Things Fall Apart: Theme & Key Quotes: Religion

Theme: Religion

Religion is a prominent theme in “Things Fall Apart” and plays a significant role in shaping the lives of characters in Umuofia.
The introduction of Christianity undermines traditional religious practices and beliefs and sets the stage for cultural clash.

Ibo religion is polytheistic, rooted in nature and ancestor worship. It guides laws, morality, and societal organisation.
Fearful and respectful of their deities, the Ibo people take direction from an oracle and adhere to religious rituals.
Chielo, the oracle of the goddess Agbala, is a trusted figure in society who has spiritual insights and can communicate with spirits.
An example quote is, “Beware, Okonkwo!” [Chielo] warned. “Beware of exchanging words with Agbala. Does a man speak when a god speaks? Beware!”

The coming of the white missionaries introduces Christianity, and it deeply divides Umuofia.
Mr. Brown, one of the missionaries, presents a more tolerant form of Christianity, open to dialogue, earning the respect of prominent clan members.
Contrastingly Reverend Smith is uncompromising, ignoring indigenous religious practices and causing more conflict.
Mr Brown’s respect for the Ibo culture is visible when “he trod softly on its faith”, while Mr Smith “saw things as black and white. And black was evil.”

Christian denial of all gods but their own creates tension, for instance, the conversion of Okonkwo’s son Nwoye, which deepens the divide between him and his father.
The disrespect for the Egwugwu, masked individuals representing ancestral spirits, by Enoch, culminates in a climatic clash.
The quote “He [Enoch] has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart” signifies how religion, central to societal unity, can also be cause for its disintegration.

The new religion provides refuge for individuals marginalized in Ibo society, such as the osu (outcasts) and beaten wives.
Nwoye, disillusioned with Ibo religion due to events like Ikemefuna’s death, finds comfort in Christian teachings.
Okonkwo’s refusal to adapt leads to his tragic end.

Things Fall Apart presents the theme of religion not as a black-and-white battle between good and bad, but as a complex intersection of values, customs, and personal choices.
Religion, while being a binding force in society, can also be a veiled force of division, coercion, and cultural imperialism.