Why do YOU think Things Fall Apart is a classic?

Answer 1

I consider it a classic because of the following 10 reasons:

1. Belongs to the highest rank or class of African literature.
2. Serves as the established model or standard of African writing: a classic example of post-colonial African literature.
3. Has lasting significance or worth; enduring in world literature.
4. Adheres or conforms to established standards and principles of African novels: a classic piece of what is fundamental to African literature.
5. It was the first to set the pace in the well-known Heinneman African Writers Series in 1958. Achebe was the Founding Editor.
6. It is particular but univeral in its appeal. By focussing on the tragedy of Okonkwo in Umuofia (particular seeting), its appeal is universal. It has all the characteristics of Aristotelian tragedies and resonates with Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, Shakespeare's Hamlet, Styron's The Confessions of Nat Turner etc.
7. It has authentic, unique, and restrained narrative style. You get the flavor of African idioms and speech genres yet the characters are talking in English.
8. It has fairly simple but harmonious plot, quite elegant and profound narrative strategy.

9. It is an example of "Writing Against The Discourse." Perhaps Achebe is "therefore" deliberately writing against that old discourse as represented by the D.C., the critics Achebe rails against in "Colonialist Criticism," and any number of western novels he could name. Conrad's Heart of Darkness is one of the (now) designated villains. So trying to write differently--against the usual western grain--is a political, as well as a literary, gesture.
The author, Achebe tries to decenter the colonial discourse--to subvert it, even--and propose a new (another) and legitimate center for portraying the African past and experience--Africa itself.

10. What Achebe attempts in Things is not only a different and distinct mode of representing African reality but it is a way of "inventing" a new national community.

Answer 2

Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe

I have found 7 summaries for you to look at, via the links below.

http://www.antistudy.com/search.php?title=Things+Fall+Apart%22+by+Achebe

http://www.freebooknotes.com/book.php3?id=403

These links will give you a summary of the book, character analysis, plot and much more, so that you will be able to answer literary questions. Here is a short extract of what you can expect from the summaries.

The language that Achebe uses to describe the locusts indicates their symbolic status. The repetition of words like “settled” and “every” emphasizes the suddenly ubiquitous presence of these insects and hints at the way in which the arrival of the white settlers takes the Igbo off guard. Furthermore, the locusts are so heavy they break the tree branches, which symbolizes the fracturing of Igbo traditions and culture under the onslaught of colonialism and white settlement. Perhaps the most explicit clue that the locusts symbolize the colonists is Obierika’s comment in Chapter Fifteen: “the Oracle . . . said that other white men were on their way. They were locusts. . . .”

http://www.freebooknotes.com/page.php?link=http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/things/&book=403

Good luck.

Kevin, Liverpool, England.

Answer 3

I think it's a classic for several reasons. First, because of the way Achebe takes the English language and makes it reflect the Igbo language of his characters. Achebe literally makes English his own. Also, because of the anthropological focus of the first half of the novel, some African critics consider the anthropological focus as a draw back. But I loved seeing what Pre-colonial African culture was like.

Achebe was actually writing in response to Conrad's "heart of darkness" the first half of "things fall apart" was his attempt to prove that "Africans didn't first hear of culture from the Europeans" I think he demonstrated that Pre-colonial Africa had a wonderfully diverse culture. Complete with social hierarchy, and it's own biases and bigotry, because no society escapes these. He demonstrated that what Europeans destroyed was as complex as what they brought. This is actually, I believe part of the healing process and reconciliation for post-colonial societies. This makes "Things Fall Apart" incredibly valuable reading to all post-colonial nations. Second only to "weep not child" by Kenyan writer Ngugi wa Thiong'o.

Also I hope you have read "the joys of motherhood" by another Nigerian writer Buchi Emacheti -- she, to me, is currently the best west African writer. and west African has a tremendous number of good writers so that is saying a lot.