Evolution of Literacy: Chaos Envelopes Umuofia

The influence of words in things fall apart is huge. Not only does literacy interfere with the traditional society that Okonkwo defended but words show a kind of peace in the culture and ritual in the society.

            Words spoken between Okonkwo and the Elders show how communication of the society works. This is done in front of the tribe to communicate to the whole tribe. This turns on Okonkwo when he kills the messenger in front of the whole village. This also shows how the culture has changed from his father’s times. His father’s people fought and killed to settle arguments between people. The village at this time is an oral culture that settles things with talk, exactly the opposite way that Okonkwo was taught. Okonkwo basically gets confused and frustrated with the new cultures invading his traditional way.

            The cultures really describe the three parts of the book. The first the physical oral culture that Unoka grew up in, fighting and warring between the cultures. The second is the oral culture that Okonkwo rules over that disputes without physical harm. The third is the missionaries who bring the written culture. These cultures show how the communication and language basics change from generation to generation especially with Nwoye joining the Missionaries.

            The evolution of oral and literacy culture also shows the chaotic downfall of the Umuofia. As the village becomes oral the old ways become out of date and the village destabilizes. When literacy comes into the culture the children go to the missionaries, the women start getting drawn to this new non-violent gods and Okonkwo becomes angry and confused at it all. Attempting to go to war does not work in this new, almost democratic society where the elders shut down Okonkwo’s declaration.