history writing - 4 pages

Things Fall Apart

You will write one essay for this course based on your reading of Things Fall Apart. This project counts for 25% of your grade.

Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart was one of the first novels written by an African author to garner worldwide acclaim. Achebe set out to depict the social and psychological disorientation accompanying the imposition of Western customs and values upon traditional African (Igbo) society. Based upon a careful reading of the text, provide an overview of the salient themes and key events in Things Fall Apart. Some questions to consider when crafting your essay (you need not answer all of them - they are simply touchstones for addressing central issues). How does the main character Okonkwo fight against the coming of missionaries and European colonial government? What are his personal strengths and greatest weaknesses? Does he successfully challenge the new order? How does this novel fit within the context of European colonialism in Africa? You might consider the following: there is a saying common to Native Americans and Africans alike which goes like this: "Before the white man came, we had the land and they had the Bible. Now we have the Bible and they have the land." 

A successful essay will incorporate specific evidence from the assigned readings. I will evaluate your essays on the strength and clarity of the thesis, development of the argument, use of evidence, and writing style/grammar. No outside sources are necessary, but if you do choose to integrate external analyses or interpretations into your essay, you must properly cite them. Make sure that the entire essay reflects your ideas written in your own words. All papers will checked for plagiarism through Turnitin. Use Chicago Manual of Style or MLA for your citations. A Work(s) Cited page is required even if your only source is Things Fall Apart. Be sure to number your pages.

Your essay must be at least four (4) full pages in length, double-spaced, 1 inch margins, and 12 point Times New Roman font. Only your name should appear at the top of the page. Papers that are below required length (even by half a page) will lose significant points from the total score. The Work(s) Cited page does not count toward the page total.