A Comparison of the Culture of Things Fall Apart and Western Culture :: comparison compare contrast essays

The Culture of Things F all t old Apart vs. western sandwich Culture       Many societies open beliefs rooted deep in ancient religion. Some beliefs include polygamy, polytheism, and patriarchy, or rule by men. One such culture is that of Achebes Things Fall Apart. Polytheism and polygamy are custom in the clan, and the role of each family member is very defined. The men are overly domineering. The women and children are treated poorly and often beaten. disembodied spirit in Achebes Umuofia would seem very different to someone living in modern day America.   Chinua Achebes 1959 novel, Things fall Apart, takes place in the 1890s, just onwards British colonization. The novel focuses on the nine Ibo-speaking villages of Umuofia, which is Ibo for People of the Forest. Umuofia is the village in which Okonkwo, Achebes protagonist, prospers in everything and is able to secure his manly position in the tribe. today known as Nigeria, this land was a primiti ve agricultural golf club completely run by men. Umuofia was known, and as Achebe says, ...feared by all its neighbors. It was almighty in war and in magic, and priests and medicine men were feared in all the surrounding country (11). Perhaps, its most strengthful and feared magic was called ... agadi- nwayi, or old woman it had its shrine in the centre of Umuofia ... if anyone was so foolhardy as to pass by the shrine past dusk he was veritable to see the old woman(12). The people of Umuofia are very attached to their religion and their magic. These ancient beliefs were believed to give the people some sort of power over their oppressors.   One custom of Umuofia that would be very different from Western culture is Polygamy, the practice of having some(prenominal) wives. This custom is practiced in the connected nine villages of Umuofia. In fact, a mans wealth is partially measured by the number of wives he has. A wealthy man described in Things Fall Apart, h ad nine wives and thirty children. Okonkwo had three wives and eight children.   Polygamy is not something many Americans are accustomed to. Western culture teaches that monogamy, as opposed to polygamy, is the proper, sure form of marriage. Western culture places that morality into its people, often from youth.