SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES The Fall of National Identity in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall ...

12 Pages·2016·0.27 MB·English

Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 24 (1): 529 - 540 (2016)
SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES
Journal homepage: http://www.pertanika.upm.edu.my/
The Fall of National Identity in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall
Apart
Abdalhadi Nimer A. Abu Jweid
Department of English, Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication, Universiti Putra Malaysia,
43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
ABSTRACT
This article examines Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart within a postcolonial discourse.
While the majority of postcolonial critiques argue over indigenous identity, this study
explores the deterioration of national identity in Things Fall Apart. Such deterioration is
brought about by the spiritual and tentative defeat inherent in the failure of the protagonist,
Okonkwo, to face the colonial whites. Ultimately, the protagonist’s failure leads to a
tragic death. In the novel’s context, Achebe exhorts the fall of national identity and its
pathetic aftermath. The deterioration in national identity symbolically correlates to the
protagonist’s personal irresolute experience which is at first physically powerful but in
the end spiritually weak. The focus of this article is a textual analysis of Achebe’s Things
Fall Apart, applying postcolonial theoretical concepts, especially aboriginality, hegemony,
subaltern and identity. These concepts facilitate a smouldering conceptualisation of national
identity as it is exterminated in the novel. Thus, the these terms will be cited mainly with
reference to Bill Ashcroft, Gayatri Spivak, and Laura Chrisman’s postcolonial critiques.
Keywords: Aboriginality, Achebe, hegemony, identity, postcolonialism, subaltern
INTRODUCTION of Nigerian society. His historical and
cultural sense of colonisation gives him
This article focuses on deteriorating national
a distinctive place among those “original
identity in Chinua Achebe’s seminal novel,
conceptions” promoted in his An Image
Things Fall Apart. Achebe’s fictional
of Africa (2010) in which he postulates an
writing is seen to accost the national identity
inclusive argumentation “on an appropriately
positive note in which [he] would suggest
ARTICLE INFO
Article history: from [his] privileged position in African and
Received: 13 March 2015
Western cultures some advantages” (p.104).
Accepted: 2 October 2015
Consequently, Achebe’s diction delves
E-mail address:
[email protected] (Abdalhadi Nimer A. Abu Jweid)
ISSN: 0128-7702 © Universiti Putra Malaysia Press
Abdalhadi Nimer A. Abu Jweid
into European colonisation in the wake of the colonial Igbo land” (Alam, 2014, p.105).
global realignment after disastrous events, There is a steadily growing body of
specifically the two world wars. fiction that deals with the depiction of
Things Fall Apart exhibits regenerative national identity in Things Fall Apart. The
literary power. This relates to synthesising novel’s protagonist, Okonkwo, duplicates
multifarious quality of Achebe’s erudite the complex encounters between Whites
fiction, which eludes imperialistic and Blacks within a traditional Nigerian
ratification through its minimal interpretive periphery. Achebe, being a conscious
approximation. To support this last point, advocate of anti-colonial power, negotiates
Achebe’s formal efficacy asserts his possible exits from the colonial influence.
mode as a recurrent national writer; or as However, this exit confronts self-destruction,
Fagrutheen (2014) puts it: “Achebe, who as exemplified by Okonkwo’s unexpected
never patronizes his own culture shows suicide. In “Foregrounding Achebe’s
how rival priests function as political Things Fall Apart”, Maryam Navidi (2011)
agents and have shallower roots than their discusses fundamental consciousness
rhetoric implies” (p.36). In this way, Things present in Achebe’s anti-racial tone.
Fall Apart exteriorises Achebe’s literary Achebe’s magnanimous sensibility, argues
originality as a novelist examining national Navidi, is projected, so that, “into this new
chauvinism. African world of literariness comes Chinua
Incontrovertibly, there are also Achebe, a conscious artist, who as a native
capricious issues and conceptual of Africa, penetrates through the root cause
contradictions associated with ethnicity. One of the problems of his native fellow beings”
of them is “congenial ethnic” tendencies. (p.10).
But for all that, all the domestic and imperial The essential subjectivity of Nigerian
tensions support the fabrication of multiple national identity is constrained by colonial
racial ethnicities. Hence, ethnic levels of Eurocentrism. The divergent methods
hierarchal communities reject a unified inherent in this intricacy emerge as a double
power and, consequently, the colonial encounter in Ahebe’s Things Fall apart.
agenda has ramifications. Thus, Things The first encounter is between British
Fall Apart lays bare the international colonialism and its ramifications in Igbo,
divisions of ethnic groups in a Nigerian which is a fictional place in the novel. The
context, so that “Achebe’s novel shatters the second is with the Christian missionaries
stereotypical European portraits of native with different ideas of life and which clashes
Africans. By unfolding the devastating with the vernacular conceptualisation of
effects of colonialism on the life of the Igbo life. The death of Okonkwo may have
people in Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe been hastened “due to his individual
has successfully made a comprehensible character weaknesses” (Nnoromele, 2000,
demarcation between the pre-colonial and p.146). Nevertheless, colonialism leads to
530 Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 24 (1): 529 - 540 (2016)
The Fall of National Identity in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart
polarities affecting ethnic minorities in real neighbouring tribe. Nwoye shows a lot of
society. Okonkwo’s actions and discourse affection to Okonkwo as a father, though
are entrenched in physical resistance to the latter neglects this. Gradually, he comes
colonialism in all of its aspects but, he fails to love Nwoye because of his exceptional
to authenticate his positivistic vision of a contribution and help during the locust
burgeoning and independent village. attacks on the village farms. Okonkwo’s
The eugenic fundamentals of colonial village, Igbo, is later ransacked by British
enterprises had led to demographical colonialists and Christian missionaries.
fragmentation. Imperialism acts as an Okonkwo resists these foreign invasions
influential proxy on suppressed people. The and is thus exiled. After returning from
oppressor is undoubtedly motivated by a exile, he is summoned up by the leader of
desire to impose his power on the oppressed. the white government for a court inquisition.
The main objective of this article is thus, The colonial government is stunned to find
to explore the fall of national identity in Okonkwo has hung himself, preferring death
Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. The life of the to what he perceived as a kangaroo court.
protagonist will be examined through four Okonkwo’s story encapsulates Nigerian
postcolonial concepts, namely aboriginality, national identity. The conglomeration of
hegemony, subaltern and identity. These events in nine connected villages typify the
concepts will provide relevant critical national collective desire for independence
insights into postcolonial discourse. and welfare. Yet, his tragic suicide stirs
the Nigerians’ inert passion for communal
INDIGENOUS ABORIGINALITY IN prosperity. That being so, this national sense
THINGS FALL APART means a reconsideration of Nigeria as a site
Things Fall Apart centres on a brawny for the European conquering powers. Both
warrior named Okonkwo who is a the colonial expansion and Okonkwo’s
descendant of the Umoufia clan. The suicide happened in the colonial circuits.
novel is set in a nine-village consortium. Different colonial categories crop up
Okonkwo is haunted by his father who within fictional European dominions. The
had brought disrepute to the village. In most distinct category is the geographical
challenging that, Okonkwo strives hard location where all the colonial manoeuvres
to improve himself and becomes a noble take place. Geographical places are,
clansman extraordinaire. He develops a typically, unequivocal components of ethnic
tremendous virility and gains Umoufia’s aboriginality in Things Fall Apart.
attention and respect. Okonkwo brings fame In Things Fall Apart, there are nine
and development to his tribe, as opposed tribal villages. They form a topographic
to his father who made Umoufia unsettled element in the novel’s spatial setting. All
with his reckless actions. Okonkwo “wins” of them seem to be ignored especially in
a boy called Nwoye in a settlement with a Abigail Guthrie’s (2011) focus on “both
Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 24 (1): 529 - 540 (2016) 531
Abdalhadi Nimer A. Abu Jweid
pre and post colonization, remains both an embittered clan. Achebe employs his
ideal aim and a source of cultural pride” art to evoke the place-cursed pathos of
(p.6). Guthrie emphasises the Nigerian human existence. Throughout the novel,
identity through tackling the linguistic the shadow of death looms as an omniscient
peculiarities of the novel’s discourse and narrator that deprecates the natives with
thus, the topographic dimension is not well tribal origins. For example, the clan elders
regarded. The focus of this study is on this direct Okwonko to take care of Ikemefuna
neglected area and to do so from the vantage in an overwhelmingly indigenous sense:
point of the present author’s perspective on “the elders of the clan had decided that
authentic ethnic groups and aboriginality. Ikemefuna should be in Okonkwo’s care
Before embarking on an in-depth analysis for a while. But no one thought it would
of the formal and artistic characteristics of be as long as three years. They seemed to
aboriginal people in Things Fall Apart, it forget all about him as soon as they had
is first necessary to note some of its basic taken the decision” (p.8). This vision of the
aspects. native land, in accordance with national
Hence, a first point is the anthropological faithfulness, includes the novel’s persistent
proponents of finding, identifying, allocating, themes which forge patterns of aboriginal
inspecting and appraising a growing body of authenticity. National dedication in the
knowledge on indigenous identity. This falls form of fragments, explicit dialogues and
under the rubric of “ethnic aboriginality”, abrupt subjective changes are also tackled.
entailing a topographical verification of In fact, as with many of the writings of his
the novel and asking questions about counterparts, Achebe’s works document a
the author (Achebe) who produces its national identity.
context. In Postcolonial Liberalism, Duncan In Postcolonial Contraventions, Laura
Ivison (2002) approaches the motif of the Chrisman (2003) contends that aboriginality
“association” of different human groups in is treated in ways related to colonial power.
certain circumstances. Ivison claims “the This power can change the cultural and
terms of association would have to be ones geographical attributes of a colonised
acceptable to both Aboriginal and non- people. In the long run, these powers result
Aboriginal peoples – and therein lies the in “canonical” fiction that addresses the
challenge” (p.72). conventions of colonial practices. In this
This recurring motif is reminiscent regard, Chrisman argues that a critical
of Achebe’s spatial setting in Things Fall appraisal of postcolonial theory and fiction
Apart. I refer specifically to the Igbo provides a “profound” interpretation of
scene with Okwonko and his people aboriginal identity. Here, fictional critiques
who have forsaken their true authenticity become a powerful means to treat current
through regional devotion. Instead, they colonial practices, Chrisman comments
pursue empty dreams and become a lonely “there is always a risk that critique will
532 Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 24 (1): 529 - 540 (2016)
The Fall of National Identity in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart
be construed as an ad hominem attack, places encountered by European explorers,
and indeed several critiques … It is their adventurers or seamen” (p.4). Ashcroft
profound intellectual substance, as much as et al.’s references to regional exploration
their canonical power, or their typicality, that and adventures propagate the advent of the
has prompted my critical engagement” (p.2). “oppressor” as one “being considered by
Achebe depicts colonised people many to be too burdened with derogatory
powerfully in Things Fall Apart. He engages associations” (p.4).
in a multi-dimensional portrayal of the Igbo In Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo
people and how they endure the hardships confronts the Christian missionaries and
of colonisation. These are substantiated orders his people not to follow them. As
through Okika’s speech. Okika and many a result, they “ostracise” the Christian
others are imprisoned. He tries to liberate the missionaries and reject the Christians:
others so they can go back to their clan. Here, “everybody in the assembly spoke, and
the depiction of Okika and his companions’ in the end it was decided to ostracise the
imprisonment typify Achebe’s canonical Christians. Okonkwo ground his teeth in
fictional presentations: “the first man to disgust” (p.49). Okonkwo’s resentment of
speak to Umuofia that morning was Okika, the Christians provokes a national sense via
one of the six who had been imprisoned. his peoples’ fanaticism. They are committed
Okika was a great man and an orator. But to ethnic aboriginality.
he did not have the booming voice which a Aboriginality is also discussed in
first speaker must use to establish silence relation to the “accumulation” of the
in the assembly of the clan. Onyeka had coloniser in the land of the colonised.
such a voice, and so he was asked to salute Such accumulation brings violence and
Umuofia before Okika began to speak” destruction of aboriginal belongings
(p.66). Additionally, Achebe presents a negatively affecting national identity.
sensational perception of suppressed people Every domestic attribute will deteriorate
in their aboriginal surroundings. in parallel with a sequence of colonial
Suppressing aboriginal people is settlements. Achille Mbembe (2001), in
further addressed in postcolonial studies. On the Postcolony, contends that colonial
Bill Ashcroft et al. (2000) discuss the violence affects all the cultural customs of
effects of close encounters between the colonised: “the violence insinuates itself
aboriginal people and their colonisers who into the economy, domestic life, language,
disapprove of authentic aboriginality is consciousness. It does more than penetrate
deprecated. Notwithstanding this, there every space: it pursues the colonized even
are several periods before real colonisation in sleep and dream. It produces a culture; it
happens. The colonisers approach lands is a cultural praxis” (p.175).
to be colonized in successive raids and Igbo’s cultural customs are endangered
“describe the indigenous inhabitants of by the arrival of white Europeans.
Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 24 (1): 529 - 540 (2016) 533
Abdalhadi Nimer A. Abu Jweid
Correspondingly, Igbo people increasingly THE NOTION OF CULTURAL
HEGEMONY
change. When Mr. Brown, a white
missionary, begins paying them social calls, In postcolonial theory, the concept of
they become socially different. Accordingly, hegemony distinguishes colonial systems
their social life becomes different. Their and their agendas as applied to colonised
cultural customs change implicitly and they territories. In a broader sense, the concept
become accustomed to the white missionary refers to the coloniser’s ability to apply a
traditions: “the Christians had grown in suppressive methodology in order to occupy
number and were now a small community of certain regional boundaries. In particular,
men, women and children, self-assured and it refers to a special process implemented
confident. Mr. Brown, the white missionary, by the coloniser in order to gain power
paid regular visits to them. ‘When I think over the colonised. In Postcolonialism,
that it is only eighteen months since the Psychoanalysis and Burton: Power Play of
Seed was first sown among you,’ he said, Empire, Ben Grant (2009) tackles the racial
“I marvel at what the Lord hath wrought’ aspect of colonial hegemony: “if the trope
(p.52). As such, the “small community” of of a racialised space institutes clear borders
whites epitomises Mbembe’s notion of the between different races, the temporal
accumulation of the coloniser in suppressed, nonetheless returns as an ambivalent factor
or colonised, lands. in the institution of these boundaries: by
Once the accumulation process takes positing the negro as inferior, by which is
place, national aboriginality steadily meant backward” (p.102).
disappears. This is evident in the degrading Correspondingly, Things Fall Apart
of national authenticity in Things Fall portrays different racial encounters between
Apart whereby aboriginal people could whites and aboriginal Igbo people. The
not maintain their indigenous social notion of hegemony extrapolates the
aboriginality. Yet, the spirit of their national conquest of the Igbo by bringing education.
adherence is preserved in the fortitude of the The white colonisers essentially use culture
novel’s protagonist, Okonkwo. The residuals and via education and new methods of
of national aboriginality are preserved in learning, attempt to dominate the Igbo
Okonkwo’s resistance to the whites and people. They construct schools and even
his regional faithfulness. This faithfulness include the women in educative disciplines.
is achieved through the preservation of his In the extract below, women are preparing
national identity. But this national identity for lessons. In essence, this is the first token
confronts a great colonial hegemony in the of colonialism in Igbo. People first change
novel. The following section will examine their social customs, as dictated by Mr.
the relationship between aboriginality and Brown. Then they get involved in learning
colonial hegemony. through the colonial educational system.
534 Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 24 (1): 529 - 540 (2016)
The Fall of National Identity in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart
Hence, they progressively change adopting so that the young men are suspected to be
the colonial mentality and outlook: Christians: “The Christians had grown in
number and were now a small community
It was Wednesday in Holy Week and
of men, women and children, self-assured
Mr. Kiaga had asked the women
and confident” (p.52). Here, hegemony is
to bring red earth and white chalk
concentrated in the hands of young men
and water to scrub the church for
who have control over the women. They
Easter, and the women had formed
attack the women to serve the colonials:
themselves into three groups for
“the women had come to the church with
this purpose. They set out early that
empty water pots. They said that some
morning, some of them with their
young men had chased them away from the
water-pots to the stream, another
stream with whips. Soon after, the women
group with hoes and baskets to the
who had gone for red earth returned with
village earth pit, and the others to
empty baskets. Some of them had been
the chalk quarry. (p.56)
heavily whipped” (p.52). Most importantly,
hegemony takes effect as one of the women
Introduction of a new form of education describes the actions of other women,
ensures implementation of the white calling them “outlaws”: “‘the village has
Christian blueprint. The colonial power outlawed us,’ said one of the women. ‘The
offers incentives like education to help bellman announced it last night. But it is not
conquer the Igbo and the rest of the nine our custom to debar anyone from the stream
villages. This colonial practice relates to the or the quarry’” (p.52).
hegemonic prototypical enterprise pursued The effects of hegemony can be seen
by the colonial power. By the same token, in the women’s description of other women
through hegemony, “the destabilizing as outlaws. To some extent, disobedience is
process set in motion by colonial mimicry an effect of cultural hegemony. According
produces a set of deceptive, even derisive, to Shirley Chew (2010), hegemony
‘resemblances’ that implicitly question approximates to the concept of a nation.
the homogenizing practices of colonial This concept unilaterally refers to different
discourse” (Huggan, 2008, p.22). Huggan nations and their amalgamation into one
argues for the aftermath of hegemony in nation. The process of amalgamation
colonial literature. specifically expands the European empires;
In Things Fall Apart, the disabling Chew writes: “the concept of nation and
effects of hegemony are obvious. A group the concomitant advocacy of various
of anonymous young men, for example, nationalisms have offered colonized
severely punish a few Igbo women for peoples significant political and imaginative
not bringing water-pots. Their identity is resources in contesting the authority and
revealed through their growing number; legitimacy of the European empires” (p.32).
Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 24 (1): 529 - 540 (2016) 535
Abdalhadi Nimer A. Abu Jweid
Colonial hegemony reaches its peak the texts of insurgency, packaged with an
when Okonkwo grows his last harvest in insurgent-consciousness, does not freeze
Mbanta: “it was going to be Okonkwo’s into an ‘object of investigation’, or, worse,
last harvest in Mbanta” (p.54). This is an yet, a model for imitation” (Spivak, 2010,
indication that Okonkwo is no longer able to p.82).
grow food in his own territory. The land has Okonkwo’s treatment of his wives
almost been conquered by the whites who implies his static personality. He does not
exploit Igbo and other villages. The Igbo change when the whites invade their villages.
people become despondent and rely on the Here, he clings to his national identity and
colonial power in their national affairs. In maintains his domestic responsibility
this way, they become subalterns. towards his wives and children: “but it was
a resilient spirit, and in the end Okonkwo
SUBALTERN AND IDENTITY overcame his sorrow. He had five other sons
and he would bring them up in the way of
The concept of subaltern is associated with
the clan” (p.56). Okonkwo shows manly
inferiority. It indicates the subjugation
fortitude in maintaining his national customs
of others via exploitation. It is generally
in a “spiritual” quest for independence.
connected to the treatment of women in
Therefore, his national longing gives him
an inferior way. In Things Fall Apart, for
the power to resist.
example, Okonkwo treats his wife, Ekwefi,
This power to resist resides in his
in a harsh way. He orders her to manage
individual stamina to accomplish
domestic affairs. This inflicts a tremendous
independence. That being so, “resistance is
burden on Ekwefi as a housewife: “Okonkwo
the substitution, or offsetting, of one form
never did things by halves. When his wife
of power by another” (Thiele, 2002, p.95).
Ekwefi protested that two goats were
Okonkwo’s power is clearly depicted in
sufficient for the feast he told her that it was
Things Fall Apart. His power turns out to be
not her affair” (p.54).
negative, because it changes the traditional
Women’s inferiority negotiates the
“moods” of his family. Such moods are an
theme of women as “subjects” of men.
outcome of his subjugation of his wives
This leads us to another perception of
and daughters. He forces them to engage
women’s position, “If we imagine ourselves
in domestic and cultivation work: “Ekwefi
as planetary subjects rather than global
[Okonkwo’s second wife] rose early on the
agents, planetary creatures rather than global
following morning and went to her farm
entities, alterity remains underived from us;
with her daughter, Ezinma, and Ojiugo’s
it is not our dialectical negation, it contains us
daughter, Obiageli, to harvest cassava
as much as it flings us away” (Spivak, 2003,
tubers. Each of them carried a long cane
p.73). Furthermore, women’s subjectivity
basket, a machete for cutting down the soft
is implied, especially in “insurgency”
cassava stem, and a little hoe for digging out
contexts, because “‘the subject’ implied by
536 Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 24 (1): 529 - 540 (2016)
The Fall of National Identity in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart
the tuber. Fortunately, a light rain had fallen (2010) argues that: “as a consequence,
during the night and the soil would not be identities are also in a constant state of
very hard (parentheses added)” (p.54). The flux. Colonialism has been a major engine
domestic responsibility imposed on his wife driving an accelerated pace of change,
and his daughters indicate Okonkwo’s strict forcing different cultures into new forms,
behaviour. He tries to keep his identity by ‘unfixing’ what was thought to be solid, and
inflicting heavy labour on his family. More creating new identities” (p.19). The flux of
specifically, he dominates his daughter national identity in Things Fall Apart, for
Obiageli since he believes that she can example, does not affect Okonkwo because
perform strenuous work like boys: “I wish he does not recognise the white colonial
she were a boy,” Okonkwo thought within government. Before he returns from exile to
himself. She understood things so perfectly” his native land, he has affectionate memories
(p.56). of it: “Okonkwo’s return to his native land
The critical nuances of identity in was not as memorable as he had wished”
postcolonial theory relate to individuals (p.59).
seeking refuge from the advent of the Okonkwo’s return is a perennial
“other”. Thus identity involves a “desire” to reference to his nationalism. He does
preserve the national heritage. Consequently, not undergo the colonial influx, whereby
the individuals’ “nationalism may be due to “replacing any earlier constructions of
the relatively stronger desire to define their location and identity, is to establish at least
cultural identity” (Talib, 2002, p.21). In partial control over reality, geography,
Things Fall Apart, Oduche and other men history, and subjectivity” (Gilbert et al.,
from Okonkwo’s villages are put in prison. 2002, p.165). The new white government
But Oduche dies of sorrow and his friend affects the lives of all indigenous people
Anedo is hanged: “he was imprisoned with except Okonkwo: “the new religion and
all the leaders of his family. In the end government and the trading stores were
Oduche died and Aneto was taken to Umuru very much in the people’s eyes and minds”
and hanged” (p.57). These tragic events (p.59).
represent the powerful national résistance Oknonkwo’s resistance leads to deep
to the whites. Such resistance implies a bitterness in his spirituality. He cannot be
national desire to maintain the aboriginal affected by the colonial government. When
identity. he returns from exile, his people ignore
Preserving national identity requires a him as they are only interested in the white
“flux” within the aboriginal circumference. religion and government. Peoples’ constant
This flux includes a complete change change makes him agitated, as if he were at
to the indigenous identity. In the long war: “Okonkwo slept very little that night.
run, colonialism brings about “constant” The bitterness in his heart was now mixed
change in colonised lands. Shirley Chew with a kind of childlike excitement, before
Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 24 (1): 529 - 540 (2016) 537
Abdalhadi Nimer A. Abu Jweid
he had gone to bed he had brought down his Apart. This study corresponds to “spatial
war dress, which he had not touched since and regional contexts, and especially in
his return from exile” (p.65). relation to social injustice, literary humour
The affirmation of national identity in likely plays a more important and serious
the midst of western colonialism describes role than it would at first seem” (Juha,
the absurdity of aboriginal individuality. 2014, p.712). The study has focused on
By the same token, national identity the aboriginal circumstances of a fictional
reveals a “reinterpretation of colonial setting composed of nine Nigerian villages.
experiences influenced by local, national This land is invaded by colonial whites who
and international postcolonial contexts and subjugate the indigenous people.
circumstances” (Trovao, 2012, pp.261- The study discusses aboriginal qualities
262). Notwithstanding this, maintaining of the Igbo and the other villages during
national identity in colonial circumstances the advent of white colonial power. The
degrades the essence of identity. Okonkwo, new power instils a social, religious and
for example, cannot change like the others. military mentality into indigenous “trans
The idea of aboriginality is influenced by the persons, living authentically may or may
white colonial power through their cultural not involve physical changes to their body”
expansion. (Dargie et al., 2014, p.60). Indigenous
Okonkwo is the last indigenous man people gradually began to change after being
to keep his identity. But his resentment of influenced by the new colonial culture. As a
both colonial power and his people’s “flux” result, different ethnic behaviours change in
alienated him. Almost all of his comrades accordance with colonial agendas.
have been killed or imprisoned by the The result is that indigenous
whites, so he becomes the last chauvinistic individualism adapts and there is “a growing
sentinel. Thus, he decides to commit suicide awareness of the faultiness and conflict
to escape the aboriginal disgrace. When that characterise relationships between
the colonial leader summon him for trial, indigenous people and settler states around
they find him hanging from a tree: “they the world” (Maddison, 2012, p.696). Such
came to the tree from which Okonkwo’s awareness leads the protagonist, Oknokwo,
body was dangling, and they stopped dead” to act according to his national identity.
(p.68). Okonkwo’s tragic end portrays the Hence, he inflicts “subaltern” treatment on
collective fall of his people. Thus, Okonkwo his family, especially his wives. The white
represents the fall of the national identity hegemony intensifies, and the national
of the Igbo people and their surroundings. mood advocates eventually die or exiled.
Oknokwo, being the sole national survivor,
CONCLUSION rejects colonialism and commits suicide.
His individualism represents the remnants
This article has studied the fall of national
of the national identity of the Igbo and other
identity in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall
538 Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 24 (1): 529 - 540 (2016)