Things Fall Apart by Achebe
Ref: Achebe (1994). Things Fall Apart. Penguin.
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Summary
This fictional book follows Okonkwo, a warrior in the Igbo clan system of pre-colonial Western Africa and highlights the impacts of colonialism and Christianity on Igbo culture.
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Misc Quotes
We shall all live. We pray for life, children, a good harvest and happiness. You will have what is good for you and I will have what is good for me. Let the kite perch and let the eagle perch too. If one says no to the other, let his wing break.
He remembered the story she often told of the quarrel between Earth and Sky long ago, and how Sky withheld rain for seven years, until crops withered and the dead could not be buried because the hoes broke on the stony Earth. At last Vulture was sent to plead with Sky, and to soften his heart with a song of the suffering of the sons of men. Whenever Nwoye’s mother sang this song he felt carried away to the distant scene in the sky where Vulture, Earth’s emissary, sang for mercy. At last Sky was moved to pity, and he gave to Vulture rain wrapped in leaves of coco-yam. But as he flew home his long talon pierced the leaves and the rain fell as it had never fallen before. And so heavily did it rain on Vulture that he did not return to deliver his message but flew to a distant land, from where he had espied a fire. And when he got there he found it was a man making a sacrifice. He warmed himself in the fire and ate the entrails.
We must bale this water now that it is only ankle-deep…
Living fire begets cold, impotent ash.
To fill the Lord’s holy temple with an idolatrous crowd clamoring for signs was a folly of everlasting consequence.
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