Comparative Essay Things Fall Apart

The Cambridge Dictionary defines a “civilized society” as one that has “a well-developed culture and an effective government, and which treats the people who live there fairly.” Based on the definition that the dictionary provides, the Igbo and British cultures presented in Chinua Achebe’s, “Things Fall Apart,” both fit this definition. As you look deeper under the surface you start to see that both are not as civilized as they seem.

From the beginning of the novel, “Things Fall Apart,” it becomes evident that the Igbo have a very well-developed and thought-out culture. The central idea of music and dance in Igbo culture becomes very apparent when it talks about how, "the drums were still beating, persistent and unchanging. Their sound was no longer a separate thing from the living village. It was like the pulsation of its heart. It throbbed in the air, in the sunshine, and even in the trees, and filled the village with excitement" (34). This is how the community's celebrations bring the Igbo people together in their culture. This also seems to create a sense of shared identity within the community. Even though it is clear that the Igbo do have a well-developed culture, some aspects make you suspect that their culture might not be as

On one hand in the story, it talks about how, “[Mr. Brown] built a school and a little hospital in Umuofia. He went from family to family begging people to send their children to his school” (141). Mr. Brown did try to help the Igbo protect themselves from being screwed over by colonization by helping educate the kids and keep the families healthy. On the other hand, the British have referred to their thinking about life as, “[they were seeing] things as black and white. And black was evil” (143). The Igbo people treat women and men differently but the British treat people differently because of race. The British think that all the Igbo just because they are black are