things change Essay - 620 Words

The book Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe tells the story about a native living in Africa during the period of European imperialism. By placing the book during this time period Achebe can first explain traditional Ibo culture and then talk about the effect that the white European evangelists had on Ibo society. The book dispels the commonly held view of Africans before colonization as savage and godless beings. Achebe explains the very advanced social order in Umuofia and the complex Ibo religion. In bringing together what I have learned about Europe and Africa during the time of Imperialism I will draw a comparison between the two continents politically, religiously, and economically. Europe was ruled by a set of very powerful and†¦show more content†¦There were a collection of gods for different occurrences in nature and life, such as rain and fertility. Overall the religion was adapted to a suit the agrarian-based tribal society. The Ibo religion contained a lot of superstition and strange rituals, which I think made its followers more vulnerable to Christian influence. The Europeans built their church on land that was supposed to be cursed, but when nothing happened to them a few people started to question their current beliefs. Overall, I think the main reason that the village and so many others all converted to Christianity was due primarily to social and economic pressures and not a change in religious views from being â€Å"enlightened† by the Christians. The economy of Umuofia and the surrounding villages was a very advanced one. The main products grown were yams, and Cowry shells were used as the main currency. In addition there was a large market where all the tribes could trade amongst themselves. This system of towns and then centralized markets was pretty similar to that in Europe at the time and was perfectly suited for the environment. In Europe most people’s lot in life was determined by their parent’s wealth and status in society. In Umuofia Okonkwo was able to build up a large and prosperous farm and family even though his father was always in debt and was accorded little respect in the community. In many ways the economy ofShow MoreRelatedSwitch : How Change Things When Change Is Hard851 Words   |  4 PagesThe book Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard, by Chip Heath Dan Heath is a book that has inspired it’s readers to become activists in their own lives, by showing them that it is poss ible to change if they do not want to live in their current situation. It gives readers methods and approaches about the best way to be activists, not only in their own lives, but also in the lives of the individuals around them. In writing this book, the author is trying to convey the message that we doRead MoreChange and Emotions in The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien and â€Å"Cathedral, by Raymond Carver975 Words   |  4 Pagessaid, â€Å"The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.† This quote relates to Lieutenant Jimmy Cross from the short story â€Å"The Things They Carried,† by Tim O’Brien and the narrator from â€Å"Cathedral,† by Raymond Carver in that they both change. Lieutenant Cross gets distracted by Martha, a girl he is in love with, during the War and one of his man dies. The narrator from Carver’s short story gets jealous about a blind man his wife usedRead MoreSome People Prefer to Spend Their Lives Doing the Same Things and Avoiding Changes.Others However Think That Change Is Always a Good Thing.967 Words   |  4 PagesChanges are always inevitable in life and it provides challenges, which makes one fulfilled and energetic. In today’s era all things have developed with technical and scientific breakthroughs more rapidly than our expectations. This has become possible because of adapting new ideas and innovations. Our day to day lives have become very convenient; something or the other keeps changing and everyday some thing new keeps cropping up. Furthermore due to a demanding lifestyle the world needs to adaptRead MoreThe Effects Of Change On Society : The God Of Small Things By Arundhati Roy1547 Words   |  7 Pages The Effects of Change on Society Learning about history showed that most people enforced the ideas of law on their families. The same beliefs and customs that some parents and grandparents were raised on, they made it necessary that it was instilled within their children. History showed just how difficult it was for children/ young adults to be raised under such conditions. History is a tough thing to forget but accepting change can also have a positive effect on everyone and enforce a new wayRead MoreSocial Changes in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Essay1140 Words   |  5 PagesSocial Changes in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe In the book Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, we are able to read about the social changes the white missionaries had on an African tribe. Mr. Achebe describes the way of life before the missionaries arrived and then records some of the changes, which occurred due to the changed belief system introduced by these missionaries. Soon after the missionaries began to teach the tribal people about the Christian faith, their tribal customsRead MoreOkonkwo’s Resistance to Change in  Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart1458 Words   |  6 Pages The character of Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe’s  Things Fall Apart  was driven by fear, a fear of change and losing his self-worth. He needed the village of Umuofia, his home, to remain untouched by time and progress because its system and structure were the measures by which he assigned worth and meaning in his own life. Okonkwo required this external order because of his childhood and a strained relationship with his father, which was also the root of his fears and subsequent drive for success. WhenRead More Resistance to Change in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay1986 Words   |  8 Pages   Achebes novel Things Fall Apart chronicles the life of an individual whose carefully constructed world crumbles as his culture is assimilated into a colonizing society. This character, Okonkwo, is prestigious within his community, and in most respects views himself and is viewed by his neighbors as an honorable man. Yet for all his seeming honor, Okonwko self-destructs when his world begins to change. Although the value system held by Okonkwos village may differ somewhat from that heldRead MoreCultural Change Explored in Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe 1868 Words   |  8 Pageshuman beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives†. This quotation effectively illustrates how change in one’s attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs can alter the environment in which one lives. This concept is clearly demonstrated throughout the novel Things Fall Apart, authored by Chinua Achebe, by establishing a connection throug h the development of its characters and the change in traditional African tribal villages seen in the Nineteenth CenturyRead MoreEssay about How the Tribe Changes in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe540 Words   |  3 PagesThings fall apart by Chinua Achebe like any other novel has its changes and progressions. When the novel first starts out it talks about Unoka. Then it goes to his son Okonokwo who is the main character and who the book is mainly about. It then talks about Nwoye who is the son of Okonokwo. Another is Ikemefuna who has to live in this village because of a crime who his father commits. It shows how much the tribe changes during these years and how it affects the lives of these four men. First itRead MoreWars Changes Things, And Big Wars Change Things A Lot1889 Words   |  8 PagesAndrew Adair Mr. Ruane American History 7 April 2016 The 1920s â€Å"Wars change things, and big wars change things a lot.† That statement became all to true for our society in America. The 1920s was the first modern break through from the olden times before the war, to the new modern times that we still see in effect today. Let us first dive into and examine the reasons how the so-called â€Å"roaring twenties† came to be. It began with many events leading up to the decade; one of them was the ending of