the pre-colonial society escapes conventional characterizations, appearing as both pervaded by harmful customs and supernatural beliefs, on the one hand, and the locus of personal achievements and competition on the economic, social, and political levels, on the other hand. Second, the shock between tradition and modernity caused by the irruption of British colonial rule is painted in ambivalent colors that essentially depict the ensuing deep division of the existing social fabric. This division is not caused by the establishment of trading posts, which bring benefits to many local inhabitants, but by the distant rule of the colonists and, above all, by the new values and religious practices of the white missionaries. The latter’s stern rejection of the most oppressive social customs inexorably entices those people who suffered most from them or deemed them an impediment to progress. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.