138 Things Fall Apart Essay Questions & Samples

🔝 Top-10 Things Fall Apart Essay Topics

1. Themes and Symbolism in Things Fall Apart: Symbols & Examples of Imagery
2. Culture in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
3. Moral Complexities in Things Fall Apart by C. Achebe
4. The Western Conception of Africa in “Things Fall Apart“ by Chinua Achebe
5. Social and Cultural Aspects of Pre-Colonial Africa in Chinua Achebe: Things Fall Apart
6. Post-Colonial Theory in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
7. Colonial Discourse in “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe
8. “Things Fall Apart” a Book by Chinua Achebe Literature Analysis
9. “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe: Customs and Rituals
10. Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” & “Things Fall Apart” by Achebe: Comparison

🔥 Hottest Essay Questions on Things Fall Apart

Why Does Nwoye Admire Ikemefuna?

Nwoye respects Ikemefuna for his kindness, softness, and intelligence. Even though Nwoye knows most of the folk tales, Ikemefuna’s versions have a fresh spin, which fascinates Nwoye. What is more, Ikemefuna possesses many skills Nwoye lacks and, thus, becomes a positive role model for Nwoye.

What Is the Struggle between Change and Tradition?

Okonkwo’s resistance to the new political and religious orders exemplifies the conflict between change and tradition. He fears that embracing change will threaten his masculinity and societal status. Okonkwo also assumes that his sense of self-worth depends on the traditional standards by which society judges him.

Why Does Okonkwo Hang Himself?

Okonkwo takes his own life because he cannot stand to watch his cultural heritage die out under the weight of colonialism. He has lost everything important to him — his titles, land, respect, and even family. Ultimately, suicide is Okonkwo’s way of escaping the suffering and humiliation he feels.

What Are the Community Values in Things Fall Apart?

Throughout Things Fall Apart, we see the community values placed on strength, masculinity, and tradition. The Igbo people do not have selfish motives. They are hardworking, strong, and always happy to help others. In addition, all generations adhere to ancestral customs and highly respect sacred things and their religion.

How and Why Does Okonkwo Kill Ikemefuna?

In the novel, the elders sacrifice Ikemefuna to settle a dispute with a neighboring village. Due to this decision, Okonkwo is torn between his love for the boy and his dread of appearing vulnerable. Driven by this fear, he unwillingly agrees to carry out the deed. Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna by striking him with his machete in a secluded spot away from the village.

🏆 Best Things Fall Apart Topic Ideas & Essay Examples

1. Comparison of Shakespeare The Tempest, T.S. Eliot The Wasteland, and Chinua Achebe Things Fall Apart
   Magic In the opening of the play Prospero is the one who, had conjured the storm in a desire to entice his, brother Antonio and the king of Naples, Alonso.
2. Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and the Culture of the Igbo
   However, when the oracle instructs that Ikemefuna is to be killed, Okonkwo severs his head with a machete even despite the fact that he is warned by the elder that he did not need to […]
3. Okonkwo’s Identity in “Things Fall Apart”
   In turn, it could be assumed that the vehement feeling of connection to the particular culture influences perceptions and identity of an individual about the place of his/her culture in the world due to the […]
4. Patriarchy and Masculinity in Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”
   Thus, the novel is built on the juxtaposition of concepts, ideas, and concepts, thanks to which the reader can fully understand the main character’s perception of the concepts of masculinity and patriarchy.
5. “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe: Post Colonial Theory
   The white men tried to spread the gospel but “the arrival of the missionaries had caused a considerable stir in the village…”..
6. Identity in “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe
   If the person loses the ability to distinguish between cultural history and his/her identity, the consequences can be rather destructive, as in the case of Okonkwo from Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”.
7. The Novel “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe
   The main theme of the Things Fall Apart is the confrontation of the old and the new world, and the eternal struggle of traditions with innovations, in which there are no winners.
8. Things Fall Apart: Drama and Its Elements in the Novel
   Achebe chose to write about the traditions and values of the Igbo people to show that they had their own rich culture before the British came. The novel is about the Igbo people, their way […]
9. Ikemefuna’s Place in Achebe’s Things Fall Apart
   Due to this contrast, the protagonist is revealed to the full extent as a father. At the same time, there is no difference between the characters of Nwoye and Ikemefuna.
10. “Things Fall Apart” by Achebe and “We Should All Be Feminists” by Adichie
    For instance, the story of the Earth and Sky highlights the interdependence of masculinity and femininity since the earth requires rainfall and sunlight from the sky to thrive.
11. Protagonists in Oyono’s Houseboy and Chinua’s Things Fall Apart
    Notably, Okonkwo and Toudi’s masculinity is a false image that is preserved by focusing on the symbol of masculinity and rejecting new ways of progress.
12. Colonizers vs. Ibo Society in “Things Fall Apart” by Achebe
    In fact, the nature of the colonialists’ influence on the Ibo people and their culture is pinpointed in the very title of the book.
13. Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart: Turning Sorrow Into Meaning
    In the novel, the culprit for the destruction of Okonkwo’s personality, the disintegration of the clan, which Elder Mbata speaks of in the second passage, the destruction of family ties and religion, is the person […]
14. Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” Critical Review
    Published in 1958, the novel describes the life of a Nigerian village – Iguedo, at the advent of the white colonization in Nigeria.
15. “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe: Theme Study
    The main theme of the novel, in terms of cultural subjugation and introduction of western traditional values to replace contemporary African cultures are discussed during the course of this novel. This perhaps is the mainstay […]
16. The Influence of “Things Fall Apart”
    In so doing, he renders meaning to the traditional African way of life and he also dignifies the people of the continent.
17. Mirror Image: Heart of Darkness & Things Fall Apart
    However, Okonkwo is helpless once he finds British colonization creeping in and destroying the traditional parameters of the village and their culture as a whole along with the ramification of their religion with the invasion […]
18. Heart of Darkness and Things Fall Apart: Narrative
    In the same vein, Joseph Conrad’s novella “Heart of Darkness,” written in 1899, is about the struggle of two civilized Europeans, Marlow and Kurtz, after they ventured in to the wouldarkness’ of uncivilized Africa,’ and […]
19. ”Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin and ”Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe
    The basic theme of the novel is Ibo culture which is to be changed because of the pressure on the part of the external forces. The introduction of the protagonist of the story Okonkwo is […]

♀️ Things Fall Apart Essay Prompts on Gender Roles

In an essay on gender norms in the novel, you should focus on the role of women in the Igbo culture. Analyze how colonialism changed ideas about masculinity and femininity and relationships between men and women.

Check out some fresh topics that we have prepared below:

1. The limitations and oppressions faced by women in the novel.
2. Contrasting gender roles in the Igbo community before and after the arrival of missionaries.
3. What role do gender norms play in Okonkwo’s downfall?
4. The intersection of gender and class in the Igbo society in Things Fall Apart.
5. How does Achebe portray traditional Igbo notions of masculinity and femininity?

💡 Most Interesting Things Fall Apart Topics to Write about

1. Colonization in Chinua Achebe’s Novel “Things Fall Apart”
   The tribesmen did not want to give up the new trading society to fight for their independence, that I why they had accepted the confines of the white man’s rule.
2. Female Submission in Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”
   Through this book, the reader is brought to the realization of the role that the white man played in the destruction of the bonds which existed in the African culture.
3. Writing Tools of “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe
   The book was written during the pre-colonial time and the author portrayed the western practices as of value to the people in the village.
4. Cultural Conquest in “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe
   The period comprising the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century is known for the European colonization and separation of Africa.
5. Chinua Achebe’ Book “Things Are Falling Apart”
   Chinua Achebe, an African author with his origin in Nigeria mainly focuses on the colonization of African countries and the role of women in the society in the village of Umuofia in his book Things […]
6. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe – Literature Analysis
   This essay seeks to establish the strengths and weaknesses of the Igbo culture as portrayed in Things Fall Apart to assess the author’s success in achieving his main goal.
7. Novel’ Significance: “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe
   This is one of the details that can be identified. However, this approach can lead to disastrous effects such as the marginalization of people.
8. Literature: Things Fall Apart and The Epic of Gilgamesh
   The two are internally affected by the struggle between the forces longing for change and those advocating for the restoration of the status quo.
9. Society Role in Literature: King Lear and Things Fall Apart
   The difference is that the leader of the plan is much tougher physically and emotionally, and it is evident that he would not give up his values and morals.
10. “Things Fall Apart“ and “Midnight’s Children“: Comparison
    One of the main qualitative aspects of the ongoing discourse of post-colonialism, is that it often addresses the issue of what can be considered the indications of one’s endowment with the so-called ‘post-colonial’ identity.
11. Belgian and British Colonial Practices in “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe
    The first distinction is the manner in which the British used to gain control of the people of Umuofia, the village of Okonkwo’s village.
12. The European Colonization of Africans in Achebe’s Book “Things Fall Apart”
    For the last fifty years, these critics have somehow reduced the face value of the text in the book. This forms another set of variation in the face value of the text in the book.
13. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
    The Umuofia society is religious as it is characterized by the worship of Chuckwu the chief the god, spirits and the ancestors.
14. «Things Fall Apart» by Albert Chinụalụmọgụ Achebe
    Even at the helm of his success, he still remembered how he suffered when his playmate said his father was an agbala.
15. Things Fall Apart: Collage of Ideas and Main Themes
    He is not only responsible for his family and each member but he should also care about his clan and the reputation of this clan.
16. Devotion to Traditions and Culture in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
    Things Fall Apart is a literary work that represents the development of several different ideas like the importance of religion, significance of culture, and power that leads to conflicts of different types; Chinua Achebe made […]
17. The Nature of Disturbances in “Things Fall Apart”
    The author illustrates the disruption of peace by the arrival of white-men in the Igbo community. Nevertheless, the showing up of the white man and Christianity led to a change in this practice, the women […]
18. Things Fall Apart: Ibo Hero Analysis
    In addition to this, towards the end of the novel, he commits suicide due to the fact that he has no followers when it comes to dealing with the missionaries.
19. Characteristics of Okwonko in Things Fall Apart
    First, when he bullies his wives and sons in the homestead, he reveals to the white man that, in Africa, a man is the head of the family. Finally, in committing suicide, Okwonko demonstrates to […]

🌍 Essay Topics for Things Fall Apart on Cultural Differences

You can dwell on how the author portrays the cultural clash between the Igbo people and the British colonizers. We also recommend you focus on Okonkwo’s resistance to change and examine how it reflects the broader cultural conflict between tradition and modernity in the novel.

Here are some additional essay topics on cultural differences in the book:

1. The symbolism of the kola nut in representing cultural unity in Things Fall Apart.
2. What impact does Western education have on the Igbo culture?
3. The role of cultural resistance in the face of colonization.
4. Cross-cultural experiences in Things Fall Apart.
5. How does Igbo religion conflict with Christianity in the novel?

⭐ Good Research Topics about Things Fall Apart

1. Culture and Humanity: “Things Fall Apart” and “The Gods Must Be Crazy”
2. Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” and Harrison’s “The Black Man’s Burden”: Self-Motivation, Courage, and Sacrifice
3. Marginality, Dichotomy, and Hegemony in “Things Fall Apart”
4. The Relationship Between Cultural Relativity and Superiority in “Things Fall Apart”
5. White Missionaries and the Igbo People in Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”
6. Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”: Tension and Conflict Between Traditional and Modern Views
7. Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”: A View of the Impacts of Imperialism
8. The Specific Gender Roles in the Village Environment in the Novel “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe
9. Imperialism and the Allegory of the Cave in “Things Fall Apart”
10. The Positive and Negative Aspects of European Assimilation in “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe
11. Big Picture, Small Picture: Context for Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”
12. Personal and Cultural Identity in “Things Fall Apart” and “I Lost My Talk”
13. Internal Conflict Leading to the Downfall in the Ibo Culture in Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”
14. Okonkwo, the Power Hungry Warrior in “Things Fall Apart”
15. The Problems Facing the Ibo People in “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe
16. Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”: Inevitable Suffering in Tragedies
17. Ways of Colonialism and Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”
18. British Imperialism and “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe
19. Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”: Exploring the Ibo Culture and Traditional Aspects
20. The European and African Narrative Techniques Used in “Things Fall Apart” and “Petals of Blood”

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Things Fall Apart Project Ideas: Family Bonds & Traditions

Your project may explore the roles of the father, mother, children, and other relatives in Igbo households. Additionally, you can examine how the clash between old and new generations influences family relationships in the novel.

Here are some other project ideas you can consider:

1. The analysis of the Okonkwo family tree.
2. The link between the concept of honor and family relationships.
3. Ikemefuna’s death and its consequences for Okonkwo’s family.
4. The value of yam farming as one of the family artifacts.
5. Comparing generational perspectives on tradition.

👍 Simple & Easy Things Fall Apart Essay Titles

1. “Things Fall Apart”: Cultural Changes After African Colonization
2. Tragedy in “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe
3. “Things Fall Apart” and African Stereotypes
4. Female: The Stronger Gender in Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”
5. Political and Religious Threats in “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe
6. Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” and Intercultural Communication
7. Problems and Challenges for Chinua Achebe in “Things Fall Apart”
8. Colonialism: Comparisons Between “Things Fall Apart” and Historical Accounts
9. Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”: Orientalism and Gender Roles
10. Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” and the Character of Nwoye
11. Africa Fall Apart: “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe and Pre-Modern Era Africa
12. Chinua Achebe’s Novel “Things Fall Apart”: Theology and Religion
13. The American Attitudes Towards the Peasants and the Lower Classes in “The Great Gatsby” and “Things Fall Apart”
14. Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”: Finding Unoka in the Mirror
15. The African and Ibo Culture in “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe
16. “Things Fall Apart” and the Influences of Family, Culture, and Society
17. Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”: The Culture Collision and Its Impact on Okonkwo
18. Relationship Between Character and Society in “Things Fall Apart”
19. Fate and Free Will in Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”
20. Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”: A Discussion of Women in Igbo Society

🎭 Characters Analysis in Things Fall Apart Research Paper Topics

In a research paper on this topic, you can investigate how the characters in Things Fall Apart interact with nature and how this interaction reflects their inner world. Also, you can compare the novel’s characters to those of other literary works.

Review additional topics for character analysis:

1. Obinna’s character evolution and its root causes.
2. Female characters in Things Fall Apart: the comparison.
3. The portrayals of colonial officials and their impact on the Igbo community.
4. Nwoye’s identity struggle and internal conflict.
5. The roles and significance of the women in Okonkwo’s life.

❓ Things Fall Apart Essay Questions

1. What Are Two Themes in “Things Fall Apart”?
2. What Is the Most Important Message in “Things Fall Apart”?
3. How Does Achebe Depict Ibo Culture in “Things Fall Apart”?
4. What Is “Things Fall Apart” Main Idea?
5. What Happens in the End of “Things Fall Apart”?
6. Why Is “Things Fall Apart” Historical Fiction?
7. What Is the Conclusion of “Things Fall Apart”?
8. Who Is the Most Important Character in “Things Fall Apart”?
9. Why Achebe Chose the Title “Things Fall Apart”?
10. What Are the Conflicts in “Things Fall Apart”?
11. How Is Foreshadowing Used in “Things Fall Apart”?
12. Is “Things Fall Apart” a True Story?
13. What Is the Cave Called in “Things Fall Apart”?
14. What Are Some Symbols in “Things Fall Apart”?
15. What Does Okonkwo’s Suicide Symbolize in “Things Fall Apart”?
16. Why Is “Things Fall Apart” Important in African Literature?
17. What Are Cowries in “Things Fall Apart”?
18. Why Is Okonkwo Important in “Things Fall Apart”?
19. What Is the Story “Things Fall Apart” About?
20. What Is the Historical Background of “Things Fall Apart”?
21. Who Is the Narrator in “Things Fall Apart”?
22. How the Tribe Changes in “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe?
23. Who Is the Antagonist in “Things Fall Apart”?
24. What Are the Moral Lessons in “Things Fall Apart”?
25. How Is Colonialism Shown in “Things Fall Apart”?
26. What Are Two Major Conflicts in “Things Fall Apart”?
27. How Is “Things Fall Apart” a Tragedy?
28. What Does the Last Paragraph of “Things Fall Apart” Mean?
29. What Does the Tortoise Symbolize in “Things Fall Apart”?
30. Who Is the Hero in “Things Fall Apart”?