Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and William Butler Yeats’ “The Second Coming” are two pieces of literature that deal with the idea of change. They both explore the idea of what happens when traditional systems and beliefs are challenged. In Things Fall Apart, Achebe examines the effect that European colonization has on the Igbo people of Nigeria. Yeats’ poem addresses the chaos and disorder that he believes is coming in the wake of World War I.
Although they were written decades apart, Achebe’s and Yeats’ works share a number of similarities. Both authors depict a world in upheaval, where old orders are breaking down and new ones have not yet emerged. They also share a pessimistic view of the future, in which traditional values are being replaced by violence and chaos.
In the end, Achebe and Yeats offer strikingly different visions of the future. Achebe believes that traditional values can be preserved if they are adapted to changing circumstances. Yeats, on the other hand, believes that civilization is in terminal decline and that only a new order will bring salvation.
A comparison of The Second Coming to Things Fall Apart will reveal many comparable aspects between the two works. When Achebe sees the line, Things fall apart in the poem, he makes a strong connection. He thinks to himself at this time, I should call my book Things Fall Apart because it will show the book’s main idea. The apprehensive dread displayed by both the poem and the book is one of several corresponding ideas between them. In Things Fall Apart, it appears that whenever Okonkwo’s morale improves, things begin to fall apart.
For example, after Okonkwo returns from exile and becomes a powerful man in the village, he then kills Ikemefuna out of fear that the boy will become a rival. This event leads to his downfall since it is not in accordance with the Igbo customs. In a sense, Okonkwo’s extreme reactions to events is what ultimately causes things to fall apart.
The same idea is conveyed in Yeats’ poem. The second coming is constantly spoken about throughout the poem, yet it never seems to happen. This creates a feeling of despair and hopelessness within the characters and readers alike. Just as things are falling apart for Okonkwo, they are also falling apart for the world in Yeats’ poem.
As a result of their inner conflicts, the world and its base were in chaos. In addition to the similar feeling they convey, both the book and poem reveal a significant shift from an old era to a new one. The Second Coming depicts an apocalypse. Yeats demonstrates this transition by describing our planet’s transformations over time.
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a novel that displays the change from old to new. It follows the life of Okonkwo, an Igbo man who struggles to keep his culture alive in a rapidly changing society. The novel portrays how the traditional Igbo way of life is threatened by British colonialism.
While both The Second Coming and Things Fall Apart depict a shift in era, they differ in their portrayal of this change. Yeats presents the change as something negative, while Achebe shows how there are positives and negatives to change. Ultimately, both texts present an important perspective on the idea of change.
Some of the most significant changes in any story are those that take place after we’ve reached our conclusion. However, there is a wisdom to be found in recognizing that life does not operate on rails and attempting to impose such order where it doesn’t exist.
We can appreciate these lines as they pertain to the continual adjustments we must make, as well as the fact that we may not go back in time. Chinua Achebe also depicts an important shift by referring to Umuofa as it was formerly. He makes it simpler to detect the key changes throughout the narrative by describing Umuofa as it was originally.
A recurring theme in both works is self-sacrifice to avoid disruptions. Okonkwo’s death is his last option. He feels that by doing so, he preserves his reputation and heritage. He also kills himself to escape the agony and hardship Christianity has caused among his people.
Christ comes back to life after his death and offers salvation. This is in contrast to Okonkwo who chooses to die instead of accepting the new religion. These two pieces have very different endings but they are both about making a choice between two things that are important to the individual. In The Second Coming Yeats believes that there will be chaos before order is restored.
He uses this poem to express the idea that society is going through a tough time but it will get better in the end. Things Fall Apart portrays a society that crumbles as a result of change. Achebe makes it clear that not everything about the old ways were good but he shows how difficult it is for a culture to adjust when something new comes along. In the end both pieces are about making a choice between two things that are important to the individual.
The Second Coming, which was published six years after Things Fall Apart, includes a description of the apocalypse. The end of civilization on planet Earth is referred to as an apocalypse. Because in either case it’s impossible to prevent the changes from taking place, the poem and book are synonymous. The loss of control by a higher power over a lower one is another common theme in The Second Coming and Things Fall Apart.
In Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo attempts to teach Nwoye the customs of his people. He also endeavors to make his son unlike Okonkwo himself. Nwoye wanted to be a free man. He didn’t want to be held accountable for the actions of his father, Okonkwo. In an attempt to better his life, Nwoya embraces Christianity. Okonkwo is ashamed by Nwoya’ conversion to Christianity.
He feels that if Nwoye had stuck to their traditional ways, Okonkwo would have been able to protect him. This is an example of a lower power trying to take control from a higher power. In The Second Coming, Yeats is describing how the lower class is trying to take over the government.
While in Things Fall Apart the British are taking over Nigeria, in The Second Coming Yeats is warning about an apocalypse where the lower class will take over. In both cases, it is not possible to stop the change from happening. A final similarity between The Second Coming and Things Fall Apart is the idea of death and rebirth.
In Things Fall Apart, there is death and rebirth of a culture when the British come to Nigeria. The traditional way of life is gone and a new way of life must be born. This is similar to the idea of death and rebirth in The Second Coming. In both cases, something is ending and something else is beginning.
In conclusion, while there are many differences between Chinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart and William Butler Yeats The Second Coming, there are also some similarities. These similarities include the ideas of an apocalypse, loss of control, death and rebirth, and the struggle between a higher and lower power.
