People cannot control their fate; thus everything must come to an end due to this inevitable force. Achebe illustrates the ending of an era in the Things Fall Apart, which was influenced by another piece of literature: “The Second Coming”. Although Things Fall Apart and “The Second Coming” both analyze distinct time periods, both pieces of literature use negative tone, diction, and symbols to reveals the theme everything leads to failure. In Things Fall Apart Achebe focuses upon the ending of an era by integrating a negative tone towards the subject. Achebe uses his tone to display the tension between the tribe and the whites. In Things Fall Apart Achebe writes a novel about the life of a man named Okonkwo with a big family, who lives in …show more content…
Achebe uses diction to describe the ending of an era by showing the views of the cultures. The details shift to show the different sides of culture. In the beginning readers see Umofia’s perspective; however, later in the novel readers learn the white’s perspective. Achebe uses details by saying succulent, ripe, and other words repeatedly to show the tribes focus on women (Achebe 71). Suddenly when the readers see a shift of details it shows the view of the Europeans. The shift shows how the whites forced their culture upon Umofia. When whites force their culture on Umofia, it shows the ending of this era. As Umofia loses its culture, it ends their freedom. Details show the ending of this era by shifting perspectives. As The Second Coming achieves the same idea, but in a different way. Yeats uses detail to show a sense of destruction on war. This poem does not pin one nation against another, nor does it blame anyone for the war. The poem talks about anarchy, which shows the pain and hardships of the war. The details begin to focus upon religion, and how God is coming for judgment day. Soon the world will be free. This directly shows the thought of ending of an era. Yeats thinks that the world will soon end from all of this destruction. This helps enforces the theme, by giving the scary details of the world ending. In both pieces of literature readers see the details play apart in the message of the everything leads to failure; however, they are shown in different ways. Things fall Apart uses a change in perspective and detail to help readers understand the theme. On the other hand, The Second Coming uses details to demonstrate destruction throughout the
Through the use of vigorous, ritualistic imagery and war-like diction, Yeats accentuates the inauspicious course of events the world has faced. Yeats, in the first stanza, uses violent and warlike imagery and diction to illustrates that the world is on the threshold of an apocalyptic revelation. Yeats describes that the world is going to “fall apart,” and that “mere anarchy is [loosened] upon the world,” and ‘everywhere...innocence is drowned.” The use of violent diction in the first stanza contributes to the concept that world is going to end, and that humanity cannot recover from the destruction the world has caused, but Yeats uses ritualistic imagery to describe “a rough beast” with “a shape [of a] lion body and head of a man” to show that this “New Age” will bring some hope. William Yeats uses this violent and ritualistic imagery and diction to illustrate that in order to bring a new era, the old epoch must die violently, which is his concept of “the second coming.” Yeats believes that a violent revolution will bring hope to a new era. Similarly, how the Russian Revolution was destructive and brought an end to an era and started a new age which bought Russia to new heights, Yeats believes that a violent end of the world can bring the new world to new
When comparing the novel “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe and William butler Yeats poem “The Second Coming”, at first there seem to be no similarities except for the phrase “things fall apart” which is used in both. But as one closely examinee the reasons why both authors use this sentence, one realizes that both of them try to show a great change, which, in the poem is related to reality, while in the novel is related to the story.
“Things fall apart; the center cannot hold” (“The Second Coming”). In the novel Things Fall Apart, the village’s belief system began to collapse. In “The Second Coming”, the narrator is witnessing an era coming to an end, and in “Ozymandias,” a statue of a tyrant falls apart, symbolizing the destruction of his legacy. There is a central theme shared amongst these three works. Things throughout history, good or bad, like religions, infamous leaders, or eras in history all inevitably come to an end.
Chinua Achebe, the author from “Things Fall Apart,” chose to end his novel in a poignant way of the people ’s -- Igbo and colonists -- pasts and their perspectives on significant events in the novel, to show that things fall apart for everyone. The colonists try to make up for their pasts; Achebe’s insight of both of the cultures, and the presentation of Okonkwo’s awareness, and how serious his death was. With a sudden realization of Okonkwo’s behavioral twin, the District Commissioner.
Chinua Achebe presents his audience with an interesting twist to a contemporary school of thought in his work Things Fall Apart. This post-colonization narrative incorporates several traits that revolt against normative philosophic systems and tralititious theories and beliefs of the existence of man and his place in the universe. Achebe's efforts are characterized by a small diverse group of writers that purge realizations of predestination, and instead define man's existence by identifying his independent choices throughout the life course. Achebe's style, although peculiar in one sense, can be defined in relation to the school of philosophic thought known as existentialism.
The novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a commanding account about the rise and fall of an African tribe. The powerful narrative depicts the life and customs of the people and how they change through the years. Theere are many different ideas and characters that are preseneted throughout the novel. The depiction of women is one aspect that is of extreme relevance. It can be shown through several passages in the novel that the women are actually the unseen power behind the mighty Umofian tribe.
Failure is inevitable, everything leads to failure due to unruly human errors. Achebe illustrates the ending of an era in the Things Fall Apart, which was influenced by another piece of literature: “The Second Coming”. Although Things Fall Apart and “The Second Coming” both analyze distinct time periods, both pieces of literature use negative tone, diction, and symbols to reveals the theme everything leads to failure.
In the first stanza Yeats expresses his conflicting loathing and admiration for modernity through the juxtaposition of “vivid faces” and “grey houses”. This represents the possibilities that modernity can bring; the revitalising of the community or the destruction of tradition and age old energy already lost by the modifications in the city. The repetition of the phrase “A terrible beauty is born” in the first and fourth stanzas articulate this inner turmoil revolving around modernity. This oxymoronic declaration is emphasised throughout the text by Yeats’ confusion towards the rebellion and its necessity. The fourth stanza embodies this conflict, removing the previously represented idea that life in pre-rebellion Ireland was a “casual comedy”, alluding to an Elizabethan play where the characters were content. By asking the rhetoric questions “was it needless death” and “O when may [British rule] suffice?” Yeats parallels the unresolved contradiction of “terrible beauty”. However, this sensitive treatment of conflict allows the retainment of ambiguity and can be related to any change within life, hence allowing audiences to superimpose their own beliefs and ideas into the poem. Yeats continues to explore his aversion towards modernism in The Second Coming with the appointment of a new “gyre” standing as the symbol for a new age. The fear of
The timeless essence and the ambivalence in Yeats’ poems urge the reader’s response to relevant themes in society today. This enduring power of Yeats’ poetry, influenced by the Mystic and pagan influences is embedded within the textual integrity drawn from poetic techniques and structure when discussing relevant contextual concerns.
The novel, Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe centers around a man named Okonkwo, and it explores Igbo culture through two tribes that Okonkwo is a part of, the Umuofia and the Mbanta. The novel demonstrates a number of core aspects of the Igbo culture which include religion, tradition, discipline, and unity. After exploring these aspects of Igbo culture, the novel shows how they are affected and changed by European colonialism. Achebe specifically uses interactions between Okonkwo, his tribes, and European missionaries to portray what happened to Igbo culture once European colonialism was introduced.
In his novel, Things Fall Apart, Achebe interconnects and associates events that occur in Umuofia with emotions and feelings that hint at what is to come. A prime example of this is Achebe’s use of literary techniques in chapter seven, that create tension and convey sympathy for Ikemefuna and conclude in his tragic death.
Achebe named his book “Things Fall Apart” after a line from the poem “The Second Coming” by William Butler. The reason he did this is because this line embodies the entire concept of the book. The Second Coming describes a chaotic world that can’t hold it’s own because of it’s own inner conflict. In addition to this coincidence from the book and poem, both show a shift between eras, old to new. Yeats writes “Turning and turning in the widening gyre the falcon cannot hear the falconer”. This refers to the idea that change is essential and people cannot go back in time. In Things Fall Apart, Umuofia has many major changes throughout the story.
William Butler Yeats wrote “The Second Coming” after World War 1 ended, in a time when the image of society was catastrophic. Yeats was deeply affected by these horrors caused by the war. Yeats predicts this image of a catastrophic society due to war will reappear in the near future. In “The Second Coming”, William B. Yeats uses a variety of literary devices to portray his idea of what the downfall of society will look like.
In his novel, Things Fall Apart, Achebe interconnects and associates events that occur in Umuofia with emotions and feelings that hint at what is to come. A prime example of this is Achebe’s use of literary techniques in chapter seven, that create tension and convey sympathy for Ikemefuna and conclude in his tragic death.
Yeats was a confessional poet - that is to say, that he wrote his poetry directly from his own experiences. He was an idealist, with a purpose. This was to create Art for his own people - the Irish. But in so doing, he experienced considerable frustration and disillusionment. The tension between this ideal, and the reality is the basis of much of his writing. One central theme of his earlier poetry is the contrast