Things Fall Apart - Angle 4

 Ex O -Level Literature & Bible Knowledge students gather here. This is the last one

There is little doubt that the young Chinua Achebe would have been exposed to biblical stories from an early age as a result of his Christian (specifically Anglican, though often broadly described as Christian) upbringing. Stories such as Jacob wrestling through the night with an angel and prevailing, the extraordinary physical strength of Samson against the Philistines, and David’s rise from obscurity to national acclaim after killing Goliath are foundational narratives within Christian literature. As one reads Things Fall Apart, it is difficult not to wonder whether some of these well-known biblical stories may have subconsciously influenced Achebe and later emerged, creatively transformed, in his novel.

Of particular interest is the episode involving Ikemefuna, who is taken on a journey from which he never returns. This episode is reminiscent of the biblical account of Abraham’s journey with Isaac, undertaken with the intention of sacrifice. While Isaac is ultimately spared through the provision of a substitute ram, Ikemefuna is not granted such deliverance. Another parallel may be found in the story of Jephthah, who vows before battle that he will sacrifice whoever first comes out to greet him upon his victorious return. Tragically, it is his daughter who greets him, and she is sacrificed as a result of his vow. These deeply troubling narratives of faith, obedience, and sacrifice may well have left an impression on a young Achebe, later resurfacing as thematic elements in his fiction.

Themes of love, fertility, and familial suffering also appear prominently in both biblical texts and Things Fall Apart. In the Bible, infertility creates emotional strain in relationships such as those of Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob and Rachel. In Achebe’s novel, infertility is not the central issue; instead, the trauma arises from the repeated deaths of children in infancy. This is evident in the relationship between Okonkwo and his second wife, Ekwefi, who experiences the heartbreaking loss of multiple children before Ezinma survives.

All creative individuals recognize that inspiration is rarely traceable to a single source. Rather, it is often an accumulation of stories, experiences, cultural influences, and communal narratives that gradually crystallize into a work of art. In this light, it is plausible that Achebe’s early exposure to biblical stories—alongside Igbo oral traditions and colonial realities—contributed to the thematic depth of Things Fall Apart. I freely acknowledge that I have taken artistic license in proposing these connections, but such speculation invites a richer appreciation of Achebe’s creative imagination and the complex sources from which it may have drawn.

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1. Chinua Achebe : a biography by Ezenwa-Ohaeto

2. The sacrifice of Isaac by Oguefi Rembrandt

3. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe