Things Fall Apart - Positioning

• Narrative voice – what judgements does the narrator make about the event
• Implied audience – what role is assigned to the reader (insider/outsider)
• Whose voices/thoughts/opinions/culture are privileged
• Whose voices/thoughts/opinions/culture are silenced
• Binary oppositions or contrasts – do they work to represent some things as good, making the opposite bad? Or do they increase the level of sophistication or complexity of the representation? (see next point)
• Level of complexity of the representation – the more complex and ambiguous, the less the reader is positioned to completely accept or reject a point of view or character
• Consequences of actions – how are the consequences represented (deserved? Tragic? Triumphant?)

These are just some possible positioning techniques, common to many texts. There are some very specific techniques used in Things Fall Apart, which we will discuss.
Consider each of these events:

Chpt 2
• The argument with Mbaino P10
• Okonkwo’s treatment of his own son and relationship with his father p12

In both sections from this chapter, Okonkwo is represented as a strong leader, by the narrative which position us to understand that Okonwko is a nice man, "Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man" (p. 12). Also he leads the people around him, "Okonkwo rules his household with a heavy hand" (p.12).The 3rd person narrative gives the effect of a non-bias and multiple perspectives. This then helps to have some knowledge of Okonkwo as a man who leads, however is a kind person. Also, there’s a strong cultural assumption which underpins the idea of male who are higher than the women and it connects with a binary opposition of female and males. This is clearly shown when Okonkwo brought Ikemefuna to his house and called the wife to look after him, the wife was silenced for her questioned as he says, "Do what you are told, woman,' Okonkwo thundered, and stammered." (p.14) The audience is positioned to regard his behaviour of his over ruling the household and especially women, he is expecting them to do whatever he says to do, just like his slaves. Additionally, the elements of Ibo culture are revealed because of Okonkwo's ruling in his household, meaning, the man owns the house and the wives should do whatever he says because he is higher than them. Another binary opposition in this chapter is the difference between Okonkwo and his father. It betrays Okonkwo as a better and powerful man, where his father was a gentle and weak man, "Okonkwo was ruled by one mission- to hate everything that his father Unoka had loved. One of those things was gentleness and another was idleness" (p.13). It is privileging Okonkwo therefore the audience is then positioned to regard the Ibo culture where strong man leads the household.



Chpt 3:
• The oracle to Unoka, and Unoka’s deathp 16
• Okonkwo’s struggles for wealth p.19

In this chapter Okonkwo is represented as a man with a great past, who has been through many tough times. His life started a bit different to others because of his father, "With a father like Unoka, Okonkwo did not have the start in life which many young men had... in spite of these disadvantages, he had begun even in his father's lifetime to lay the foundations of a prosperous future. It was slow and painful... and indeed he was possessed by the fear of his father's contemptible life and shameful death. (p.17). Unoka went to consult Agbala, and said sadly about his fail in his land but was turned by the oracle; by Chika who was full of the power, "You, Unoka, are known in all the clan for the weakness of your matchet and your hoe...Go home and work like a man" (p.16). This gives a cultural assumption that man should have a success in its land and know how to control the yams. Also that man should never be weak; they should work like a strong man. The audience is then positioned to regard his behaviour through his past, the cultural assumption made. Okonkwo's struggle in wealth affected his life and his success in his yams. After asking for some yam seeds from Nwakibie, every attempt he has made has failed, wasting 1600 yam seeds in total. However Okonkwo learns from his mistakes of failure, "He knew he was a fierce fighter, but that year had been enough to break the heart of a lion... he did not sink under the load of despair.(p.22) The Ibo culture are revealed through the 2 parts in this chapter, one being - the importance to stay strong as a man and the second is to have success in its yams. The audience is positioned to regard this culture by the cultural assumptions which are clearly identified.


Chpt 4:
• Okonkwo’s treatment of others, and the arrival of Ikemefuna P23
• Okonkwo’s mistreatment of his wife in the week of peace. P26

Okonkwo is still being represented as a tough but a kind man in this chapter. Again, the same cultural assumption is made here, as man should be strong and never show signs of weakness, "To show affection was a sign of weakness; the only thing worth demonstrating was strength. (p.25). Also another cultural assumption is shown where man rules the house, and the woman should be organising food for the children and the husband. Okonkwo mistreats his first wife in the week of peace and beats her up terribly as he was frustrated by her commitment to make food. "When she returned he beat her very heavily. In his anger he had forgotten that it was the Week of Peace." (p.26) This helps to give a binary opposition of male and female, where male dominates female. The audience is positioned to regard his behaviour by understanding his leadership and power he has in his household, but at the same time stays strong. Some elements of Ibo cultures are revealed, where the priest (of the earth goddess) comes to Okonkwo's obi to tell him the consequence of his mistreatment of his wife during the peace week. He says that the 'evil' has come to him, "The evil you have done can ruin the whole clan. The earth goddess whom you have insulted may refuse to give us her increase, and we shall all perish" (p.27). Therefore after this, Okonkwo's consequence was to bring many things to the shine of Ani. This then helps to position the audience regarding to the culture in Ibo with the use of strong cultural assumption, and it shows that a mistake done in the week of Peace damages everyone else and the consequence is to recover that. Also the people in the tribe all believes in goddess and sprits whom they follow with and make certain decisions regarding them.

Use quotes from your assigned section to answer:
• How is Okonkwo represented?
• How is the audience positioned to regard his behaviour? What techniques are being used to achieve this?
• Explain what elements of Ibo culture are revealed
• How is the audience positioned to regard the culture


Chpt 25
Okonkwo was driven him to think theeres noting left to him, colonialists - are seen to be deteramental to the ibo tribe and the culture. Okonkwo's suicide is tragic = the colonialists are seen to be 'bad'**