Formal Elements

Explain how the genre, narrative voice, and structure of Things Fall Apart are influenced by context.

In Things Fall Apart, Achebe employs a third person omniscient narrative in order to provide different perspectives on British colonization in Africa and also, further broadens the outlook on Igbo culture by providing contrasting opinions through third person narration, in the form of opposing characters such as Okonkwo and Obierika. Furthermore, the whole novel seems like a story being told as the narration flows in such a way and in Igbo society, stories and fables are much embraced. This therefore present’s the author’s decision to base the novel on a third person omniscient narrative so that the audience is enabled to let their own judgement take over the unbiased interpretation of Things Fall Apart by Achebe. Furthermore, the structure of Thing Fall Apart is circular rather than liner as Igbo culture prefers to circle around a topic rather than directly convey it out loud since it may be considered disrespectful to directly confront an issue, especially to elders. Also, it’s considered as an art to talk in proverbs and subsequently addressing the main topic in a flattery way so that the listener may be pleased or persuaded by the orator, successfully. Achebe had therefore used a circular structure to his plots, seen in Part 1 of the novel, on the basis of Igbo cultural style of oration.