Introduction
This essay explores the disintegration of societal structures in Chinua Achebe’s seminal novel “Things Fall Apart,” viewed through the perspective of legal studies. While the novel is primarily a literary work set in pre-colonial and colonial Nigeria, it offers profound insights into the clash between customary law and imposed colonial legal systems. This analysis addresses the what, when, who, where, why, and how of this disintegration, employing the PEEL (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link) method to structure arguments. The essay aims to highlight how legal frameworks, both traditional and foreign, contribute to the collapse of personal and communal stability in the narrative, reflecting broader themes of power, authority, and justice.
What Falls Apart: The Core Conflicts
Point: The central collapse in “Things Fall Apart” is the erosion of traditional Igbo legal and cultural systems under colonial influence.
Evidence: Achebe illustrates this through the protagonist, Okonkwo, whose adherence to customary norms—such as resolving disputes through communal consensus or retribution—becomes obsolete with the arrival of British colonial rule and missionary influence (Achebe, 1958).
Explanation: The traditional legal system, rooted in kinship and spiritual beliefs, is displaced by a foreign legal apparatus that disregards Igbo customs, such as the trial by the egwugwu (ancestral spirits) being undermined by colonial courts. This legal discord mirrors Okonkwo’s personal downfall, as his violent actions, once sanctioned under Igbo norms, are criminalised under British law.
Link: Thus, the ‘what’ of falling apart is both a systemic and personal disintegration, directly tied to conflicting legal paradigms.
When and Where: Contextualizing the Collapse
Point: The collapse occurs during the late 19th century in the fictional Igbo village of Umuofia, reflecting the broader historical context of colonial encroachment in Nigeria.
Evidence: Achebe sets the narrative during the initial stages of British colonisation, a period marked by the imposition of colonial administration in the 1890s (Achebe, 1958).
Explanation: This temporal setting is crucial as it captures the transition from autonomous customary governance to subjugation under colonial law, notably through the establishment of District Commissioners who wield judicial power. Geographically, Umuofia represents countless African communities where local legal authority was supplanted by external forces.
Link: Therefore, the ‘when’ and ‘where’ frame the legal upheaval as a historically specific yet universally resonant phenomenon.
Who: Key Actors in the Disintegration
Point: The key figures in this collapse are Okonkwo, the Igbo community, and the colonial authorities, each embodying different aspects of legal conflict.
Evidence: Okonkwo’s rigid adherence to traditional norms, such as his role in Ikemefuna’s death, clashes with colonial legal standards, while the colonial officials enforce alien laws without regard for Igbo customs (Achebe, 1958).
Explanation: Okonkwo represents individual resistance to legal change, whereas the colonial authorities symbolise an oppressive legal imposition. The Igbo community, caught between these forces, struggles to maintain cohesion as traditional dispute resolution mechanisms are eroded.
Link: Hence, the ‘who’ reveals a spectrum of legal tensions, from personal to systemic, driving societal collapse.
Why and How: Causes and Mechanisms of Collapse
Point: The disintegration occurs due to the irreconcilable clash between customary and colonial legal systems, facilitated by power imbalances and cultural insensitivity.
Evidence: As Falola (2009) notes, colonial legal systems in Africa often dismissed indigenous laws as primitive, creating a power vacuum where traditional authority was undermined. In the novel, this is evident when the District Commissioner jails Igbo leaders for resisting missionary activity (Achebe, 1958).
Explanation: The ‘why’ lies in the colonial refusal to engage with or adapt to existing legal frameworks, instead imposing a one-size-fits-all judicial model. The ‘how’ manifests through mechanisms like military enforcement and missionary influence, which delegitimise traditional laws and fracture communal unity. Indeed, Okonkwo’s eventual suicide is arguably a culmination of this legal and cultural alienation.
Link: Consequently, the reasons and methods of collapse underscore a broader legal imperialism that devastates indigenous structures.
Conclusion
In conclusion, “Things Fall Apart” portrays a profound legal and cultural disintegration through the lens of conflicting legal systems in colonial Nigeria. The ‘what’ reveals a dual collapse of personal identity and communal norms, occurring in the late 19th century Umuofia (‘when’ and ‘where’), driven by Okonkwo, the Igbo, and colonial authorities (‘who’). Furthermore, the ‘why’ and ‘how’ highlight colonial legal imposition as a destructive force. From a legal studies perspective, this narrative prompts reflection on the implications of legal pluralism and the need for cultural sensitivity in judicial systems. Such insights remain relevant today, as post-colonial societies continue grappling with the legacy of imposed laws and the challenge of harmonising diverse legal traditions.
References
- Achebe, C. (1958) Things Fall Apart. William Heinemann Ltd.
- Falola, T. (2009) Colonialism and Violence in Nigeria. Indiana University Press.
