L'histoire d'Achebe #TFA

Prompt: The personal history of an author can have a significant influence on the way meaning is constructed in his/her writing. Comment on specific instances of such influence in Things Fall Apart.

Thesis:

In the novel, Things Fall Apart, Achebe effectually implements his literary prowess to construct a riveting account of pre and post-colonial Nigerian society, with his personal confrontations underpinning the prominence of the characterization of the protagonist, the portrayal of the arrival of the Christian Missionaries, and the deliberate depiction of Igbo Umuofia. 

Topic Sentence #1: 

Through the gradual unraveling of Okonkwo's character, Achebe strategically parallels his own personal attempts to extricate himself from the identity crisis that he dwelt in— growing up in a pious Christian family amongst members of an ostensibly 'savage' Igbo Clan.

Topic Sentence #2: 

In the novel, Achebe seamlessly weaves in a detailed portrayal of the Christian Missionaries in Umuofia, as his upbringing as a devout Christian contributes immensely to the augmentation of the authenticity of the literary illustrations in regards to the incipient infiltration of the Europeans in Nigeria. 

Topic Sentence #3: 

Achebe sets straight, through his novel, the misconceptions that cloud the Igbo people as he utilizes the opportunity of penning a novel to revisit his distorted cultural identity and promulgate to other Africans the intricacies of the traditional Nigerian clan. 

Gender Thesis Statement and Outline #TFA

With reference to Things Fall Apart, discuss how an understanding of gender influences how the text may be understood.

Thesis:

In the novel, Things Fall Apart, a thorough understanding of the gender influences contributes remarkably to the readers conception of the community's social stratification, an elevated significance of central themes and conflicts, and the overall appreciation of authentic Igbo intricacies. 

Topic Sentence #1: 

An overarching awareness of the gender dynamics prevalent in an Umuofian context would propel the reader's fundamental comprehension of the hierarchical scaffold that Igbo society is founded upon.

Topic Sentence #2: 

An in-depth understanding of the central themes and conflicts that dominate the novel can be bolstered by the readers comprehension of gender influences in Umuofia during the early 19th century.

Topic Sentence #3: 

The authenticity of Igbo culture is retained in the articulation of vivid accounts of Umuofian societal affairs, which oft can be fortified by a rudimentary consciousness of gender values in the society at the time. 

Thesis #TFA

Prompt: With reference to Things Fall Apart, show how sub-plots or secondary characters contribute to the reader’s understanding and appreciation of the work as a whole. 

In the novel, Things Fall Apart, Achebe strategically assimilates subordinate plots and pronounced secondary characters in order to augment the reader's understanding of the complexities of the Igbo culture, accent the protagonist's central attributes, and propel the development of conflicts and themes that enhance the progression of the novel.