The prose used to write Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is uniquely stylized and molded to fit its African context. The author largely succeeds in developing a mixture between the English language and the culture of the Ibo people. Using this European language to define various unknown words, explain customs, create ways of thinking and translate metaphors creates the illusion of an African language while remaining accessible to individuals in this English-dominated world. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Throughout the novel, Achebe inserts Igbo words that can be defined by the reader using evidence from the text or are defined in his writings. . This technique causes the reader to reinterpret the sentence, as one would when translating, and gives us just a taste of what this particular African language is like. “The active ingredient of this medicine was a one-legged old woman. In fact, the medicine itself was called agadi-nwayi, or old woman. (Things Fall Apart p. 11-12) The seemingly simple blend of African words and English writing makes the story easy to understand while remaining true to its African roots. Although written in English, the author explains various African customs which become familiar to the reader as the story progresses. An example of this can be found in almost every chapter with the cracking of kola nuts, the fruit of kola trees found in African rainforests, as a ritual metaphor and common practice of the Ibo people. ""THANKS. He who brings the cola brings life. But I think you should break it,” Okoye replied, handing the disc back to him. (Things Fall Apart pg. 6) As a recurring theme, it takes on more meaning throughout the plot as Igbo culture begins to diminish due to colonialism. The use of African customs and values ​​intensifies the culture of the story without being weighed down by its English disguise. In addition to showing the customs of this African tribe, Achebe also includes various metaphors that represent the morals valued in this society. They are designed in such a way as to familiarize the reader with the unique group mind of the Ibo people, whose ways of thinking may be different from ours. The simplicity of these stories makes them translatable and emphasizes the importance of verbal continuation in Igbo culture. In one particular Igbo tale, Mosquito asks Ear to marry him, to which Ear mocks him by stating: "How much longer do you think you'll live?...you're already a skeleton." " (Things Fall Apart p. 75) Mosquito leaves humiliated, but every time he passes by Ear in the future, he makes sure to tell him that he is still alive. Although simple, this tale allows the reader to understand how Ibo culture explains the world. This is a contrast that might be lost if written in the African language. Some philosophers and deep thinkers, such as Ngugi Wa Thiong'o, might argue that using English to write about one's culture only reinforces colonialism and its effects. Language and communication are an essential part of culture and to use a foreign language to create an artistic interpretation of that culture would be to leave out a substantial part of its value. "[In] the colonial educational system, in addition to its racial demarcation from apartheid... English became the measure of intelligence and ability in the arts, sciences and all other branches of knowledge ." (Decolonizing the mind by Ngugi Wa Thiong'o p. 3) Language has been used to..