Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart and Arrow of God: a re-evaluation

Abstract

Some literary critics of Achebe's novels, among who are Joseph Swann (1990) and C. L. Innes (1990) consider Things Fall Apart (1958) and Arrow of God (1964) to be mirrors in which the social, political and cultural realities of the Igbo people and even of Africa in general, can be seen. But considering the context in which the novels were written-Africa was being defiled by a certain category of European intellectuals and writers-could Achebe be an unbiased interpreter of such realities, or did he simply use his art with a view to beguiling his readers into watching and understanding what he wanted them to see and grasp about his culture? The present article tries to re-read Things Fall Apart and Arrow of God by presenting the two main protagonists, Okonkwo and Ezeulu, not as heroes, as has been the case so far, but simply as anti-heroes, who embody in actual fact, neither the intrinsic values of traditional Igbo society, nor its ideals and aspirations.

Lwati: A Journal of Contemporary Research Vol. 1 2004: 1-13