Colonial Subjugation and Cultural Erosion in Things Fall Apart

Abstract

This paper deals with British colonizers’ colonization over Nigeria, subjugation and cultural Erosion in Nigeria. On the one hand, it shows how Nigeria is endowed with their different primitive cultural practices and natural resources. Native Nigerians were happy with their indigenous cultural legacy and identity before the British colonization started. But, they became unable to govern their nation developing their natural resources and preserving their cultural practices. On the other hand, it shows the encroachment of Britishers in Nigeria. The white Europeans start implanting seeds of Christianity, education system, establish courts, and their government in Nigeria rejecting the indigenous cultural norms, social values, their ancestral spirit and divine power of cultural society. As a result, the conflict between the white intruders and African indigenous people that gets reflected in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart is clearly discussed in the research. Finally, the research reflects how the novel is written as a counter-narrative that opposes western views towards African civilization. Regarding research methodology, qualitative approach becomes very contextual since the novels deals with the fictional characters and details. For a broad theoretical framework, the postcolonial theory that incorporates the idea of colonization and after effects of colonization becomes very effective. Likewise, for the theoretical tools, Edward Said’s Orientalism becomes a very applicable tool as it shows how the westerners take the orient, subjugate, dominate, exploit and colonize. Besides, Frantz Fanon’s theoretical concept of racism and Homi K. Bhabha’s theoretical concept of mimicry become effective tools for the textual analysis of the primary text.