Things Fall Apart

             the Yams, the New Yam feast, followed by the dry season - The Harmattan - and the exquisite .
             taste of locusts. Medical help, both herbal and psychological treatment, is meted out for illnesses. .
             Ezinma was believed to be out of danger when the medicine man found her iyi-uwa. However .
             when she later falls sick Okonkwo prescribes a herbal brew which relieves Ezinma of her fever. .
             Many folk-tales are related in the novel, like the story of the tortoise, the tortoise and the cat .
             which reveal the strange nuances of their society and culture as well as the importance of stories .
             and their pedagogical value. Morals and values are described through these seemingly simple .
             tales of animals. .
             Social customs such as marriage ceremonies, funeral arrangements, and the gaining of titles are .
             described in great detail to give the reader a glimpse of the way of life of Igbo, especially that of .
             the clans members of Umuofia. Although many of these customs are similar throughout Igbo .
             culture, it is important to remember that each village develops their own customs and rituals as .
             well as dialects and that many villages were often at warfare with each other. These differences .
             were exploited by the colonialists who often pitted clan against clan to gain control over their .
             villages.
             3) The culture of the Umuofia society before the colonial.
             infiltration, may be hard to understand but we are forced by.
             Achebe to realize it has traditions and customs that make it.
             work. Although, looking at it from our Judaeo-Christian point of view we may be appalled by some of their practices. We also have to realize that they have strengths.
             Things Fall Apart is the idea of balance and.
             interdependence, earth and sky, individual and community, man and woman or different perspectives on the same situation. The central image of this balance is contained in the Ibo concept of "chi," which occurs throughout the novel. A persons "chi" is their destiny, his inner self, "you wouldn't challenge your "chi" to a wrestling match," as did Okonkwo when he assisted in the.