The killing of Ikemefuna, Okonkwo drinking palm wine or liquid from a human head, spousal beatings and the caste system all reinforces the notion that Africans are a bunch of savages. Would you agree with me or not?

I do not

its a book at least to me that shows the struggle between change and tradition how much is good and how much is toxic for a society.every culture has it good and bad u just mentioned the bad ones

Brisingr:

I do not

its a book at least to me that shows the struggle between change and tradition how much is good and how much is toxic for a society.every culture has it good and bad u just mentioned the bad ones

What were the good ones mentioned in the book? From my understanding, it appears that the author is trying to blame the missionaries for ushering in instability into an otherwise peaceful and stable society. But tell me this, how can the killing of humans be justified, like the death of Ikemefuna, or Okonkwo drinking from a human head? If the author was attempting to portray a peaceful society where order and structure reigned, then his inclusion of these incidents runs counter to it and actually portrays Africans as a bunch of savages

the missionaries meddling destroyed the stability in umofia.Blood sacrifices and warring used to be part of the culture of the people of west Africa at this particular era in which the book is based it might have been abolished with time but we will neva know thanks to missionaries.Trying to portray a utopian society was never the motive of the author but rather a society with it share of bad and good

Brisingr:

the missionaries meddling destroyed the stability in umofia.Blood sacrifices and warring used to be part of the culture of the people of west Africa at this particular era in which the book is based it might have been abolished with time but we will neva know thanks to missionaries.Trying to portray a utopian society was never the motive of the author but rather a society with it share of bad and good

So, which would you prefer, the arrival of the missionary which put an end to these blood sacrifices and the caste system or the perpetuation of these inhumanities.

Things fall apart was a response to Joseph Conrad's Heart of darkness, according to Achebe. What he tries to do is paint an unbiased picture of life before colonialism through the eyes of an African.

His use of proverbs and vivid descriptions of traditions makes Things fall apart unique. It is not necessarily the best book in Africa, but it is one that has great significance.

Which other Nigerian or even African writer has given such a rich description of village life?

As for the killings, he was simply showing all aspects of the culture both good and bad.

There is no gain saying the fact the 'things fall apart' is one of the best novels in Africa. Be that as it may, it portrays a very rich African culture and traditions. There way of life is vividly depicted in such a way that one will clearly see the richness and uniqueness of the Africans. It should also be pointed out that no culture is without its pros and cons. What is most important is that we should pass the good part of these culture and tradition to our future generation. The question of whether the missionaries have done us well or bad is an issue of colonization and they should be credited for that. At for exposing us! What we should do is to divest ourselves from Western category by picking the good ones among and jettisoning the bad ones.
To me, which is subjective though, Achebe is not trying to show the barbaric or inhuman nature of Africans, rather, he intends to show the richness of Africa. By my usage of richness, it does not hang on weather right or wrong but uniqueness of it. also note that right and wrong is subjective.

kunlenki:

There is no gain saying the fact the 'things fall apart' is one of the best novels in Africa. Be that as it may, it portrays a very rich African culture and traditions. There way of life is vividly depicted in such a way that one will clearly see the richness and uniqueness of the Africans. It should also be pointed out that no culture is without its pros and cons. What is most important is that we should pass the good part of these culture and tradition to our future generation. The question of whether the missionaries have done us well or bad is an issue of colonization and they should be credited for that. At for exposing us! What we should do is to divest ourselves from Western category by picking the good ones among and jettisoning the bad ones.
To me, which is subjective though, Achebe is not trying to show the barbaric or inhuman nature of Africans, rather, he intends to show the richness of Africa. By my usage of richness, it does not hang on weather right or wrong but uniqueness of it. also note that right and wrong is subjective.

Killing someone is wrong at all levels. Ikemefuna did not have to die for the 'sins' of another person. An oracle stipulated that he had to die, goodness, would you accept such an injustice? So, why would anybody criticize the coming of the missionaries or blame them for creating "instability" in a society that practised certain barbaric undertones? Read this: https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-825308.64.html

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Ndipe: The killing of Ikemefuna, Okonkwo drinking palm wine or liquid from a human head, spousal beatings and the caste system all reinforces the notion that Africans are a bunch of savages. Would you agree with me or not?

Don't agree with u, the killing of Ikemefuna was regarded as a lesser sin (can't remember the exact words). In fact, Okonkwo was advised - don't have a hand in that boy's death, he calls you father. Spousal beating wasn't exactly encouraged. Remember, when Okonkwo was dressed as a masquerade n the villagers brought cases for judging, there was a guy who used to beat his wife who was condemned by the elders/ masquerades.

I'm not sure bunch of savages is the right word. I honestly think TFA made it clear that there was an existing society with a rich and diverse culture pre the missionaries. True, some stuff were wrong as you rightly pointed out but ditto for the colonial masters. Racism and the colonization of Africa bear alarming similarities to the caste system. Spousal abuse exists also in the West.

My two kobo is that it depends on who's reviewing. You say Africans then were savages. The Africans then said the white unripe people were fools. The vikings in their days would've thought of the missionaries as idiots too. The book just told a story about a culture. The culture intimated an order, a procedure that communal life followed to avoid chaos. That procedure was created by humans, why the disappointment that it was flawed? Are we that much better today? Isn't it the smart white people that practically ruined the global economy with "smart" banking practices?

Another thing, have you considered that cultures evolve? I'm not wide read on the matter, but all the info I have on Igbo culture, for instance, says that the Igbo largely became a republican culture, not that they were a republican people from the beginning. It appears that they used to have kings, king-priests and other such authorities to whom everyone deferred, but at a point, they deposed a lot of these authorities allegedly because they got overbearing. Who knows what would have followed without the interference of the missionaries? Perhaps the culture would have evolved toward questioning certain accepted practices.

My point is that the book was just the story of a culture. If you, op, are an African, the book should tell you something about yourself and your heritage, where you're from and where you can get. If you're not, it should tell you that Africans were a distinct culture with values and accepted means of enforcing those values before they had to deal with the interference of another culture.

I consider books in that genre more or less priceless.

Gloriagee:

Don't agree with u, the killing of Ikemefuna was regarded as a lesser sin (can't remember the exact words). In fact, Okonkwo was advised - don't have a hand in that boy's death, he calls you father. Spousal beating wasn't exactly encouraged. Remember, when Okonkwo was dressed as a masquerade n the villagers brought cases for judging, there was a guy who used to beat his wife who was condemned by the elders/ masquerades.

I'm not sure bunch of savages is the right word. I honestly think TFA made it clear that there was an existing society with a rich and diverse culture pre the missionaries. True, some stuff were wrong as you rightly pointed out but ditto for the colonial masters. Racism and the colonization of Africa bear alarming similarities to the caste system. Spousal abuse exists also in the West.

Love how you put it.

Ndipe: The killing of Ikemefuna, Okonkwo drinking palm wine or liquid from a human head, spousal beatings and the caste system all reinforces the notion that Africans are a bunch of savages. Would you agree with me or not?

look, guy. I don't know if you are African and if you are not, i strigently frown at rascists - especially partisans against the blacks. Well, let me know where you are from? Now to your question, who considers Things Fall Apart as best, please make references? There are other very good novels aside Chinua's. Yes, Chinua is quite a literature star, AND there are others likewise. The killing of Ikemefuna and blah blah blah... is merely a depiction of culture, customs and tradition. If you understood the book succintly, you'll grasp that a man of war should be fearless and is regarded by the number of heads cut off(people killed) AT THAT TIME. So if you see Africans as savages, maybe you've never met any or maybe you're a savage yourself. As a man of pride, Okonkwo killed Ikem, it was wrong but don't be inane to forget this is just a novel. Would you judge the American society just because you've played Grand Theft Auto? I don't know where you are from but if you think so low of Africans, why don't you just live in isolation? Talking of injustice, what do you say about slavery of the blacks? Was that justifiable to take your brother as a slave because of his variety or color? Every decision in life is dogmatic, not perfect. There are wrongs but that does not mean the rights do not exist.