How to write about India…

When writing about the Indian sub continent, an author must keep in mind the preconceived notions, their reader’s most typically ascribe to the region. Too most, Indian literary is no much than a cast of literature, encapsulating the wonder and mystery of the East. As such they’re in no mood for tales of advancement and modern infrastructure; they can look out of the window for that. No, they yearn for the ‘authentic’ Indian experience, that ‘temple of doom’ styled thriller, or ‘slum dog’ success story, and as an author you aim to please on that very front…

A story is only as intriguing as it’s character line-up, and in a population of over 1 billion you are certainly spoilt for choice. Your protagonist may fit between one of four categories; the brazen hunter in pursuit of a fearsome beast, the intrepid traveler in search of life’s meaning, the impoverished beggar rising though the dregs of society and the determined activist wrapped in loin cloth resolute in their quest for equality and equal rights. As one might suspect their entourage might include the sweetheart, the possessive in-laws, the wearisome confidant and those more time-honored narratives, the maniacal witch doctor and spoilt maharaja.

The cast now set, the stage lies before us. India is a land as ancient as time itself, and therefore are character should by no means find themselves in bustling metropolises or industrial town, rather the winding streets of a bazar or the spectacular grounds of a lake palace should serve as your ideal backdrop. For those more culture- bound readers one might even opt for the timeworn temples set against the banks of the river Ganges.

The consolations must dominate the skies above, elephants and all manner of beast the land below. Every small detail must build towards the Indian ethos, comprised of mystique, ancient custom and Sanskrit. Like a bowl of spice, the it must culminate in a visceral encounter, engaging all the reader’s senses as they dwell deeper into the plot and world, galvanized by your approach.

Building of this notion make sure to elude to the nations many cultural and societal nuances, be it the colorful festival of Holi, animal sacrifices to the god Khali, the more unusual and farfetched, the better. A land of extremes; excess and of extreme poverty all these polarities and more must be recognized if a true sense of the culture and society is to be provided.

India is a land pulsating with a spectacular mix of people, tradition and landscapes. As a writer it is your responsibility to take the reader on a journey through this mind-stirring country that would create an experience that would blaze their memory long after they’ve left its shores. Snake charmers, curries and call centers; that is what the better half of the world know of India, and as such serve as the fundamental blocks if you hope to offer the ‘authentic’ Indian experience.

How does Things Fall Apart conform to, or deviate from, the conventions of a particular genre, and for what purpose?

Dawning the stamp of realist fiction, author Chinua Achebe’s narrative, ‘Things Falls Apart’ serves as a thought-provoking commentary on the life and customs of the Ibo people. In an effort to more accurately depict his society, Achebe both abides and deviates from a number of aspects of his chosen genre. This is most apparent in the message of his novel; it’s many cultural ties and the progression of its narrative. In doing so Achebe actively engages his audience and depicts the world of his people, in a authentic and tangible light, all the while maintaining his personal flair and insights on the matter.

            Realist fiction, correlates with the working and dynamic of the real world. As such the plot of ‘Things Fall Apart,’ coupled with Achebe’s incentive in writing it, serve as the narrative’s most obvious adherence to the conventions of Realist Fiction. Determined in his effort to correct the tainted notions that had been cast upon his society, Achebe presents his people, the Ibo in an authentic light; true to whom they were. In light of all the Ibo have undergone and their far than flattering representation at the hands of Western authors, one might have suspect Achebe of purposefully casting his people in an impartial and bias light. Nonetheless the author stays true to himself and his audience, maintaining his integrity by commenting on both strengths and flaws in society. An example of his impartiality would be his mention, of wife beating and fellowship, contrasting factors that both played a prominent role in the shaping the Ibo community. In not favoring a particular sentiment, Achebe succeeds in providing his reader with an accurate and veracious outlook on the Ibo and it is this multi-faceted view that strengthens the novel’s plausibility of life, endowing it with its sense of authenticity.

Achebe further adds to this sense of realism by incorporating a number of practices unique to the Igbo people, the most notable being his inclusion of their oral tradition.  Amongst the Ibo, the act of tête-à-tête was well regarded, and for that reason, proverbs, folklore, mythology and oration make up a sizeable portion of the novel’s mythos. This in turn ties into the notion of Mimesis, a defining characteristic of Realist Fiction, as Achebe’s inclusion of these practices in his novel, represents and imitates the real world.

Popular perception of realist fiction had long entailed the author to follow a linear structure in the progression of their account. However Achebe fails to adhere to this convention instead opting for a framework that more closely reflects the style of speaking used by the Igbo, skirting round a subject before pouncing on the very heart of it. This is evident in the passing of the novel’s three sections. In the first, Achebe adopts a circulatory narrative, retracing Okonkwo’s roots and his relationship with his father. As such this structure does also serve a practical role, in providing the reader with some background and pretense regarding Okonkwo’s ambtions. The latter half of the novel, is far more structure and time oriented, possibly reflecting the structural change brought upon by the arrival of European colonizers, whose way of life is far more time centric. Regardless in adopting this structure, Achebe celebrates the discourse of his people, furthering the novel’s authenticity and veracity in relation to its subject material.

By abiding and deviating from a number of aspects of his novel’s chosen genre, Realist Fiction, Achebe succeeds in depicting his society in its most true form. This is not only made clear in the subject matter of the novel, but also it’s countless ties-ins with the oral traditions of the Ibo and the progression of its narrative. In doing so Achebe is able to actively engage his audience and depict the world of his people, in an authentic and tangible light, providing a thought-provoking commentary on the life and customs of the Ibo people.

           

Why things fell apart...

Our way of life was not undone by the sword, the gods or by any means of violent force. Rather our downfall was at the hands of our very own people, the people of Umofia who in their haste to embrace a foreign power, tore apart the fragile fabric that held our society intact, shattering the delicate harmony that had once existed among our people.

I was a great man among my people, and from the days of my youth set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom the purpose and meaning behind the practices and ways of my people; why we did what we did, whom we served and what we hoped to gain. As such I hold to the belief that it was we valued most, the hopes and fears we held dear, that led to our demise.

This notion should by now means serve as an abstraction for we the Igbo are an open-book people, easily understood and interpreted. We are also a stubborn and persistent people, many a time resistant to change. The white man on the other hand is a far different story.

When the white man first came to our village with his language and religion, he was seemingly innocent. Wooing the hearts of all he planted the seeds from which to secure a long lasting hold over the young and the naïve, till all in Umofia was under his spell. Those opposed to his will he singled out and ostracized, using our fellow brother to carry out his will, those grey Kotmas. In turn we turned on ourselves, we lost hold over what we held most dear, the unity and fellowship between kinsmen. As the old proverbs go it is the slow knife, the knife that takes its time, the knife that slips quietly between the bones that is the knife that cuts the deepest. And this is why it all fell apart, for dulled into a state of compliance and false security over time we forsook our fundamental concepts and laws: unity and single-mindedness, and divided…we fell.

Discuss the significance of social status in Things Fall Apart, and comment on its contribution to characterization.

Within the world of ‘Thing Fall Apart,’ and specifically the tribe of Umofia, social status played a vital role in establishing one’s standing within the community and the manner in which others regarded you. Building of this notion the drive, or lack of, to increase one’s position played a defining role in shaping the characteristics of many of the novels leading characters. Most notably, this phenomenon was apparent in the lives of Okonkwo, his father Unoka and his son Nwoye. In doing so, author Chinua Achebe draws attention to the prevalent theme of status evident in his society and suggests that in order to discover to truly find fulfillment, one must lay down all inhibitions and pursue what their heart yearns for.

Status is often attributed to self-worth, a conduit in which many hope to find fulfillment and a sense of belonging. For the character of Unoka this was found in his music and being among the village musicians. However despite his talent on the flute, musical skill was not of the utmost value in the tribe of Umofia, rather men were known for their more masculine and hardy acts, and of these Unoka held none. This detail is vital in understanding the Ibo culture, as it reveals what they valued and considered to be ultimately beneficial for society. This concept stands a in polar contrast to our society, where artists and musicians are held in high regard, idolized by the general populous. In the village of Umofia this place of admiration was held for those who might excel in the ring (wrestling) or in the field, growing yams.  In addition the subject of status reveals the specific gender roles the Ibo assigned to men and women; women being charged with the keeping of the household while men were expected to attend to the accumulation of wealth and titles. What’s more it’s interesting to note that Unoka’s title was not imposed upon him or assigned to him at birth, rather he came into it as a grownup and this disclosure ties into the notion that Ibo men were truly self-made. Not relying on the accolades or shortcomings of their prerecords the men of the Ibo were expected to shape their own destiny and be denied by their own merits be it for the better or worse.

Haunted by the failures of his father, Okonkwo vowed to distance himself from all his father associated himself with. This relentless pursuit came to embody all he stood for, and served in many respects as his be all and end all. This life force, if you will, drove him to overcome all adversity and calamity, be it the death of Ikefumuna, his exile and the collapse of his way of life.  Due to this Okonkwo went on to become the village’s was distinguished member, The burly man seen as a successful farmer and fearsome warrior. This point further relates with Okonkwo’s need for audience and recognition, in light of his many accolades. The desire for an audience to watch and praise brave deeds was a survival of the old heroic ethos and would have to doubt been familiar to the inhabitants of Umofia. Returning to the notion of status and achievement, it was these pursuits that served as Okonkwo’s fatal fault and hamartia. A man so single-minded in his quest he did not bat an eyelid at the lost of human life and as such was so consumed in his cause, causing all else to fade way. Sadly despite his good intentions, Okonkwo pursuit highlights the grim reality of life, for despite his many righteous acts he met the same fate of his father, cast into the Evil Forest and deemed an abomination to the earth, all in his pursuit of what he held dear. 

In some respects Nwoye acts as the novel’s catalyst, in that he represents both the qualities of his father and grandfather. While some might argue that the boy better embodied the failures of a grandfather rather than the ‘success’ story of his father, he ultimately carved his own path, separate from that of both his precursors. By setting himself apart from all those around him, choosing to embrace a foreign religion, a new God and new identity, Nwoye pioneered a new social class, one that would come to dominate the land, Christians. However in doing so saw he initially lost social status within his own tribe being removed from his own father’s household and being deemed an outcast. Nonetheless the discussion proved ultimately beneficial as western ideology and the religion of the white man soon came to enfold the land, highlighting the shift in the power dynamic that occurs during the latter half of the novel. As such one might note that like Unoka and Okonkwo, Nwoye wholeheartedly pursued what he believed to be true and of value, regardless of the consequences.

Through his demonstration of the theme of status, in the characters of Okonkwo, Unoka and Nwoye, Achebe calls upon the audience lay down all inhibition and pursue what their heart’s truly desires, even if it means death and disappoint.

In closing within the world of ‘Thing Fall Apart,’ social status played an integral role in defying one’s standing and place within society. As such the drive, or lack of, to promote one’s self played a defining role in shaping the characteristics of many of the novels leading characters. Most notably, this was apparent in the lives of, Unoka and Nwoye. Achebe’s purpose in all this was to draw attention to the prevalent theme of status evident in his society and suggests that in order to discover true fulfillment, one must lay down all inhibition and pursue what their heart truly desires, regardless of the cost.