Paper 2 Practice.

Show how and to what effect Achebe makes use of myth, legend of other stories and tales. 

    Things Fall Apart, centers on the fictional Ibo clan of Umuofia. Umuofia is rich in oral history and highly values individual expression through language. This aspect of the Ibo culture is highlighted through the use of myth, proverbs, and story-telling. This response with explore how Achebe uses these cultural traditions to instill the reader with a better understanding of Ibo culture. Having a greater understanding of Ibo culture helps to bridge the gap between the Western audience and the largely misunderstood cultures of Africa. Through cultural appreciation, all readers can better empathize with the downfall of both the protagonist, Okonkwo, and the Ibo traditional society.

An example is the use of proverbs.Proverbs are short sayings that contain a well-known truth or piece of advice. In the novel, they represent very important snippets of the Ibo culture. All of the facets of Ibo culture, including history, traditions, government structure, and hierarchies, shape these everyday sayings. Thus, Ibo values are reinforced through the ubiquitous use of proverbs. These sayings represent stories of the way of the Igbo people. There is a proverb that is commonly used in the culture and it is " proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten." One of the first instances of a myth was in Chapter 7 where Achebe describes to us the internal conflict within Okonkwo's son Nwoye, over preferring his mother's tales but wanting to please his father, "Nwoye knew that it was right to be masculine and violent" . Prior to this, one of Nwoye's favourite myths is recounted, allowing the reader to learn about the quarrel between the Earth and the Sky. As we mentioned earlier, the primary aim that myths like these serve is creating a richer environment for the audience to immerse themselves in. 

Another example of myths and stories  are those in the forms of songs. This form is spread throughout the text, and provides the audience with another form of culture to associate with the Igbo. This would allow a more diverse group to identify with them. The act of including lyrics without accompanying tunes or music, however, can perhaps also be interpreted as a comment by Achebe on the integrity of his text. It's almost as if he is reminding us that no matter how much we sing or read these songs, there is still an element of Igbo culture that has been irreparably lost due to colonisation  This is represented symbolically via the medium of his novel: as a book we cannot include a song within it, and books embody civilization and education (which the colonizers 'brought' to the African people). 

These are only some of the examples that Achebe uses in his novel "things fall apart".