Book Review: Things Fall Apart surprised me. I thought it was a typical high school assigned read, medicinal, politically correct, somewhat bland, and intended to show just what an enlightened teacher you have. And it is, but ... it's probably good for high school kids to start learning about the destructive aspects of colonialism; it is educational, and I'd say three quarters story, one quarter message, but an important message; a little bland, and hence suitable for teen readers, but it is an adult novel; and a book to enlighten readers who need to (and can) be enlightened. Things Fall Apart has four strikes against it. First, it's routinely assigned in school, and it's difficult to appreciate books that one is forced to read if one is a rebel without a clue (hence, my preconceptions). Really, this is a book better read outside of school, without raising the rebellious resistance that has tainted so many great books (such as The Great Gatsby, which this does not resemble in the slightest). Next, it does seem like one of those medicinal books that liberal academics enjoy putting in the curriculum. But every once in awhile you need to eat some healthy food and read a book that's good for your soul, and this is one of them. Third, most readers will consider our protagonist unlikable ("misogynist" is the term that will pop up, I believe), and the traditional gender roles will blind many readers to the rest of the story. The traditional society was in some ways a flawed one to European eyes. But in other ways better. And finally, building from the last point, Things Fall Apart is about a traditional African society, with attitudes, customs, and religion, largely impenetrable to many Western readers. Many white readers will not understand, or even truly try to understand this book, it's too far from the norm. But, darn it! I liked it, I lived it, I learned from it, and I think it's a classic. Our protagonist is macho, feels he needs to be so, and like Hercules struggles to follow the rules of his village, not quite understanding how he sabotages himself. Then as times change he struggles against the new order, again, not fully understanding what he's up against. While many will not like Okonkwo, I found him sympathetic as a character who believes he's following the rules, is doing what's right, works hard all the time, but fails nonetheless. Yes he's a hard man, but not cruel or unfair, he adheres to what he sees as his duty. You may even know someone like him. The other half of the story shows the insidiousness of colonialism and evangelism, and Achebe shows step by step, person by person, hour by hour, how the imperialist British and the missionaries succeeded in establishing their rule, and destroying the traditional way of life that had kept things together. At the same time, it's a balanced story. As we've learned through the troubled history of Africa, the violence of colonialism is that it destroys the stability of the traditional culture, without successfully replacing the existing society. Things Fall Apart is deceptively simple, surprisingly complex, and the best analysis of colonialism I've read. [4½★]
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