MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Literary Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Bookpossum · 08-15-2013, 07:55 PM

I keep on thinking about this book, even though I'm cheering myself up with Mapp and Lucia.

While I didn't like Okonkwo at all because of his violence and bullying, which he thought were manly, he was a part of his society. I really admire Achebe for avoiding the trap of portraying the "noble savage" and the pre-colonial way of life as idyllic.

At the same time, I do see the parallels that issybird writes about, particularly in Okonkwo's inability to show any feelings but anger. Even though he did love his children, he didn't know how to be anything but harsh towards them for fear of seeming to be weak. There's something a bit 19th century English about that!

08-15-2013, 07:55 PM	#7
Bookpossum Snoozing in the sun Posts: 10,146 Karma: 115423645 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: iPad Mini, Kobo Touch	I keep on thinking about this book, even though I'm cheering myself up with Mapp and Lucia. While I didn't like Okonkwo at all because of his violence and bullying, which he thought were manly, he was a part of his society. I really admire Achebe for avoiding the trap of portraying the "noble savage" and the pre-colonial way of life as idyllic. At the same time, I do see the parallels that issybird writes about, particularly in Okonkwo's inability to show any feelings but anger. Even though he did love his children, he didn't know how to be anything but harsh towards them for fear of seeming to be weak. There's something a bit 19th century English about that!