Last summer, I decided to explore contemporary international literature further when I discovered Chinua Achebe’s African Trilogy, starting with Things Fall Apart, a book about an Igbo warrior’s struggle against British colonialism and the devaluation of his culture. I found this book particularly interesting, as it offered a new, first-person perspective of the effects of European colonialism that no history textbook could really replicate.

The book begins with an introduction to Okonkwo, the main character of this novel, who is a wealthy warrior and a “man of title” in his hometown of Umuofia. From a young age, Okonkwo adopts an opposite view of life to that of his father, Unoka, whom he viewed as weak and “effeminate” due to his laziness and love for the arts. Due to this start, Okonkwo worked as hard as possible to rise above his condition, gaining a rigid worldview as a result.

As the story progresses, Achebe reveals more aspects of pre-colonial Africa through his storytelling. After a funeral ceremony ritual involving a gun salute goes wrong, resulting in the death of a 16-year-old, Okonkwo gets exiled for 7 years to his motherland, Mbanta, as a punishment for his direct involvement. In Mbanta, Okonkwo begins to hear stories from his friend, Obierika, about the arrival of European missionaries. As years pass in exile, Okonkwo witnesses the devaluation of their traditional religious beliefs and values.

Through Okonkwo, Achebe attempts to explore the theme of masculinity as one that is central to the novel, particularly through Okonkwo’s rigid ideals about strength and weakness, which render him stoic to a fault. Okonkwo’s rigid categorization of activities that he considers “feminine” and “masculine,” along with his struggle to remain in control throughout the novel, can ultimately be interpreted as reasons behind his inability to adapt to changing circumstances.

Overall, I found Achebe’s storytelling style, as well as the narrative that this book sends, incredibly powerful. Through his usage of proverbs and an accurate depiction of traditional Igbo culture, Achebe paints a vivid picture of pre-colonial African society and gives the reader a new perspective on the effects of European colonialism. I would recommend this book, as well as the other two books in this trilogy, to anybody who is interested in world history, particularly the history of African literature.