A Comparison of the Culture of Things Fall Apart and Western Culture :: comparison compare contrast essays

The Culture of Things impinge on Apart vs. Western Culture       many another(prenominal) societies have beliefs rooted deep in ancient religion. Some beliefs acknowledge polygamy, polytheism, and patriarchy, or rule by men. One such culture is that of Achebes Things F all Apart. Polytheism and polygamy are custom in the clan, and the role of each family member is in truth defined. The men are overly domineering. The women and children are treated poorly and real much beaten. Life in Achebes Umuofia would seem very unlike to someone life sentence in modern day America.   Chinua Achebes 1959 novel, Things fall Apart, takes place in the 1890s, only when before British colonization. The novel focuses on the nine Ibo-speaking resolutions of Umuofia, which is Ibo for People of the Forest. Umuofia is the village in which Okonkwo, Achebes protagonist, prospers in everything and is able to secure his manly position in the tribe. Now known as Nigeria, this land was a primitive outlandish society completely run by men. Umuofia was known, and as Achebe says, ...feared by all its neighbors. It was powerful in war and in magic, and priests and medicine men were feared in all the surrounding country (11). Perhaps, its most powerful and feared magic was called ... agadi- nwayi, or old woman it had its shrine in the centre of Umuofia ... if anyone was so rash as to pass by the shrine past dusk he was sure to see the old woman(12). The people of Umuofia are very devoted to their religion and their magic. These ancient beliefs were believed to give the people some pattern of power over their oppressors.   One custom of Umuofia that would be very different from Western culture is Polygamy, the practice of having many wives. This custom is practiced in the connected nine villages of Umuofia. In fact, a mans wealth is partially measurable by the number of wives he has. A wealthy man expound in Things Fall Apart, had nine wi ves and thirty children. Okonkwo had three wives and eight children.   Polygamy is not something many Americans are accustomed to. Western culture teaches that monogamy, as fence to polygamy, is the proper, accepted form of marriage. Western culture places that morality into its people, often from youth.