Things Fall Apart - by Chinua Achebe

[j]

I've got to teach this book in about a week. I'm gonna tackle it over the weekend. Anyone read it? Ideas?

j

[abstractmentality]

have you read it j? i read about half of it when i was in the tenth grade. its been a while though, so i dont think i will be able to give you any good info. however, i will be going to my old high school in a few days to pick up some ceramic pots i made, and i will drop by my old world history teachers (the one that taught us the book) room and ask her for some suggestions for you. she will probably be a big help considering she has been teaching for upwards of 30 years.

(Edited by abstractmentality at 8:44 am on Sep. 14, 2002)

[Menshevik]

I really disliked it. Something about Achebe's style bothered me, I can't quite remember what it was. It's considered a classic, though. I prefer Alan Paton's work about colonialism in Africa.

[No Food Allowed]

It is a very nice book. Although its a required book to read in my old highschool, I enjoyed it very much. Basically, it explained how the Europeans imperialised South Africa and described a lot of culture of the South African tribes.

[Sasafrás]

Quote: from No Food Allowed on 1:54 am on Sep. 15, 2002
Basically, it explained how the Europeans imperialised South Africa and described a lot of culture of the South African tribes. It was Nigeria.. I'm sure it's been a while since you've read it though :)

You can talk about who's right it is to determine what's civilized and what isn't, how the book demonstrated the depth of African culture (& language), etc. Can't think of much else now...

[No Food Allowed]

Thank you for the correction La Rain.

[killingstars]

i hd the same class as abstractmentality, but i read the whole book. as i remember i liked it but at the same time i hated it. as a women i was offend in some parts of the book. overall it's an upsetting book. i think i only liked it because i kept reading it. i wouldn't want to read it again.

[j]

Thanks for your help. I read it last weekend and have found a lot of stuff, especially on the net, about it. One of the myriad angles that I'm taking on it is the fact that it was one of the first books on African colonialism that was written by an African.....in contrast with Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" etc.

It's a pretty violent book. But I think it is good to read--I guess that's why its on the Boston Public Schools reading list!

j

[Borincano]

I read the book in the 10th grade as well. It showed in great detail the culture, language, and society of the Ibo in Nigeria. It was more of an educational book than a fiction and I found it very boring, but it showed imperialism in the eyes of the Africans and should be something everyone should read who's interested in Africa and imperialism.