Westernization in Things Fall Apart Essay

Things Fall Apart

In the early days of the Ibo culture, they were happy and satisfied with their way of living. Sadly this all changed when Western ideas started showing up in their villages and changing the lives of many, one of which was already confused about who he was. In Things Fall Apart a young man named Nwoye is the son of one of the greatest men in his village of Umofia. His father, Okonkwo, was such a great leader and warrior. He was an all-around successful man in his culture. Okonkwo was strong, masculine and also very violent. However, Nwoye did not take on any of the characteristics of his father. When the Western missionaries came to the villages, some people accepted them and welcomed them while others disagreed with them. To some the missionaries had no impact on. However the Western ideas did have a huge impact on Nwoye which changed his true self and altered his identity.

Even before the westerners had stepped foot onto Ibo land, Nwoye was and outcast in his society. With his father being so great and successful, Nwoye had a high standard to live up to. One of which he could not match. Okonkwo sees Nwoye as his father, a weak and lazy failure to society. But Okonkwo's hope for Nwoye is lifted once Ikemefuma is introduced into the story. Ikemefuna is like an older brother to Nwoye and the son Okonkwo always wanted. Nwoye starts to learn from Ikemefuna. Nwoye starts to learn how to become more masculine without the intensiveness behind it. Okonkwo finally sees that there is hope for Nwoye and credits it towards Ikemefuna's company;

Okonkwo was inwardly pleased at his sons development, and he knew it was due to Ikemefuna. He wanted Nwoye to grow into a tough young man capable of ruling his fathers household when he was dead and gone to join the ancestors. He wanted him to be a prosperous man, having enough in his barn to feed the ancestors with regular sacrifices. (52-53)

But when the village decides that Ikemefuna must be sacrificed to satisfy the gods, Nwoye is broken down to sadness. Then loses all respect for Okonkwo when joins the village men to kill Ikemefuna. After that, Nwoye strongly questioned his societys culture. He starts to wonder why the customs of the Ibo are so wrong and twisted. Nwoye was once again an outcast, a nonbeliever to his society.

Nwoye was first intrigued by the missionaries and western ideas during Okonkwos exile in Mbanta. The missionaries welcomed everyone to belong to the church especially the outcasts of the society. Nwoye found this comforting. This was the answer to all the questions he was having about his societys customs to culture. He enjoyed being a part of something and started to agree with what they had to say to him. He does not want to be like the Ibo, for they are cruel. He would rather follow what he believes than to be dragged behind something he finds cruel. But when Nwoye decides to take this faith and join it, Okonkwo is very angry and ends up disowning him. Nwoye then travels to a missionary school to learn how to read and write. Okonkwo questions why this happened and denying that Nwoye is his son;

Why, he cried in his heart, should he, Okonkwo, of all people, be cursed with such a son?How then could he have begotten a son like Nwoye, degenerate and effeminate? Perhaps he was not his son. No! he could not be. His wife had played him false But Nwoye resembled his grandfather Unoka How could he have begotten a woman for a son? (152-153)

Okonkwo then after disowned Nwoye and told his five other sons that if they were not going to be a man, that he will break their neck. So, the Western ideas finished the already started tear between son and father. This is the effect of the shaping of the western ideas in the Ibo culture.

The westerners began to mix all of their ideas into the Ibo culture and it started to shape a new community full of western ideas and customs. Then when Okonkwo returns from exile to his home in Umofia, he realizes that they have changed his society to what they wanted it to be. The people now accept the Christians. Okonkwo, being a leader, tried to convince them that they need to drive these colonizers out of their community. However, his fellow community members disagree with him and it drives him to give up and hang himself. This act affects the entire village. Since he committed suicide, cannot have a proper burial; That man was one of the greatest men in Umofia. You drove him to kill himself, and now he will be buried like a dog (208) The western ideas were mixed with Ibo culture to shape different community that could still be shattered.

In the end Nwoye was pulled towards the western ideas and customs and even further away from his family and society. The Ibo had changed along with Nwoye and caused Okonkwo to take his own life. The westerners changed many lives. The Ibo were happy before the colonizers came to their land. Now, they are saddened by all of it.