"Does the white man understand our custom about land?"

Question

"How can he when he does not even speak our tongue? But he says that our customs are bad, and our own brothers who have taken up his religion also say that our customs are bad. How do you think we can fight when our own brothers have turned against us? The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart."
From Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart. Copyright 1958 by Chinua Achebe
The previous text suggested that Christian missionaries brought Nigerian ethnic groups together. How does this historical novel build on or challenge that idea?
it suggest that Christianity dived the people of Nigeria.
it gives a different reason for why Christianity united Nigerians.
it illustrates how Nigerian Christians felt about their old customs.

Answer 1

The excerpt from Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart" reflects the perspective of Indigenous people grappling with the impacts of colonialism and the introduction of Christianity. The text suggests that instead of bringing Nigerian ethnic groups together, Christianity actually contributed to a division among them. It highlights the tension and conflict created when local customs and beliefs are challenged by foreign ideologies, as well as the betrayal felt by those who see their own brothers turning against their traditional ways.

In this context, the correct interpretation of how the historical novel builds on or challenges the idea of Christianity uniting Nigerians is that it suggests that Christianity divided the people of Nigeria. The dialogue illustrates the fracturing of community bonds and the loss of unity due to the allure of a new religion and the manipulation by colonial powers. Rather than fostering unity, the introduction of Christianity exacerbates existing divisions, demonstrating the complexities of cultural interactions and the consequences of colonial influence.

Overall, Achebe's work critiques the notion of unity by revealing the painful fractures within Nigerian society caused by the arrival of Christian missionaries and the resulting internal conflicts.