“Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe- An Analysis of the Role of Human Sacrifice
Introduction
Events connected to religious practices framing the culture of the people Achebe describes in “Things Fall Apart” depend on long traditional practices and the role of human sacrifice. The agrarian culture described in the story link to religious practices impart the respect of the practitioners toward the need for communicating with the powers over nature, peoples’ behavior, and life practices among the communal aspects of the people Achebe describes. Analysis of this story looks at the traditional religious practices as part of the culture of the people in the story.
Human Sacrifice in Umuofia
The Umuofia like their fellow clansmen, as a village looked at human sacrifice as part of their religious practices when such an act ordained by the teachings – in this case it is due to the findings of the oracle they obey. In particular, in the story the importance of tradition connected with respect of ancestral ceremonies remains clear. There is “essentially (a) two-tiered African cosmology beliefs and ritual forms.” In the case of human sacrifice the practice connects in particular to war. The taking of heads is a common practice during war as the story describes how Okonkwa’s feats as a warrior brought five heads as proof of his warrior prowess. The case of beliefs and ritual as a part of African cosmology seems more connected to the acts of war, the disrespect of ancestral practices resulting in punishments to appease the and atone for the disrespect.
The Nature of Ikemefuna’s Sacrifice
Thus, when Okonkwa (who cares for nothing of magic, religion, ceremony, and respect of others, taking it upon himself to punish his wife during the Week of Peace sets the events leading to the sacrifice of Ikemefuna on its course. Two things arise from this situation. First, Okonkwa has knowingly and most importantly willingly put his own desires before the in the traditions of the Week of Peace by chastising her during this time. Second, the elders take his apologetic gesture for exactly as intended by Okonkwa – just a form of lip service to get his village to ease up on their negativity toward him. Therefore, the nature of Ikemefua’s Sacrifice becomes symbolic of respect for tradition, and when he ignores this then a sacrifice (even a human one seems to be the order to get things back to the proper way the people conduct themselves and with one another.
How people conduct themselves connects to a theme emerging in the story because amidst the magic of the rituals and beliefs Okonkwa is torn between these important aspects of the village life and his desire to be more than he imagines himself because of the shame he unconsciously takes on in regards to how he hated his father. He remains afraid he will somehow find others viewing and comparing him to his father. He mistakes the warrior culture he lives as having to portray the temperament he exhibits toward everything and everyone. While he is a hard worker and reaps the rewards of his hard work, he does set himself above others he feels are his inferiors.
This connects to the sacrifice of Ikemefua because again, it is Okonkwa’s one focus that he not be seen by the others of his clan as a weak, and powerless man that he goes against the directive of the elder to not participate in killing Ikemefua. One of the greatest taboos of Okonkwa’s people is the killing of a relative by another. In this case, all look at Ikemefua as the, son of Okonkwa. Therefore, when he strikes the killing blow on his foster son he has again put his own desires above tradition and sacred ceremony. He again, has gone against sacred tradition and disobeyed a direct order by the holy man. What this reveals the distinct character of the sacredness of tradition of the Umuofia clan and the way they adhere to these precepts. Therefore, consideration of whether Ikemefuna serves as a sacrifice because no ceremony took place remains unclear as may be the intention of Achebe. Ritual without ceremony nonetheless, remains clearly outlined by Achebe because of the conversation the elder has about the sacrifice with Okonkwa.
One consideration of the question of whether Ikemefuna representing a sacrifice – ceremonial or not, looks at the African philosophy as a whole. In this view, the universality of the order of life connected to nature emerges.” At the same time, “The moral issues are, first, the relationship of individual identity and community and emergent views of justice surrounding liberal individualism and communitarian thinking.” There seems indeed, a moral issue surrounding the sacrifice of Ikemefuna. As a member of the elders, who maintained the community Okonkwa’s choice of actions reveals the depth of his transgressions against tradition connected to belief in the order of things led by the gods.
The Decision to Kill Ikemefuna and the One Legged Woman
While the oracle is, the source of the decision to kill Ikemefuna it does take place during the time of the return of the locusts. Typically, the locusts represent a time of good and plenty because they provide a desired source of protein for the people when cooked. Possibly, the interpretation of the oracle to sacrifice Ikemefuna has to do with his presence representing a negative aspect within the village. The boy comes as part of a payment for the murder of one of the women of the village by men in the boy’s village while she was at the market. Thus, the killing of the boy seems to have always been a prospect just waiting on the oracle to give the word.
In regards to the one-legged woman myth, the reputation of the village among the other clan villages regards it as having powerful magic from the time of its establishment directly related to the one legged woman as the source of the magic. It is through the interweaving of this type of myth that Achebe provides distinct other world attributes to the story in contrast to Western ideals and religion. Consequently, within the telling of this story, the myth of the old one legged woman shows "myths, in the sense that everybody knows and tells them; they are treated with a high degree of respect because they contain all that is sacred to the people, particularly the place or role of their divinities in the people's traditional history.”
In conclusion, as stated in the introduction events connected to religious practices framing the culture of the people Achebe describes in “Things Fall Apart” depend on long traditional practices and the role of human sacrifice. Through the actions of Achebe’s characters, the telling of the importance of religion as a part of the framework of the people in this story, there exists a better understanding of how outside forces contribute to the ongoing efforts of humans creating order in societies – no matter the culture, race, or religion. This story represents a successful effort of the author to bring understanding to how humans work through myth, tradition, folk tales, and honoring proven methods for bringing order to socialization efforts.
References
Achebe, Chinue. Things Fall Apart. 1959
Bell, Richard H. Understanding African Philosophy: A Cross-Cultural Approach to Classical and
Contemporary Issues. New York: Routledge, 2002.
Clarke, Peter B., ed. New Trends and Developments in African Religions. Westport, CT: Greenwood
Press, 1998.
Okpewho, Isidore. African Oral Literature: Backgrounds, Character, and Continuity. Bloomington, IN:
Indiana University Press, 1992.
Religions of the World Part I, You Tube. 2013 Web
