unity. When Okonkwo accidentally shot the young boy, it was an offense against the Earth goddess. This offense, if not atoned by the clan, could bring the wrath of the goddess upon them. The lbo elders put this idea well: "...if one finger brought oil it soiled theothers"(p. 125).Achebe's allusions to the complexity of lbo society helped to give a better idea of what these people were like before British colonization. Without this insight into their culture, the reader would not have a full understanding of the changes and eventual downfall of the lbo. The scenes of cultural misunderstanding, and the mistreatment of women and outcasts, help to understand the conflicts that arise between the lbo and the British missionaries.Things Fall Apart is an excellent piece of literature. Achebe paints a picture of a people that most Westerners would otherwise never understand. He takes the reader right into the community of Umuofia. Achebe gives such a wonderful understanding of the conflict and strife of the lbo people at the time of colonization. The historical significance of Things Fall Apart is immeasurable. Achebe simply gives the world a look at the end of a traditional way of life caused by the specter of imperialism....
