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Paradox
Definition of Personification
Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the sentence, "The rain poured down on the wedding guests, indifferent... read full definition
Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the sentence, "The rain poured down... read full definition
Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the... read full definition
Chapter 13
Explanation and Analysis—The Living Earth:
Ibo/Igbo spiritual beliefs feature prominently in Things Fall Apart, guiding Achebe's stylistic choices as well as the events of the novel. Ibo beliefs generally center nature, which often gets personified and exalted as a kind of god. The forces of nature are holy, powerful, and feared by the Ibo people, so much so that Nature's personification functions as a motif in Things Fall Apart.
In Chapter 13, for instance, Achebe reflects on the practice of abandoning "evil" twins in the forest. Reasoning through the lens of Ibo spirituality, Achebe personifies the Earth:
What crime had [twin children] committed? The Earth had decreed that they were an offense on the land and must be destroyed.
Ruling as a king or god might, in this passage the "Earth" decrees that the twins must be destroyed. Nature is holy, humanoid, and accorded the power of governance by the Ibo people.
Similarly, in Chapter 14, Achebe uses personification to characterize the weather:
At last the rain came. It was sudden and tremendous. For two or three moons the sun had been gathering strength till it seemed to breathe a breath of fire on the earth.
Again, nature's power and agency are all-encompassing in Ibo mythology. In the above instance of personification, the sun "breathe[s] a breath of fire on the earth," exhibiting its power over Umuofia and the nearby clans.
Related Themes:
Chapter 14
Explanation and Analysis—The Living Earth:
Ibo/Igbo spiritual beliefs feature prominently in Things Fall Apart, guiding Achebe's stylistic choices as well as the events of the novel. Ibo beliefs generally center nature, which often gets personified and exalted as a kind of god. The forces of nature are holy, powerful, and feared by the Ibo people, so much so that Nature's personification functions as a motif in Things Fall Apart.
In Chapter 13, for instance, Achebe reflects on the practice of abandoning "evil" twins in the forest. Reasoning through the lens of Ibo spirituality, Achebe personifies the Earth:
What crime had [twin children] committed? The Earth had decreed that they were an offense on the land and must be destroyed.
Ruling as a king or god might, in this passage the "Earth" decrees that the twins must be destroyed. Nature is holy, humanoid, and accorded the power of governance by the Ibo people.
Similarly, in Chapter 14, Achebe uses personification to characterize the weather:
At last the rain came. It was sudden and tremendous. For two or three moons the sun had been gathering strength till it seemed to breathe a breath of fire on the earth.
Again, nature's power and agency are all-encompassing in Ibo mythology. In the above instance of personification, the sun "breathe[s] a breath of fire on the earth," exhibiting its power over Umuofia and the nearby clans.
Related Themes:
Chapter 17
Explanation and Analysis—Church in the Forest:
In Chapter 17, Nwoye finds himself enticed by the Christians who come to build their church on the grounds of the Evil Forest. Speaking from the young boy's perspective, Achebe employs simile to describe the church's appearance:
[Nwoye] heard the voice of singing and although it came from a handful of men it was loud and confident. Their church stood on a circular clearing that looked like the open mouth of the Evil Forest. Was it waiting to snap its teeth together?
In this excerpt, Achebe uses simile as a device to explore Nwoye's perspective on Christianity. Comparing the circular church clearing to the "open mouth of the Evil Forest," Achebe invokes the idea of divine punishment. Upon their arrival in his village, Nwoye believes that the Christians will be punished for their defiance of Ibo gods and traditions. Achebe personifies the Evil Forest in this passage to indicate the strength of Nwoye's belief in these ancestral traditions. Like his clansmen, Nwoye firmly abides by the laws of the Ibo gods, according Nature ultimate power and agency.
This initial belief fades with time: Nwoye never does observe the forest's teeth snapping together around the Christians. In fact, Christians largely escape punishment at the hands of Nwoye's ancestral gods. Their continued presence in the forest challenges Nwoye's faith, making him doubt the Evil Forest's total power.
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis—Smoldering Log:
In Chapter 17, Okonkwo mourns the loss of his son Nwoye, who has decided to forego the traditions of his ancestors for Christianity. In a moment of reflection, Okonkwo observes a smoldering log in his fireplace, utilizing personification to relate his and the log's experiences:
He, Okonkwo, was called a flaming fire. How could he have begotten a woman for a son? . . . He sighed heavily, and as if in sympathy the smoldering log also sighed. And immediately Okonkwo's eyes were opened and he saw the whole matter clearly. Living fire begets cold, impotent ash. He sighed again, deeply.
Achebe personifies this smoldering log, enabling it to sigh alongside Okonkwo. This log represents Okonkwo's life and character on multiple levels, the first being that of his personal fire (or, perhaps, chi—personal god). In the face of life's many challenges, Okonkwo finds his motivation and hope dwindling. Once on track to be one of the most respected and powerful men in his clan, he now finds his confidence abating when faced with the realities of exile. Like the flame lighting the log, Okonkwo's once-powerful feelings and abilities have reduced to almost nothing.
On yet another level, this smoldering log represents the fire of Okonkwo's children—another flame now dwindling. Nwoye, in particular, brings Okonkwo so much shame that he compares his son to the "cold, impotent ash" that remains behind after a fire. From Okonkwo's perspective, both he and his children are languishing in the face of uncontrollable and unprecedented change.
Related Themes:
