Literary Devices In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe uses literary devices such as irony, flashbacks, and symbols to tell a story about what it was like to live in Africa at that time. He tells a story about a character who does everything in his power to not be like his father but in the end he finds himself in a similar situation. By using these literary devices Achebe writes about destiny versus self-determination and connects ideas to the theme.
His use of irony helps explain Okonkwo’s actions and how his life ended the way it did. “When Unoka died he had taken no title at all and he was heavily in debt. Any wonder then that he son Okonkwo was ashamed of him.” (8). This quote helps describe Okonkwo’s feelings towards his father and helps back up some of …show more content…
Nwoye never felt like he fit in and when the missionaries came to Umuofia and Mbanta he found where he fit in. Another symbol in Things Fall Apart is the yams. They represent a man’s self worth and kindness. “Yam foo-foo and vegetable soup was the chief food in the celebration.” (37) When Okonkwo had left Umuofia and moved to Mbanta, he had also left his farm and all of his yams. Uchendu, Okonkwo’s uncle, had given him so yam seeds to use to start growing some of his own in Mbanta. Back in Umuofia, Obierika tends to Okonkwo’s farm for seven years. Obierika and Uchendu didn't have to help Okonkwo. They have their own yams to tend to and because the amount of yams a man has determines their self-worth, they could be wealthier if they didn’t help Okonkwo like they did. Symbolism relates two things together. Yams mean more than just food, and Nwoye isn’t just one of Okonkwo’s …show more content…
The events in Okonkwo’s life were created by his actions. His hard work and drive lead him to be a great farmer and a strong man. Addition to that he took his manliness to far and started hurting the people surrounding him. His actions were not destiny, he could have easily spent his life like his father spent his but he chose to make something of himself. Chinua Achebe wrote about Okonkwo and how his chose to live his life with power and manliness to avoid being like his father but in the end they had similar

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Literary Devices In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

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