The Significance of Land in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart

Abstract

This article is concerned with the significance of land in Chinua Achebe’s seminal work ‘Things Fall Apart’. It focuses on questions of how the land is distributed and utilised and the attitudes and beliefs surrounding it. In handling the question, the article analyses various situations and contexts in which issues of land and its use arise. The main tool of analysis is ecocriticism complemented by the social constructionist theory. The article argues that the Igbo culture as presented in Things Fall Apart is a nature-culture characterised by land as a culture-scape. The beliefs of the Igbo determine how they relate to and use the land. Further the article argues that land is very central to the life and lifestyle of the Igbo people as it helps define their religion and customary practices.