Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart

A Postcolonial Theory Perspective

Abstract

The research article is a critical evaluation of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart through the lens of postcolonial theory, trying to explain the novel's resistance to colonialist discourse and its recuperation of native African identity. The research article clarifies colonialism, postcolonialism, and decolonization, establishing the theoretical framework necessary for an educated critique of Achebe's novel. Using qualitative research based on detailed textual analysis supported by secondary scholarly literature, the paper evaluates fundamental postcolonial theoretical notions of otherness, opposition, and hybridity. The research article shows how Achebe dismantles Eurocentric interpretations of African societies, corroborating the complexity, vibrancy, and resilience inherent in Igbo society. The deliberate use of both Igbo and English languages in the novel is examined as a linguistic subversion of imperial discourses of cultural hegemony. The analysis also demonstrates how Achebe's representation of cultural negotiation and resistance constitutes a significant body of work to enhance wider postcolonial studies discourses on identity construction, cultural memory, and historical agency. In conclusion, this article explains that Things Fall Apart is a foundational work that still shapes the discussion on decolonization, cultural autonomy, and literary recuperation of subaltern experiences