Post Colonial Analysis

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Post Colonial Analysis of Colonization in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart (1958) Chinua Achebe is often considered the father of African literature. He is a well renowned author across the continent of Africa, as well as across the world, predominately for his novel Things Fall Apart. The novel effectively displays the initial impact of colonization on the lives of Africans in the late 18th century. A theory that examines the effects of colonialism on cultures is post-colonial theory. Thus, post-colonial criticism is an effective theoretical tool to analyze the theme of colonization in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. In particular, this paper outlines the impact of colonization on the colonized, indigenous resistance to colonization, and the process of colonization from the perspective of the colonizer in Achebe’s novel. The first step to utilize post-colonial criticism is to understand the impact of colonization on the psychology of the colonized. To grasp this aspect of the theory, one must view the process of colonization through the eyes of the colonized. The primary focus is upon the reaction and response of the indigenous to the invasion of their land and how their attitudes and behaviours change as the process of colonization progresses. The initial reaction of the colonized typically ranges from resentment and disregard to concern and resistance. The most common effects of colonization on the indigenous are changes in lifestyle, traditional beliefs, and culture, which are all effectively depicted in Chinua Achebe’s novel. As Things Fall Apart progresses, the behaviour of the indigenous is clearly different and altered from the period of pre-colonization to the midst of colonization. Prior to the arrival of the colonizers, every person in the clan practises Ibo traditions and is a part of the Ibo culture. However, as the clan’s beliefs are challenged
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