Book reviews

Things Fall Apart
Chinua Achebe Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography Video
Chinua Achebe Books
New book search
Chinua Achebe Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of Things Fall Apart
"The modern tragedy of Okonkwo, an Igbo farmer who has risen out of a disreputable family by his atheltic talents and hard work. His entire life is motivated by a fear of failure, failing like his poor father. Tragic events mount one upon another, culminating in the arrival of white men and the irreversible change of Okonkwo's world."
Daniel, Resident Scholar

" This story is about the life of Okonkwo, an up and comming leader of an Igbo village in Africa. He is willing to do anything to maintain his social status, no matter the suffering that it causes himself and those around him.
Everything that Okonkwo holds dear becomes threatened after an accidental shooting. Okonkwo must flee with his family from his beloved village for seven years, losing the life that he worked so hard to gain.
He gets through his seven years of exile only to go back home and discover that everything has changed. White missionaries have come to convert Africa to their ways."

Jess , Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Things Fall Apart
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book? - thoughtful
Time/era of story - 19th century
Inside culture (main char) - Black
Internal struggle/realization? Yes
Struggle over - vague finding self/purpose in life (i.e. no plot to book)
Culture clash? - Being oppressed by outside culture
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Outside culture (society) - African Black
If story of urban/rural... - Small town life
Coping with loss of loved one(s) Yes
Loss of... - child/children
Ethnic/regional/gender life Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - farmer
Age: - 40's-50's
Eccentric/Mental Yes
Eccentric: - emotionally unstable
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
Ethnicity/Nationality - Black
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings - mean, arrogant
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - an organization
Profession/status: - religious figure
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a little/some

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 4 ()
Africa Yes
Kind of Africa: - Black Africa
Forest? Yes

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment - moderately detailed references to deaths
Unusual Style: - a lot of play on words - a lot of flashback and forwards - a lot of stream of consciousness
Amount of dialog - little dialog
Most similar books to Things Fall Apart
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
The Feast of All Saints by Anne Rice
A Day to Pick Your Own Cotton by Michael Phillips
Sartoris by William Faulkner
Bukavu by Rukhsar Sharif


Click here for more information about this book


Chinua Achebe Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Jess   

SCHOLARS:
Anelisa Ngcakani  


Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Literature books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Animal story

Crime & Police story

Ethnic/regional/gender life

Exploring into the wild

Family, caring for ill

Family, loving relations

Family, struggle with

Internal struggle/realization?

Job/Profession/Status story

Kids growing up/acting up?

Political/social activism

Poverty, surviving

Pregnancy/Child rearing

Religion theme?

Romance/Romance Problems

Sports Story?

War/Revolt/Disaster on civilians



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Feedback


Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Suzanne Weyn 10:35:23 PM
George W. Bush 5:33:46 PM
Kin Platt 12:58:29 AM
Anonymous 12:47:34 PM
Lilian Jackson Braun 10:05:52 PM
Jane Rubino 10:04:38 PM
LaVyrle Spencer 10:04:00 PM
G.A. McKevett 10:03:31 PM
David Williams 10:03:01 PM
Steven Pressfield 10:02:30 PM
Jeanette Walls 10:00:19 PM
Darryl Ponicsan 9:59:27 PM
Ann Rinaldi 9:58:30 PM
R.L. Stine 9:57:34 PM
Geoffrey Huntington 9:57:14 PM
Betty Mahmoody 9:56:38 PM
Deric Longden 9:56:11 PM
Mary Downing Hahn 9:55:48 PM
Iris Johansen 9:55:24 PM
Marlo Morgan 9:54:58 PM

More message boards