The clan has a very defined and fair structure which allows any man who is hard working and deserving to prosper as far as he is willing to go regardless of his family background. Achebe states “that a man was judged according to his worth not the worth of his father”. Achebe later reinforces this point with a strong metaphor.
“If a child washed his hands he could eat with kings”
With this point Achebe effectively shows yet again that in some respects Ibo culture appears to be fairer than that of the white colonists. In England in the late 1800’s there was a clear segregation between the social classes. It would have been almost impossible for a man coming from a similar background to Okonkwo ( one of poverty and laziness ) in England at this time to rise to any kind of social stature in his society. Both of the above points show how Achebe effectively shows that the Ibo culture is a civilized and fair one. He even goes as far as to suggest that some of the Ibo customs and ways of dealing with disputes may even be superior.
Achebe uses Okonkwo to show that as with any civilization there are violent individuals but this is not due to the Ibo culture it is purely due to his poor childhood and is part of his nature. I do however feel that it is a mistake by Achebe to show how lightly violent offenders such as Okonwo are dealt with. This shows bias and that the Ibo culture does not totally condemn violence and quite often turns a blind eye to it. This is a fault in the culture but on the other hand it would be foolish of Achebe to portray the Ibo culture as a faultless ideal one.
Achebe uses the first fourteen chapters in much of the same way, he makes points like the above and leaves the reader to make comparisons which effectively challenge the colonist society. He also uses these chapters to explain and define the Ibo culture. This may seem irrelevant to the actual theme of the novel however this could not be further from the truth. This first part of the novel is used by Achebe to show that the Ibo culture may be very different but is still extremely civilized and if left alone would have been more than capable of surviving. He illustrates this through countless examples mainly through the life of Okonkwo using Okonkwo to air personal views and as an extreme. The personal use of Okonkwo allows Achebe to use a descriptive style of impersonal commentary, which allows the reader to gain a real feel of what life was like in Umuofia. This understanding within the reader helps create sympathy during the second part of the book and helps reinforce how the white men destroyed a civilization. This is the reason behind the detailed insight into Ibo culture.
It is also interesting to note in chapter nineteen how the Ibo can welcome back an erring member once he has paid for his crime. In many cultures Okonkwo would be treated as an outcast, but this culture has ways of accommodating such a person without destroying him, and in fact encouraging him to give of his best. This again shows the Ibo to be fairer than the colonists. The comparison being that a criminal in the late 1800’s in England would find it extremely hard to shake off prejudice and be fully accepted back into society after serving his punishment.
In chapter fourteen we get the first direct introduction to the colonialists. The story is a chilling one of how an entire village was destroyed for killing one white man. This shows the reader the brutality of the white colonists. Yet again Achebe poses the question, “Are the Ibo really the primitive ones?”
The arrival of Mr Brown as a harmless missionary is the first hand experience the people of Umuofia have with the white men. Mr Brown is a gentle unthreatening man who treats the Umuofians with respect. He even becomes accepted by the elders of the clan. They may not agree with his beliefs and customs but they find him amusing and like him as a person. The way the elders accept Mr Brown as a person and don’t heavily discriminate against him because of his beliefs shows how civilized they are. Achebe shows that the Ibo are willing to respect Mr Brown’s beliefs and make no real effort to restrain his religious practise. The Ibo treat Mr brown the same way that he treats them again showing a civilized attitude. Some Ibo people such as Okokwo and his friend Obierika do not approve of this and forsee the destruction of the clan.
“We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart”
This is possibly the most famous quotation of the novel and underlines their thoughts and fears. Achebe shows how the white men penetrate the clan from within and begin to crack its foundations.
The departure of Mr Brown is a turning point and is where Okonwo’s fears begin to come true. Despite this it could be said that the clan evolved rather than eroded.
“There were many men and women in Umuofia who did not feel as strongly as Okonkwo”
This shows that many people didn’t feel threatened by the white men and felt they could benefit from the arrival of the white man.
“He had also built a trading store and for the first time palm oil and kernel became things of great price.”
The arrival of the Reverend James Smith is a turning point in the novel. He has no respect for the Ibo beliefs and openly condemns them in public. This disrespect for the Ibo culture along with the actions of his most fanatical follower Enoch, provoke the Egwugwu to burn down his church. This in turn leads to the District Commissioner’s punishment of the Egwugwu. They are deceived and humiliated. Okonkwo “swore revenge”. The fine set by the District Commisioner is increased by the court messengers and shows the corruption of the white men which never existed on such a scale in Umuofia. Achebe is highlighting yet again that in some respects the Ibo culture is purer and more civilized. After this incident it is clear to foresee the end of the novel and what happens to Okonkwo. He ends the novel as a martyr. On the other hand, depending on the reader, he could also be seen as a casualty of evolution.
During the novel Achebe does his best to show the destruction of a civilization. He spends a large proportion of the novel establishing the civilization to create the feeling and sympathy within the reader. He uses emotion to sway the reader into feeling that the white men destroy a pure and natural civilisation. He does this very effectively as shown during this essay and creates sympathy. However I cannot but help feel that the novel could also be interpreted as a fiction of the evolution of tribal culture. This is emphasized by the fact that both sides commit crimes towards one another. It is true to say that the white men disturbed and invaded the Africans for reasons of greed that are completely unjustified. However the story is only told through the eyes of a strong rooted Ibo idealist (Okonkwo) whose views are in places somewhat extreme. Achebe successfully gives a good account of colonialisation and it’s casualties and through this effectively portays the influence the white men had on traditional Ibo society.
Bibliography
- Chinua Achebe, “Things Fall Apart”
- Joseph Conrad, “The Heart Of Darkness”