Things Fall Apart

Things Fall Apart

Things Fall Apart is a 1958 novel by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe, about the downfall of Okonkwo, a traditional Ibo village leader, or "big man," as the British took over the village. From a larger perspective, it describes the impact of colonialism on traditional African life.

The title of the book is derived from a poem, "The Second Coming," by William Butler Yeats. Things Fall Apart is considered by many to have been a milestone in African literature. It was followed by two sequels, No Longer at Ease (1960) and The Arrow of God (1964), featuring the descendants of Okonkwo and the problems they face under colonialism.