Things Fall Apart: Top Ten Theme Quotes (plus analysis…)

Tradition, Ancestry and Culture

“Our fathers did not do it in this way.” This quote refers to Okonkwo’s refusal to alter Igbo traditions and cultural practices, even as the European colonisers impose new ones onto the Igbo people, underlining the tension between old customs and new influences.
“My father they have killed me!” Ikemefuna’s desperate plea to Okonkwo symbolises the helpless, urgent fight of the Igbo culture against the encroachment of colonial rule, revealing the threatening loss of traditional ways.

“Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness.” This quote sheds light on Okonkwo’s personal battle — between his own identity and the societal expectations imposed on him — epitomizing the internal struggle individuals often face in conforming to social norms.
“A man belongs to his fatherland when things are good and life is sweet. But when there is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuge in his motherland.” This statement portrays the duality of belonging, a core aspect of one’s identity, thus highlighting the shifts in affiliation and loyalty during difficult times.

“No matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and his children he was not really a man.” This quote stresses the Igbo definition of masculinity, associating it strongly with patriarchal dominance and control.
“Okonkwo was not the man to stop beating somebody half-way through.” This depiction of Okonkwo’s relentless aggression underscores the theme of toxic masculinity, revealing the dangerous extent to which societal norms of manliness can push a person.

“There is no story that is not true… The world has no end, and what is good among one people is an abomination with others.” The words of Uchendu linking the physical and spiritual realms, speak volumes about the Igbo’s religious and supernatural beliefs, further underscoring their world view where every tale holds truth.
“You drove him to kill himself; now he will be buried like a dog…” The societal scorn and spiritual consequence that follows Okonkwo’s suicide highlight the significance of ancestral and supernatural sanctions within Igbo tradition.

“Among the Igbo the art of conversation is regarded very highly, and proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten.” This quote establishes the Igbo’s appreciation of language aesthetics and the importance of proverbs, richly steeped culture heritage, to facilitate communication.
“If a man says yes his chi also says yes”. This saying is a nod to the individual’s chi or personal god in the Igbo belief system; it emphasises the significant of personal motivation and spiritual approval in dictating one’s destiny.