Things Fall Apart: Missionaries and Village Elders Compared
This essay examines two central character comparisons in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. The first section evaluates Mr. Brown and Reverend Smith as missionaries in Umuofia, arguing that Mr. Brown's patient, tolerant, and development-oriented approach made him the more successful agent of conversion. The second section compares Okonkwo and Obierika as village elders, contending that Obierika's measured temperament, emotional intelligence, and adaptability made him the more effective leader for a community navigating colonial change. Together, both comparisons illuminate how Achebe uses contrasting character archetypes to explore the intersection of tradition, faith, and colonial transformation in Igbo society.
- Introduction: Overview of missionary conversion theme in novel
- Mr. Brown: The Tolerant Missionary: Brown's patient, inclusive approach to conversion
- Reverend Smith: The Rigid Successor: Smith's strict, uncompromising missionary style
- The More Successful Missionary: Verdict favoring Brown over Smith
- Okonkwo and Obierika as Village Elders: Contrasting leadership styles of two elders
- Conclusion: Obierika judged the more effective village leader
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper uses a clear comparative structure for each question, presenting character traits alongside textual evidence before drawing a reasoned conclusion.
- It grounds its arguments in specific narrative events — such as Brown's debates with Akunna and Enoch's unmasking of the Egwugwu — rather than relying on vague generalization.
- The contrast between the two missionary figures is sharpened by the paper's attention to opposite temperaments, making the argument for Brown's superiority persuasive and easy to follow.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates effective comparative character analysis, organizing evidence around parallel criteria (approach to faith, attitude toward the community, and practical outcomes) applied consistently to each pair of characters. This technique allows readers to evaluate both sides before the author delivers a verdict, modeling balanced literary argumentation.
Structure breakdown
The essay is divided into two self-contained analytical units, each framed by its own question. The first addresses the two missionaries and the second the two elders, with each section following the same pattern: individual character portrait, contrast, and conclusion. The final sentences of each section serve as mini-conclusions, and a single reference anchors the analysis to Achebe's novel.
Introduction
In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe deliberately portrays the process by which the village of Umuofia is drawn into Christianity and gradually pulled away from its traditional cultural foundations. To dramatize this transformation, Achebe uses two missionaries as central figures: Mr. Brown and Reverend Smith. Both men share the same ultimate goal, yet they pursue it through radically different methods, and their contrasting approaches produce very different outcomes for the community they seek to convert.
Reference
Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: First Anchor Books, 1994. (Originally published 1958.)
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