TSW 5 and 6.

Chinua Achebe uses some of the Ibo language in his stories to set the scene and to give a more vivid image of the Ibo way of life. That is why there is a glossary at the back of the book. Some words he incorporates are: ‘agbala – woman; also used of a man who has taken no title’ and ‘obi – the large living quarters of the head of the family’. The story Things Fall Apart is solely based on the Ibo tradition and how it changed, so it is set where the Ibo live – Eastern Nigeria. They wear nothing until they are teenagers, when they where a loose clothes to hide their parts. The men carry machetes to protect themselves against animals and to show their power. There is no single ruler, but there is a council of elders which make some decisions based on everyone’s ideas. The Ibos have lots of gods, but the most powerful is Chukwu. But when the British invaded, their religions and traditions faded away.