Power

By Harry Eccles

The theme of Power in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart

Power in Igbo culture

Strength or force exerted or capable of being exerted; might - www.thefreedictionary.com

Hierarchy
Egwuwgu
Village Elders
Men with Titles
Men

Women
Children

Wrestling and strength

As a young man of 18 he had brought honour to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat. He was called the Cat because his back would never touch the earth. It was this man that Okonkwo threw in a fight which the old men agreed was one of the fiercest fights since the founder of their town engaged a spirit of the wild for seven days and seven nights. The drums beat and the flutes sang and spectators hold their breath his heels hardly touched the ground... He seemed to walk on springs, as if he was going to pounce on somebody

Wealth and possessions

Unoka, the grown-up, was a failure. He was poor and his wife and children had barely enough to eat. People laughed at him because he was a loafer.

Okonkwo was clearly cut out for great things He was a wealthy farmer and had two barns full of yams, and had just married his third wife.

A man could not rise beyond the destiny of his chi

Status
To crown it all he had taken two titles and had shown incredible prowess in two inter-tribal wars. Egwugwu: How can I know you, father? You are beyond our knowledge I am Evil Forrest, I kill a man on the day that his life is sweetest to him A women fled as soon as an egwugwu came towards her Okonkwos wives, and perhaps other women as well, might have noticed that the second egwugwu had the springy walk of Okonkwo.

Hierarchy
Egwuwgu
Village Elders
Age, wisdom More titles, higher status, Greater achievements

Men with Titles

Wealth, success, strength, honour

Men

Power of the Colonisers

Control and influence

the white man had not only brought a religion but also a government

Does the white man understand our custom about land?

Mr Browns missionary grew from strength to strength , and because of its link with the new administration it earned a new social prestige.

Presumed superiority and force

we have a court of law where we judge cases and administer justice just as it is done in our own country the three white men and a very large number of other men surrounded the market And they began to shoot. Everybody was killed the story of this man who killed a messenger and hanged himself would make interesting reading

The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger

Deceptiveness
And at last the locusts did descend. They settled on every tree and every blade of grass; they settled on the roofs and covered the bare ground. Mighty tree branches broke away under them, and the whole country became the brown-earth colour of the vast, hungry swarm. the Oracle . . . said that other white men were on their way. They were locusts. . . .

The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers He has put a knife to the things that held us together and we have fallen apart

Switch of power in the last chapter

now he will be buried like a dog District Commissioner He commanded them, to come outside His body is evil, and only strangers may touch it

The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger

In Summary
Igbo society stood on the firm foundations of power found in: Hard work Physical achievements Wealth Status Spirituality

This was destroyed by the colonisers greed for power, which manifested itself in: Breaking down the foundations of Igbo society Overruling the culture, ideologies and traditions of the Igbo people Physically removing any obstacles (i.e Abame)